Little Ones: A Unique Program for 0-4-year-olds

At a time when assistance in infant mental health is valuable but scarce, Lurie Children’s Little Ones is the only program of its kind in Illinois.

Director Miller Shivers, PhD, a pediatric psychologist specializing in infant mental health, launched Little Ones in 2019. The program is a rarity, a wrap-around service to improve interaction between parents and their very young children and identify the cause of a child’s distress or misbehavior.

Pediatricians everywhere may easily dismiss parents’ concerns about their baby or toddler’s irritability, attributing it to growing pains, colic or teething. But a wait-and-see approach often does not uncover the source of the problem and allows poor parent-child bonding to continue.

“I feel like a lot of parents get dismissed when they are trying to express frustration or concern about their child. When a mom or dad is complaining, they need to be heard,” Dr. Shivers says.

Babies and toddlers who have difficulty sleeping, throw temper tantrums, cry constantly, are scared to use the potty or are picky eaters are among the patients Little Ones helps. Recently, Little Ones has seen an increasing number of toddlers and preschoolers with anxiety and is developing special programming for these patients. In other cases, a lifestyle change can be the source of a child’s discomfort. Sometimes, well-meaning parents simply don’t know how to create a relationship that calms their child and allays fears.

For children 0-4 years old, the program provides assessment, guidance and intervention through comprehensive evaluation and treatment recommendations. Little Ones also connects families with physical, speech, occupational therapy and other resources if needed.

“The earlier you intervene, the better the outcomes,” Dr. Shivers explains. “If you have a baby who is pretty irritable, the chances of having this child behaving perfectly normal when they are 2 is slim. If problems are worked out early, then by the time they start school or kindergarten, a child can be in a good place.”

The pandemic has created a more pronounced need for Little Ones. Family routines have relaxed, which can manifest in different child behaviors. As families spend 24/7 together, parents are noticing their child’s behaviors even more. Dr. Shivers says an emerging problem is children who want to be nursed frequently, which may not be practical and can signal feelings of anxiety.

Little Ones is part of the Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. The program is different than the Early Intervention initiatives or Erikson Institute’s Fussy Baby Network (run under the medical direction of Lurie Children’s). It does not treat patients with developmental conditions or delays and does not visit patients at home.

Pediatric providers may have difficulty realizing when a child should be referred, and Dr. Shivers has some guidance. Medical staff should refer if a parent expresses the desire for help or if a provider has concerns about the parents or child that would be appropriately addressed through the program. If these circumstances exist, she cautions providers not to just say “Oh, they’ll be fine.”

Little Ones operates from the main hospital and Clark-Deming with pediatric psychologists and social workers all with specialized training in infant mental health. In addition, group sessions are conducted at 1440 N. Dayton and telehealth appointments are available. Patient families are seen in two to three assessment visits so providers can become familiar with family dynamics and create a path for parent and child to become better together. For more information about Little Ones, contact Miller Shivers mshivers@luriechildren.org or visit www.luriechildrens.org/LittleOnes. Referrals can be made through a provider direct referral or by calling KIDSDOC.