Occupational Therapy in Northbrook, Illinois

OT clinic for Northbrook kids 18 months to 14 years. We turn daily struggles like pencil grip, buttons, and meltdowns into small wins, with a written note proving what changed.

One 60-minute evaluation at our Northbrook clinic puts your child's plan in your hands: where your child is today, what your OT will tackle first, and how you will both know it is working. No more guessing whether therapy is helping.

Licensed Pediatric Occupational Therapists

BCBS Insurance Accepted

No Referral Needed

Occupational Therapy in Northbrook - front of CST Academy on Half Day Rd

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An OT evaluation is the easiest way to find out whether your child needs support. Tell us what you are seeing, and we will tell you in one phone call whether OT is likely to help. No referral, no commitment.

What Occupational Therapy in Northbrook Looks Like at CST Academy?

At our Northbrook clinic, every occupational therapy session is built around the moment that keeps breaking your week: a pencil grip or a sock seam at breakfast. That focus is why the change shows up at home, not just in the therapy room.

How We Approach Occupational Therapy:

Your child meets one-on-one with a licensed pediatric occupational therapist for 45 to 60 minutes each visit. Younger children spend more time in the sensory gym, building the body awareness and coordination everyday play depends on. Older children practice handwriting, getting dressed without help, scissor skills, and the focus it takes to make it through a school day without falling apart.

What Makes Our Program Different:

Standalone OT clinics leave the follow-through between sessions to you. Four things change that at our Northbrook clinic, and you see each one in your child's week.

Occupational Therapy in Northbrook - child during a pediatric OT session at CST Academy

Integrated Care Under One Roof.

You stop being the messenger between therapists. Ours coordinate weekly so your child's care moves as one connected effort.

Skill-Specific Sessions.

Each session focuses on one real-life skill your child is struggling with that week. Children learn through play, and that is how sessions are designed.

Pickup Walkthrough with Your OT.

At pickup, your OT walks you through what your child practiced, what improved, and what to try at home this week.

Parent Coaching at Every Visit.

Your OT closes each session with one or two strategies you can use at home, where the toughest moments actually happen.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Address

85 Revere Dr, Northbrook, IL 60062

Phone

(773) 620-7800

Hours

Monday to Thursday: 8AM to 6PM
Friday 8AM to 5PM

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Get Directions

Occupational Therapy in Northbrook: From First Call to Progress Notes in Five Steps

Most Northbrook families go from first call to first session in one to two weeks. These five steps are how, and they start whenever you are ready.

YOUR CHILD'S PROGRAM

Your Weekly Slot, Reserved from Day One

Occupational Therapy in Northbrook - child during an OT session at CST Academy

Your evaluation slot is also your child's recurring weekly time going forward. No second call to schedule, no waiting for a spot to open.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Steps

1

Consultation.

Call (773) 620-7800 or send the form. Tell us what you are noticing at home and school, and we tell you whether occupational therapy fits.

2

Insurance Check.

Our team verifies your benefits and tells you exactly what you will pay before anything starts, then matches your child with the right licensed OT.

3

Evaluation.

Your child comes in for a 60-minute play-based evaluation. You leave with initial answers from the OT and receive a written report within the week.

4

First Session.

Most families start within one to two weeks. Each session targets the skill that will make the biggest difference for your child that week.

5

Weekly Updates.

Sometimes written, sometimes verbal, your OT shares what your child practiced and what to try at home. A monthly summary tracks bigger changes.

Stop Wondering If It Is Just a Phase

Tell us what you have been seeing, and we tell you whether OT is going to help. No referral. No commitment.

Get Started Today

(773) 620-7800

Signs Your Northbrook Child May Benefit From Occupational Therapy

You do not need a diagnosis or a referral to recognize the signs. Below are the eight we hear about most often. Two or more, and a phone call is worth your time.

Your child grips a pencil, uses scissors, or fastens buttons more awkwardly than other kids the same age.

child is sensitive to textures, sounds, or lights

Your child melts down over clothing tags, lunchroom noise, or unfamiliar food textures most days.

child has difficulty with handwriting and pencil grip

Your child's morning routine, mealtime, or bedtime has turned into a daily argument.

child has frequent meltdowns and trouble self-regulating

Your child trips, drops things, or loses balance more often than other kids on your block or their own siblings.

pediatrician has recommended an OT evaluation

Your child runs out of focus and patience well before the school day is over.

child is clumsy and has trouble with coordination

Your child's handwriting comes home too messy, too large, or too faint for the teacher to grade.

child has difficulty paying attention or staying focused

Your child starts multi-step tasks such as packing a backpack or finishing a worksheet, then forgets what comes next.

child resists daily routines and transitions

Your child's coordination, focus, or self-regulation has been flagged by a teacher, pediatrician, or family member.

If a few of these signs sound like your child, it does not mean something is wrong. It means a conversation is worth having. A 60-minute evaluation at our Northbrook clinic gives you a clear answer either way.

Talk to a Licensed OT

Occupational Therapy in Northbrook - child during an occupational therapy session at CST Academy

What if my child has worked with another OT before?

In our first session, we cover your child's previous evaluation, goals, and progress notes. Your new OT looks at what worked and what did not, then tells you whether the prior plan was on track or whether a different angle is worth trying. We do not start your child over from zero.

How will I actually know if therapy is working?

You see it at home before you read it in any report: calmer mornings, a stronger pencil grip, a homework session that does not end in tears. Most Northbrook families notice the first positive changes within four to six weeks, and by month three the shifts are big enough that grandparents and teachers notice, too.

Our child already has an IEP. Is a private OT evaluation still worth doing?

A school OT evaluation answers one question: can your child function in the classroom. A private evaluation answers the rest, from morning routines to mealtimes to homework. It is also the documentation many Northbrook families use to strengthen their child's goals and services at the next IEP meeting.

Meet Your Northbrook Occupational Therapy Team

Licensed therapists who chose to work only with children, and who plan your child's care as one connected team

Maria S., OTD, OTR/L

Lead Occupational Therapist

Maria leads the occupational therapy program across our North Suburbs clinics and coordinates care across the clinic. She specializes in sensory processing, fine motor development, self-regulation, and daily living skills. She works closely with the speech and ABA teams to make sure your child's progress builds across every session, not just her own.

Ryann W., MOT, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Ryann works with children on handwriting, the small-muscle skills behind buttons and zippers, the focus it takes to stay with a worksheet, and the calm it takes to handle a busy day. She builds her plans alongside parents and the rest of the Northbrook team, so the practice your child does in OT shows up at home and at school. Ryann is the OT most Northbrook families meet first, and the therapist who writes your child's first plan.

Keren I., CCC-SLP

Coordinating Speech-Language Pathologist

Keren directs the Northbrook clinic and is a speech-language pathologist. She works with children on language development, articulation, and pediatric feeding. When your child's OT and speech goals touch the same skill, Keren and Ryann compare notes directly, so what works in one session shows up in the next.

Your child gets one occupational therapist, one written plan, and one person who knows your family by name. The rest of the team is already behind them if you ever need more.

Meet Your Child's OT. Schedule a Free Consultation.

Tell Us About Your Child. We Call You Back the Same Day.

No referral or diagnosis needed. Tell us what you have been noticing at home or in the classroom. Our Northbrook team calls you back the same business day to discuss next steps and answer any questions you may have. Same-week evaluation slots are limited.

Occupational Therapy in Northbrook - Therapy Rooms at CST Academy

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Parent/Guardian Name*

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Service(s) Interested In*

ABA Therapy

Autism Evaluation

Speech, Occupational, Physical, and/or Feeding Therapy

Therapeutic Preschool

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What Northbrook Families Say About Occupational Therapy at CST Academy

It's hard to put into words what CST Academy has meant to my son and our whole family over the past 5 years. When we found this magical place when my son was 2.5, we never looked back. Nowhere else will you find a place that has a true multidisciplinary approach in its mission and model. SLPs, OTs, and ABA therapists taught alongside the preschool and pre-k teachers, and his services were intertwined in his schedule seamlessly. His team truly worked together and it took the stress off of me. CST took all of the hard stuff you face on this journey and carried it for us so we could focus on our child.

Dina S.

Therapeutic Learning Program

ABA Therapy

Speech Therapy

Occupational Therapy

CST Academy stands out because of how well the therapists work together. Our child receives ABA, speech, and occupational therapy all in one place, and the collaboration is clear in every session. We have seen tremendous growth in communication, behavior, and social interaction. The support we receive as parents makes the entire experience even more meaningful.

CST Academy Family

ABA Therapy

Speech Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Our son receives both OT and PT at CST Academy, and the teamwork between his therapists is outstanding. They coordinate goals and activities that build strength, balance, and confidence while keeping everything fun and motivating. He is now climbing, running, and playing with confidence we could only hope for before. CST truly feels like a second home to our family.

CST Academy Family

Occupational Therapy

Physical Therapy

1000+

5-Star Google Reviews

Insurance Coverage and Costs for Occupational Therapy in Northbrook

Insurance Accepted

In-Network

Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO

Coming Soon

Aetna

Important Note About Occupational Therapy Coverage:

Illinois law requires insurance carriers to cover medically necessary pediatric occupational therapy. For most Northbrook families on a BCBS plan, that means little to no out-of-pocket cost once benefits activate. We check your specific coverage and share a written cost summary before your child's first session, so you know what to expect before any bill arrives.

An OT Evaluation Is the First Step:

Every Northbrook OT plan starts with a 60-minute evaluation, ending in an in-person debrief. You will receive a written report within the same week. For families coming from our Chicago autism evaluation, your Northbrook OT reviews the diagnostic report ahead of time. You don't have to start over.

Every Month You Wait Is Another Month of Hard Mornings

Northbrook families who call now typically start sessions within two weeks. The evaluation is free of obligation.

Get Started Today

(773) 620-7800

Occupational Therapy FAQs for CST Academy in Northbrook

Most Northbrook parents call us about something that has been on their mind for months: a comment from the pediatrician, mornings that keep getting harder, handwriting that is not improving. Our first call is short. You describe what you are seeing, and we tell you whether OT is likely to help.

Our Northbrook OT program is for children 18 months through 14 years. For toddlers and preschoolers, sessions focus on sensory tolerance and the basic motor skills everyday play depends on. Elementary children practice fine motor skills, handwriting, and the focus it takes to make it through a school day. Middle-schoolers tend to need self-regulation and organization support more than fine motor skills.

Sessions at our Northbrook clinic run 45 to 60 minutes and look more like play than therapy. Your child might start in the sensory gym, move to a fine motor station, then practice a real-life routine like getting dressed or organizing a backpack. Your OT builds the order around the skills your child is practicing that week. At pickup, your therapist walks you through what happened and hands you a short note with one or two things to try at home.

Our clinic is at 85 Revere Dr, Northbrook, IL 60062, near the Edens Expressway with direct access from Willow Road and Pfingsten Road. A dedicated on-site parking lot sits in front of the building. Northbrook Station on the Milwaukee District North Line is approximately two miles away for families using Metra. We see families from Northbrook, Glenview, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Northfield, and Skokie.

Many of the children in our Northbrook occupational therapy program are on the autism spectrum. Sessions cover sensory regulation, motor planning, self-care routines, focus, and the daily transitions that come up at home and in the classroom. When your child is also in ABA therapy at our clinic, the occupational therapist and the behavior analyst set goals together, so a strategy that works in one session shows up in the next.

Occupational therapy works on fine motor skills, sensory processing, and self-care skills like dressing, feeding, and brushing teeth. Physical therapy works on how the body moves: walking, balance, strength, and coordination. Many Northbrook children benefit from both. At our clinic, the OT and the physical therapist compare notes on overlapping goals, so you do not have to stitch two separate schedules together yourself.

In most cases, your child can get the same therapist. Several of our occupational therapists practice at more than one CST Academy location, and the same goes for our speech and physical therapists. Behavior analysts are tied to a single clinic. If your family moves or your schedule changes, we work to keep your child with the same therapist. Even if the therapist changes, nothing else does: your child's evaluations, treatment plan, and progress history all move with them.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy for Families Across the North Shore

Our Northbrook clinic is located just west of the Edens Expressway, inside a short drive of nearly every nearby community. Here, your child receives every therapy they might need, which saves your family three or four extra drives.

Northbrook
2-5 min

Glenview
5-8 min

Deerfield
5-8 min

Highland Park
8-12 min

Wilmette
8-10 min

Winnetka
8-10 min

Northfield
3-5 min

Skokie
10-12 min

By Car
From I-94 (Edens Expressway), take the Willow Road exit and head east. Turn south on Pfingsten Road and continue to Revere Drive. CST Academy is at 85 Revere Dr on the north side of the street.

Parking
Free on-site lot with dedicated family spaces near the entrance

By Metra
Northbrook Station on the Milwaukee District North Line is approximately 2 miles from our clinic. Families coming from the lakefront communities can also access the Glencoe or Hubbard Woods stations on the Union Pacific North Line and drive west.

Get Directions to Our Clinic

Why Northbrook Families Choose CST Academy's Integrated Occupational Therapy

Many Northbrook children who start with occupational therapy also need speech, ABA, or physical therapy along the way. When those services sit in separate clinics, you end up managing the coordination yourself: relaying updates between offices, retelling your child's history, getting insurance verified again. Strategies that work in one session rarely make it to the next.

CST Academy handles that coordination for you. Your child's therapists all work at the same clinic, review the plan together every week, and share notes the same day. A trick that calmed your child in OT this morning is something the behavior analyst already knows about by their afternoon session.

At standalone clinics, occupational therapy is the only service they can give your child. At CST Academy, coordination is what turns isolated weekly sessions into the kind of progress your child can carry into every part of their day.

Most clinics give you four therapists. We give you one team.

Your Child's Full Care Team in Northbrook: