Royal Oak Pediatric Therapies

Royal Oak Pediatric Therapies Top-tier occupational therapy in your child’s natural environments: at home, school, library, or park We are also credentialed through Early Intervention.

Royal Oak Pediatric Therapies provides home based Occupational Therapy Services for Children ages 0-6. We serve the North Shore of Chicagoland on-site, and have therapists licensed in both Illinois and Michigan for remote, teletherapy sessions.

12/27/2025

As a pediatric OT, I don’t (and can’t) diagnose- but I can often spot early indicators of social differences, even in babies...the kids who may get diagnoses when a little older.

Here’s what I look for (“typical” social skills)-

• Shared enjoyment & reciprocation: Like looking at something and then back at you to share in that experience, smiling back, playing peek-a-boo, taking turns with vocalizations, gestures, or facial expressions. It’s not just about “eye contact,” but whether gaze is used to share experiences or check in with caregivers. Like when I look at a book and then look at you and smile.
• Early gesture development: Reaching to be picked up, pointing, waving, or showing objects.
• Regulation + engagement: Ability to stay regulated and calm enough to interact, shift attention, and participate with others.
• Play patterns: Play that is people-oriented, varied, exploratory, and flexible.

If your kiddo’s interactions don’t look like these, that’s okay! The lack of these early patterns don’t mean something is “wrong,” but they can tell us how a child experiences and connects with the world- and when extra support might help.

12/22/2025

The energy levels 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Movement can help kids focus again, but not all movement is equal.

Random running or spinning can make some kids more dysregulated, not more calm.

‼️What helps is goal-oriented movement like pushing, pulling, climbing, crawling, carrying, and deep “squish” work with a goal. Like crawling over couch cushions to a puzzle piece, pushing a laundry basket to retrieve toys, jumping on the trampoline to a song, spinning on a sit and spin while counting to ten (and then spinning in the opposite direction too). These activities help the body feel organized, calm, and ready to sit, listen, and learn.

…for at least another couple of minutes 😅

12/17/2025

Can we not 😅😅😅
0/10 fun.

If we could avoid the mess, the clean up 3x a day, we would too.

But messy play is beyond important and sets your little up for a resilient sensory system.

And, embracing the mess at meals is a great way to do it. Pro tip, strip them to just a diaper and clean up sucks slightly less.

What food that your kiddo eats makes you want to scream for clean up? Yogurt sends us. Pasta sauce is a close second.

12/14/2025

For kids with low coordination or body awareness, traditional blocks can feel impossible. They slip, fall, and collapse the second a little too much force is used.

Frustration builds fast. So, they gravitate towards destruction- knocking toys down, throwing them. And rarely building.
✨ Magnetic blocks change the game.

The instant pull-together gives clear tactile feedback:
👉 “That pressure worked.”
👉 “That force was just right.”

They stay connected long enough for success, which means kids can:
• Experiment without everything falling apart
• Practice gentle pressure and control
• Build confidence before fine motor skills fully catch up
•Build arm and hand strength

Magnetic blocks are great for babies/toddlers, who are also learning how to control their hands (and get frustrated easily).

Magnetic blocks meet kids where they are - especially the ones who want to build but don’t yet have the coordination to make it stick.

12/01/2025

Imitation is one of the biggest signs of growing social skills. When your baby copies you, it means they’re watching, learning, and trying to join your world. If your kiddo isn’t imitating gestures, words, or what you’re doing, start here:

•Start with actions they already like. If they clap, stomp, tap a toy, or bang on a drum- join in and copy them first.
•Use big, fun movements. Wave, blow kisses, stomp feet, shake a rattle, or pop bubbles. Bigger actions are easier to notice and copy.
•Use songs with motions. “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “Wheels on the Bus,” or any simple action song gives clear, repeatable movements.
•Pause on purpose. This is so important ‼️ and so hard for us as adults. Do an action, then pause and wait. Many kids need extra time to process and respond.
•Use high-interest objects. Bubbles, cars going down a ramp, a toy that lights up- model simple actions with them (“push,” “pop,” “drop”).
•Sit face-to-face and get on their level. Kids imitate more when they can clearly see your face and hands.
•Celebrate any attempt. Even a small try counts. Big reactions and smiles help them want to do it again.
•Keep it playful…no pressure. None of the “say this”, “look, look, copy me”. Follow their lead. Kids are more likely to engage when it’s fun, meaningful to them, and motivating!

11/24/2025

When a child can’t hold tummy time/prone extension, it tells you a lot:

•Core and proximal strength are likely limited – They may have weak neck, shoulder, or trunk muscles, which are foundational for sitting, standing, and fine motor tasks.
•Vestibular or proprioceptive processing differences – How well you can lift against gravity gives us insight into your ability to process movement, maintain balance, and understanding of where your body is in space.
•Motor planning – Getting in and out of the position, coordinating the movement, and holding the position requires organized motor planning. I’ll usually see a kiddo having trouble both initiating and holding the position.

If your kiddo has issues getting into or holding the position?
Build it into their day, add movement while they’re in the position, and make it motivating.

👍🏻Addressing underlying sensory processing issues, motor planning, and body strength while not belly down are important to address, too.

11/17/2025

A friend recently mentioned this about their kiddo.

And we thought it might resonate.

You might think your kiddo is just a little quirky because you don’t know what typical development looks like at each age. You don’t know your kiddo is struggling, because no one has pointed out the little red flags.

•The difficulty using a marker so your kiddo just says “no” to those activities.
•The trouble sitting still during circle time at daycare.
•The avoidance of what feels hard and acting silly to cover it up.
•The super picky diet.
•The tripping, falling, bumping into everything.
•The way they compensate for weaknesses.

It’s never too early to ask questions, have someone observe skills, and reach out for support - a little help now can prevent a lot of frustration later.

11/06/2025

What does “typical” sensory processing look like for a 3-5 year old?

What we’d expect:
* Modulates sensory input appropriately most of the time (able to attend in moderate noise, tolerate textures, transitions).
* Seeks movement appropriately through play (swinging, jumping, running in a game or to grab a toy and come right back).
* Tolerates touch and clothing textures without distress.
* Can remain seated for moderate periods in structured tasks (2-3x their age in minutes).
*Enjoys deep pressure or heavy work but the need doesn’t interfere with attention or participation

What this looks like: your kiddo can stay calm and alert during play and learning, transitions smoothly, and self-regulates with minimal adult help.

Do you feel confident in your understanding of sensory processing?

11/03/2025

If you use this 🐷 bank to put coins in the slot, this skill is pretty easy for most kids beyond 15 months old.

But I use it in therapy sessions almost everyday because it’s motivating and fun, so we use it to work on:
•trunk rotation in sitting
•crossing midline by positioning it on opposite side of the body and blocking other hand
•building postural strength and endurance while using it in tall kneeling position
•cruising to reach the piggy bank on the opposite side of couch
•”prone extension” (tummy time) for babies or older kids on floor
•placing coins in the “door” while belly down on a swing and timing release
•using to follow two step directions in obstacle course
& more 👏🏻

The key is to find what motivates your kiddo amd you can use just about any toy to address an area of need.

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Evanston, IL

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Monday 7:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4pm
Friday 7:30am - 4pm

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