Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka parents have high expectations and the resources to back them up. SD 36 is a small, well-funded district with four schools including The Skokie School, and special education services come through the NSSEO cooperative. Private and parochial school families can access D36 evaluations too. But when your child is performing well in the classroom and still struggling with basic daily tasks at home, the school's assessment doesn't tell the whole story. Private pediatric occupational therapy evaluates the parts of your child's day that school never sees.
Your therapist
Laura O'Brien, OTR/L, has spent more than thirty years working with families across the North Shore and northwest suburbs. She works with many Winnetka families who have already pursued evaluations through their school or the NSSEO cooperative and are looking for support that goes beyond the classroom. Laura looks at the whole child, from morning routines to bedtime, not just what a teacher reports.
Her approach is simple: parents are in every session. She shows you exactly what is happening, explains why your child responds the way they do, and gives you specific strategies to use tonight. Progress happens between appointments, not just during them.
Last reviewed: April 2026
What parents say
These aren't quirks your child will outgrow. They can be signs of sensory processing, motor planning, or self-regulation challenges that respond well to the right support.
Understanding your options
SD 36 provides OT through IEPs managed by the NSSEO cooperative. Services focus on classroom performance: handwriting, cutting, managing school supplies, and sensory regulation during academic tasks. Private, parochial, and homeschool children who live in the district are also eligible for D36 evaluations.
Getting dressed without a struggle. Tolerating a haircut. Sitting through a restaurant meal. Joining a team sport. Handling the noise at a birthday party. School OT ends when classroom goals are met. The daily challenges that exhaust your family at home fall outside what any school program can address.
That is the gap private OT fills. Laura works on the life skills that matter at home and in your Winnetka community. Many families work with both school and private OT at the same time because the goals are completely different.
In-person and Zoom
Laura guides you through activities in real time using household items. Your child works on hand strength with putty and clothespins while you learn why certain sensory inputs cause a reaction. Telehealth is practical for Winnetka families managing multiple children and packed schedules.
About 21 minutes from Winnetka. Your child climbs, swings, and works through obstacle courses designed to build body awareness and motor planning. You are in the room, watching what works and learning how to carry it over at home. The gym has equipment that most homes and local clinics do not have.
Either way, you leave every session knowing exactly what to do between appointments.
Parent strategies
Clothing battles: If your child refuses certain fabrics, try turning shirts inside out so seams face away from the skin. Cut out all tags. Let your child choose between two pre-approved outfits the night before so there is no surprise in the morning. Reducing the sensory unknowns often reduces the fight.
Dinner time fidgeting: Place a stretchy resistance band around the front two legs of your child's chair. Let them push against it with their feet during the meal. This gives the body the movement input it needs without leaving the chair. If fidgeting decreases after a few meals, the band is giving their sensory system what it was looking for.
Common questions
School OT targets classroom skills. If your child struggles with daily routines at home, has difficulty in social situations outside school, or needs support with motor skills beyond the classroom, private OT can address those areas. Many Winnetka families use both because they cover different parts of the day.
Yes. Children in private, parochial, or homeschool programs are eligible for SD 36 evaluations. But school-based services only address educational impact. If your concerns are about daily life, sensory challenges, or motor skills that affect home routines, a private OT evaluation looks at the full picture.
Yes. Many Winnetka families choose telehealth. Laura mails materials to your home and guides you through activities in real time. Some families do Zoom weekly and visit the Des Plaines sensory gym once a month for equipment-based work. The drive is about 21 minutes.
Getting started
Start with a free screening form so Laura can understand your child's needs. Many Winnetka families come to her after a school evaluation that did not match what they see at home, or when NSSEO services feel limited. Call with questions about how private OT works alongside your child's school program.