Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Educational Therapy and Academic Tutoring?
Academic Tutoring is for children struggling in school that do not have a diagnosis of a specific disability. Educational Therapy is for children with a diagnosis and an IEP or 504 Plan. Educational Therapists have higher degrees of education and experience in helping children with special needs than our academic tutors.
How do I know if my child needs Developmental Therapy?
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Child has difficulty playing alone
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Child has difficulty playing with peers
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Has trouble making or keeping friends
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Will observe peers playing but can’t join in
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Has problems picking up social cues
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Unstructured playtime is often unsuccessful
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Child can’t persist in play
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Switches activities often
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Wanders
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Play is immature
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Throws, drops, lines up toys
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Only makes messes
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Doesn’t or can’t play symbolically (pretend play)
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Play is repetitive
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Child plays the same scenario with the same toys and doesn’t allow anyone to change it or become involved
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Words used in play are repetitive or memorized from books or television
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Difficulty with transitions
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Child cannot tolerate when the schedule is different
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Needs many warnings prior to transitions
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Child has frequent tantrums
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My child received Developmental Therapy from Early Intervention and then aged out of the system at 3 years old. Doesn’t this mean he/she doesn’t need it anymore?
Children stop receiving Developmental Therapy through Early Intervention when they turn 3 regardless of whether or not they still need it. Many children can still benefit from some 1:1 Developmental Therapy or are ready to start playing with peers, but may need support for success.
What types of children receive Educational Therapy?
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A child with an IEP/504 plan or child in preschool that currently receives therapeutic services
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A child that has trouble focusing in the classroom
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A child that has difficulty with executive functions (planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, verbal reasoning, inhibition, mental flexibility, multi-tasking, and initiation and monitoring of actions)
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A child struggling in a particular subject, i.e. reading, math, writing, etc.
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A child that needs to develop strategies to make him/her an independent learner in the classroom.
My child is really struggling in his preschool classroom. The school is even warning us that he may get kicked out! Can you help?
We receive phone calls regarding this scenario often from both parents and preschools. We can provide everything from a one-time consultation to once or twice weekly facilitation to full-time classroom aides. Many of our clients have been able to stay in their typical preschool programs because of our support. It really is a “win-win” situation. Schools receive outside, quality support and are able to hold on to a student. Parents receive the peace of mind that their child is receiving extraordinary support to help make preschool a successful, rewarding and fun experience for all involved!
My child receives Developmental Therapy through Early Intervention now. Why should we hire a private Developmental Therapist, as well?
The state of Illinois provides many amazing DTs to their families. However, if you are looking for therapists trained in DIR/Floortime® that receive constant and thorough supervision and training, LEEP's program which has consultations additional specialists including S.L.P., O.T., and Mental Health can be a nice addition to your current program.
How long is a typical session?
All Developmental and Educational Therapy sessions last for 50 minutes with the last 10 minutes reserved for the therapist to write a treatment note. Academic tutoring sessions last for 1 hour. The length of Social Groups and therapies such as Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy sessions vary according to age of children, needs and availability.
I am not sure if my child will benefit from your services, but am still interested and would like you to take a look at her.
Great! We offer a free initial consultation. Just call to schedule!