Occupational Therapy in Lincolnwood, IL: What It Is, Who It Helps, and What to Expect at NSPT

If you've ever found yourself Googling "occupational therapy Lincolnwood IL" after a conversation with your child's teacher or pediatrician, you're not alone. Occupational therapy is one of the most commonly recommended pediatric services and also one of the most commonly misunderstood. Many parents hear the words "occupational therapy" and picture adults recovering from injuries. In reality, for children, OT is all about the everyday moments that matter most to your family.

At North Shore Pediatric Therapy's Lincolnwood center, our occupational therapists work with children of all ages and abilities to help them build the skills that make daily life feel more manageable and more their own.

What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy for children focuses on the skills kids need to participate fully in their daily routines, at home, at school, and with friends. A child's primary "occupation" is to play, learn, and interact with the world around them. When something gets in the way of that, an OT can help.

Pediatric OT addresses a wide range of skill areas, including sensory processing, fine motor development, handwriting, self-care tasks like dressing and eating, hand-eye coordination, motor coordination and dexterity, and social and academic skills.

If your child struggles with any of these, or if you've simply noticed they're working a lot harder than their peers at things that seem to come naturally to other kids, an occupational therapy evaluation is a great place to start.

Signs Your Child Might Benefit from OT

Parents often sense that something is off before anyone puts a name to it. Here are some signs across different ages that commonly prompt a referral to an occupational therapist:

In infants and toddlers, signs can include hands that remain fisted, not reaching for objects or toys, excessive upset when being dressed or bathed, difficulty with age-appropriate grasping tasks, or not engaging in simple pretend play by around 15 to 18 months.

In preschool and school-age children, you might notice difficulty holding a pencil or using scissors, challenges with getting dressed independently, sensitivity to textures, sounds, or movement, trouble sitting still or regulating emotions, struggles with handwriting or classroom tasks, or difficulty with tasks that require two hands working together.

You don't need a formal diagnosis to reach out. Many families come to us simply saying, "something feels off," and that's enough reason to talk to our team. If you're wondering whether your child might also benefit from autism testing, our team can help you think through next steps during that first conversation.

What OT at Our Lincolnwood Center Looks Like

Our Lincolnwood center at 7250 N. Cicero Ave was designed with children in mind from the ground up. The space includes 13 rooms for individualized 1:1 therapy, two full gyms equipped with climbing structures, swings, a rock wall, and monkey bars to target strength, balance, coordination, and sensory processing through play, dedicated sensory spaces, a feeding room, and classroom-style learning rooms that support school readiness and group skill-building.

Sessions are always one-on-one between your child and their therapist, and every plan is built specifically around your child's needs, goals, and interests. OT at NSPT is play-based, child-led, and designed to feel less like therapy and more like an activity your child actually looks forward to.

Our Lincolnwood OT team includes Lindsay Elling, M.O.T., OTR/L, a Senior Occupational Therapist with experience supporting children with ASD, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, dyspraxia, and executive functioning challenges, and Marissa Matimore, O.T.D., OTR/L, a Pediatric Occupational Therapist who received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Rush University and is passionate about empowering families to help their children participate in everyday activities.

OT as Part of a Connected Care Team

One of the things that makes NSPT different is that your child's occupational therapist doesn't work in a silo. At our Lincolnwood center, OT, speech therapy, ABA therapy, physical therapy, and mental health services are all offered under one roof, with therapists who collaborate and share goals.

That means if your child is working on sensory regulation in OT, their speech therapist and ABA team are aware and working toward the same outcomes. Progress in one area accelerates progress in every other, and you only have one team to communicate with.

If your child is approaching kindergarten age, our Blossom Prep School program is another resource worth exploring. It's a therapeutic half-day school readiness program for children ages 2 to 6 that blends OT, ABA, and speech goals into a structured, classroom-style setting, helping children build the confidence and skills they'll need before their first day of school.

Insurance and Getting Started

We accept most major insurance plans at our Lincolnwood center, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, Tricare, Multiplan, NorthShore, and Amita Health. Our team will complete a complimentary benefits check on your behalf so there are no surprises. You can learn more about what to expect with insurance and therapy costs on our website.

Our Lincolnwood center is conveniently located right off the expressway and near the train station, with hours Monday through Thursday 8 am to 7 pm, Friday 8 am to 6 pm, and Saturday 8 am to 3 pm. We serve families from Lincolnwood, Skokie, Sauganash, Rogers Park, Niles, Morton Grove, and surrounding communities. If you're closer to another part of Chicagoland, we also offer occupational therapy at our other locations including Glenview, and Des Plaines.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you're looking for occupational therapy in Lincolnwood, IL for your child, we'd love to connect. Our team will listen, answer your questions, and help you understand whether OT, or another service at NSPT, is the right fit for your family. There's no pressure and no checklist your child needs to meet before you reach out.

Contact our Lincolnwood team to get started.