Lurie Children's Little Ones
Lurie Children's Little Ones is a comprehensive program for children ages birth to four years old in the Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health.
The early years can be a challenging time for parenting with the rapid growth, development and behavioral changes happening in infants and children. Lurie Children’s Little Ones aims to help navigate this time by offering support, guidance, assessment and intervention. We work with the infant, child and family to provide a comprehensive evaluation and formulate treatment recommendations.
Services Offered
Our team offers the following services for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Infant interventions for:
- Excessive crying and fussiness
- General soothing concerns
- Sleep concerns/schedule
- Supporting parents in the first months
- Adjusting to medical diagnosis
Toddler and preschool interventions for:
- Defiant and willful behaviors
- Tantrums
- Anxiety, separation anxiety and fears
- Potty training resistance
- Sleep problems
- Picky or restrictive eating
- Adjustments to school/daycare
- Adjustments to family changes
Group therapy (infant/child and caregiver) for:
- Developmental progression
- Disruptive behavior
- Early executive functioning and attention concerns
- Anxiety
Developmental assessment for:
- Developmental status of infants
- Developmental delays
- Genetic concerns and medical complexities
Seminars for parents:
- How to establish a daily routine
- How to improve my child’s sleep
- How to improve my child’s eating
- How to manage my child’s behavior/what are “normal” tantrums
- Anxiety in toddlers and preschoolers
- Planning ahead for transitions and changes
- How to talk with children about family changes (divorce, adoption, move, death)
Additional Resources for Families
COVID-19 & Mental Health
- Younger Children Showing Signs of Distress During Pandemic
- Anxiety in Toddlers & Preschoolers With Specific COVID-19 Tips
Lurie Children's Little Ones in The News
- After-School Restraint Collapse: Why Kids Fall Apart at Home and What to Do About It | Care.com
- 18 Fun Behavior Charts For Motivating Kids | Care.com
- 10 Child Discipline Methods That Work, According to Experts | Care.com
- How To Discipline A Toddler: 9 Expert-Backed Methods That Work | Care.com
Helpful Books & Resources
Books on Development
- Incredible Years: A Trouble Shooting Guide for Parents of Children Aged 2-8 Years - Carolyn Webster-Stratton, PhD
- Raising Human Beings - Ross W. Greene, PhD.
- The Emotional Life of the Toddler - Alicia F. Lieberman
- Touchpoints 3 to 6: Your Child’s Emotional and Behavioral Development - T. Berry Brazelton, MD & Joshua D. Sparrow.
Books on Anxiety
- Anxious Ninja: A Children's Book about Managing Anxiety and Difficult Emotions by Mary Nhim
- A Kids Book About Anxiety by Ross Szabo
- A Little Spot of Anxiety: A Story About Calming Your Worries by Diane Albar
Resources on Race & Diversity
Books
- A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory
- I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
- We're Different, We're the Same & We're all Wonderful by Sesame Street
- The Day you Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
- El Dia en Que Descubres Quien Eres by Jacqueline Woodson
- Shades of People by Shelly Rotners and Shelia M Kelly
Websites for Parents
-
Raising Race Conscious Children | raceconscious.org
- Diversity-Informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children & Families | diversityinformedtenets.org
- How White People Can Talk to Their Kids About Racism | UNICEF
Our Team

Miller Shivers, PhD
Director, Lurie Children’s Little Ones;
Pediatric and Infant Mental Health Psychologist

Jeanne E. Antisdel, PhD
Pediatric Psychologist

Annelise Cunningham, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow

Rebecca M. Kanine, PhD
Pediatric Psychologist, The Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Child Psychology), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Caroline E. Kerns, PhD
Staff Psychologist

Kim Leinhop, LCSW
Clinical Social Worker

Beth Pettinelli, LCSW
Clinical Social Worker
How to Get Started
If your infant, toddler or preschooler is in need of an assessment or intervention strategies, please call 1.800.KIDS.DOC (1.800.543.7362) and ask for an appointment with Lurie Children’s Little Ones. You will be asked to briefly describe the nature of your concerns to a KIDS DOC team member. After that, you will receive a call from an intake worker in the Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health where they will gather more detailed information and schedule an appointment with one of the Lurie Children’s Little Ones’ team members.