For Parents, From Our Team
Real answers to the questions parents ask us most, written by the people who work with your kids every week.
Cerebral Palsy in Kids: How Therapy Helps
Sitting up to play, holding a spoon, being understood. Here is what each kind of therapy works on for a child with cerebral palsy.
Is My Child Clumsy or Is It Something More?
Tripping over nothing, spilled milk at every meal. Most of the time it is just childhood. Here is how to tell when it is worth a closer look.
Fall Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers at Home
Acorn caps, pumpkin seeds, and a hole punch. Here are fall activities that build pinch, grip, and scissor skills without a single worksheet.
What to Ask at Your Child's IEP Meeting in Illinois
Therapy minutes, service logs, and a 3-day rule most parents never hear about. Here are the questions worth bringing to the table.
Do You Need a Referral for Pediatric Therapy?
Three different rules get mixed up here: state law, your insurance, and the clinic. Here is what each one actually requires and who to call first.
Why Is My Child Always Chewing on Everything?
Shirt collars, pencils, the car seat strap. Chewing is usually your child's body asking for something. Here is what it wants and what helps.
Infant Massage: What It Does for Babies
Ten minutes, your hands, and a baby who may or may not cooperate. Here is what the research actually supports and what a class teaches you.
Preemie Development: Adjusted Age Explained
Your baby has two ages. Here is how adjusted age works, what it changes about milestones, and when you can stop doing the math.
Toe Walking in Toddlers: When to Worry
Up on their tiptoes again. Most toddlers grow out of it, and a few signs are worth a closer look. Here is how to tell the difference.
Torticollis and Flat Head: When to See a PT
Always looking the same way. A flat spot that showed up around six weeks. Here is what to do at each age, and why earlier is easier.
Newborn Hearing Screening: What Refer Means
Refer is not a diagnosis. Most babies pass the next test. Here is what happens after a newborn hearing screening and the one step not to miss.
What Is Developmental Therapy? A Parent Guide
It happens on your living room floor, not in a clinic. Here is what a developmental therapist does and how Illinois families get started.
What Is Pediatric Speech Therapy? A Parent Guide
A child can talk nonstop and still have a language problem. Speech and language are not the same thing. Here is what speech therapy actually covers and who it is for.
What Happens at a Pediatric Hearing Test
Nobody raises their hand for a beep at age three. Here is how the appointment actually goes, and the one thing parents do in the booth that ruins the results.
Signs of Hearing Loss in Children by Age
A pass on the newborn hearing screening is not a guarantee for the next eighteen years. Here is what to watch for at every age, from startle response to a fourth-grader saying huh.
What Is Pediatric Physical Therapy? A Parent Guide
Most people picture an athlete rehabbing a knee. Here is what pediatric PT actually treats, and what the milestones really say about walking.
Tummy Time: How Much Does Your Baby Need?
Two to three minutes, a few times a day. That is the real starting number. Here is what changes by age and what to do when your baby hates it.
What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Really?
Fine motor skills, sensory processing, self-help, visual perception. Four areas, and most kids come in for one and end up working on two.
When to Worry About Your Child's Development
Everyone tells you not to compare. Then you notice something anyway. Here is how to think about it without spiraling or ignoring it.
Is My Child Ready for Preschool? What to Look For
Preschool readiness has very little to do with letters and numbers. Here is what teachers actually need kids to do.