Pediatric Physical Therapy
Lurie Children’s has one of the largest, well-trained and experienced physical therapy teams in a freestanding children’s hospital in the Midwest. Our physical therapists evaluate and treat premature babies, full-term infants, young children, pre-teens and teens having health issues associated with motor development and movement dysfunction due to disease or injury. Motor and movement dysfunctions are frequently identified at birth or in early childhood, but can appear at any point in the continuum to young adulthood.
The goals of our physical therapy treatments are to maximize your child’s:
- Developmentally-appropriate body movements and functions
- Potential for pain-free living
- Ability to participate in daily activities like school, sports and other recreational activities
Approach
Our physical therapists believe in idea sharing between therapists, among members of our multi-specialty teams and with parents and families. As a parent, you can count on this collaborative approach no matter who you see for physical therapy. We deliver the best outcomes for your child because we invest in a highly educated and trained workforce, collaboration and teamwork.
Our physical therapists start with a thorough baseline evaluation of your child, which usually takes about one hour. They will examine and observe your child while exploring your child’s medical history, discussing their health issues and talking with you about the goals of physical therapy. At the close of the evaluation, our therapists will present their findings and results, and give you a plan for physical therapy tailored to your child’s needs. The plan will include a proposed schedule and frequency for physical therapy treatments.
Your child’s physical therapy, depending on your child’s treatment plan, can include many different therapeutic modalities, including some of the following:
- Tailored exercises
- Elongating tight muscles and strengthening weak muscles during active exercise
- Specialized equipment to help your child meet their therapy goals
- Training children in the use of assistive and adaptive devices such as braces, various crutches and walkers
- Application of advanced knowledge regarding motor development
- Sport specific rehabilitation to ensure timely return to sport
- Individualized home program with instructions in exercises and positioning to meet your child’s needs
For teenagers who need ongoing physical therapy treatments into young adulthood, we make sure the transitions to adult care are seamless and well-coordinated. We work closely with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) and other premier institutions in the Chicago metropolitan area and region to ensure the continuity of care for every child.
Nationally-Ranked Care
Lurie Children’s continues to be the #1 children's hospital in Illinois and is ranked in 11 specialties by U.S. News & World Report.
Our Physical Therapy Programs
Lurie Children’s offers many different multidisciplinary programs for children. Our physical therapists currently work as part of the teams evaluating and treating children in various programs.
Conditions Treated with Physical Therapy
Our physical therapists evaluate and treat children with a broad range of pediatric conditions and injuries.
- Cerebral Palsy
- Congenital Muscular Torticollis
- Excessive Thoracic Kyphosis
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
- Concussion
- Head Shape Anomalies
- Idiopathic Toe-walking
- Scoliosis
- Back Pain
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Muscular Dystrophies
- Movement Dysfunction
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
- Chronic Pain
- Cranial & Facial Asymmetry
Specialized Physical Therapy Services & Treatments
Our physical therapists provide many specialized services and treatments for various conditions that impact children's movement.
Related Specialties
Thomas Babu, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- Binghamton University; University of South Florida; Temple University
- Special Interests: Sport Medicine and Orthopedic Populations; Early Infant Development; Spina Bifida Population; Posture and Alignment Training
- Location(s): Lincoln Park, Skokie
Laurel Bartling
Physical Therapist II
Rosalind Franklin University
Julie Behrens, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- Northwestern University; Benedictine University
- Special Interests: Infants Post NICU or CICU Hospitalization, Torticollis, Infants/Children with Developmental Disabilities
- Location(s): Westbrook
Kateland Beitler, PT, DPT, PCS
Physical Therapist II
- Purdue University; University of Indianapolis
- Special Interest: Medically complex infants, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, NICU
- Location(s): Main Hospital
Colleen Blomgren, PT
Physical Therapist II
- St. Louis University
- Special Interests: Early Development, Neurological and Neuromuscular Diagnoses, NICU Graduates, Pelvic Floor PT
- Location(s): Grayslake, Northbrook
Lynn Boswell
Physical Therapist III
- University of Southern California; Lawrence University
- Special Interests: Neonatal and Cardiac Intensive Care, Developmental Follow Up, General Movement Assessment
- Location(s): Main Hospital
Laura Brown, PT, DPT, PCS
Physical Therapist III
- Washington University in St. Louis; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Special Interests: Neuromuscular (SMA, DMD, CMT, LGMD) Pain, Functional Neurologic Disorder and Vestibular Dysfunction resulting from Sensorineural Hearing Loss
- Location(s): Lincoln Park
Mary Noreen Cheng, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- University of Michigan; Northwestern University
- Special Interests: Outpatient Pediatric Pelvic Floor, Inpatient acute care specifically in the ICUs, NCNP
- Location(s): Main Hospital, Westbrook
Evette Coll
Physical Therapist II
- Washington University; Columbia University; University of Queensland
- Special Interests: Medically Complex infants, Neurological Diagnoses, Postural Alignment and Gait, Post-Operative Care
- Location(s): Westbrook
Ann Marie Crean, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- Marquette University
- Special Interests: NICU, NCNP Early Childhood Clinic
- Location(s): New Lenox
Ashley Cuddy, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist I
- Midwestern University
- Special Interests: Infant/Toddler Treatment
- Location(s): Westbrook, Lincoln Park
Anna Cylwik, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist I
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
- Special Interests: Torticollis, Developmental Delay
- Location(s): Lincoln Park, Northbrook
Sarah D’Astice, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist I
- Marquette University
- Special Interests: Early Development, Torticollis, Developmental Delay/Disability, Genetic Conditions
- Location(s): Lincoln Park, Skokie
Ellen Dietrick, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- College of Saint Scholastica; Marquette University
- Special Interests: Infant treatment, Torticollis, Early Detection
- Location(s): Arlington Pediatric Therapy
Christine DiLula, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
- University of Dayton; Marymount University
- Special Interests: Head shape clinic, neurologic diagnoses, torticollis, orthopedic conditions
- Location(s): Lincoln Park, Westbrook
Michele Dincher, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- St. Louis University
- Special Interest: Inpatient Physical Therapy, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit, Neurosurgical and Neurology Patients, NCNP-School aged clinic, Neuromuscular Clinic
- Location: Main Hospital
Kerry Donahue Day, DPT
Physical Therapy Manager
- Marquette University
- Special Interests: Torticollis, Musculoskeletal Conditions, Pediatric Sports Medicine, Cerebral Palsy, Neurological Disorders, Genetic Conditions
- Location(s): Arlington Pediatric Therapy
Dawn Drumm, PT, DHSc
Physical Therapist II
- University of Iowa; Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science; University of Indianapolis
- Special Interests: Neonatal therapy, NICU, BPD, Clinical research within the NICU setting
- Location(s): Main Hospital
Megan Garhan, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- Northwestern University; University of Iowa
- Special Interests: Medically complex infants, developmental delay, orthopedic injury and post-operative rehabilitation
- Location(s): New Lenox, Westbrook
Irma Garza, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist I
- Midwestern University
- Special Interests: General Developmental Delay, Concussions, Post-op Surgeries, Torticollis, Autism
- Location(s): Northbrook, Lincoln Park
Alison Goetgeluck, PT, DPT, PCS
Physical Therapist II
- University: Michigan State University; Oakland University
- Special Interest: Pediatric Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Program, Cerebral Palsy, NCNP Early Childhood Clinic , Research involving early detection in the medically complex infant population
- Location: Northbrook
Suzanne Green, PT, PCS, DPT
Physical Therapist II
- Iowa Wesleyan College; Rosalind Franklin University; St. Scholastica University
- Special Interest: Developmental, Neurological diagnoses, Scoliosis
- Location: Lincoln Park
Renee Gucciardi, DPT
Physical Therapist
- Marquette University
- Location(s): Arlington Pediatric Therapy
Linda Haynes, C/NDT
Physical Therapist II
Case Western Reserve University; Ohio State
Jeanette Hill, MSPT, NTMTC
Physical Therapist II
- Northeastern University; Northeastern University; Texas Women’s University
- Special Interest: Treatment and assessment of the medically complex infant, cardiac defects/cardiomyopathy, early detection of cerebral palsy, Neurologic rehab after head injury, physical therapy management of patients with bone cancer
- Location: Main Hospital
Katie Hoffman, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist III
- University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana; Midwestern University; The College of St. Scholastica
- Special Interest: Medically complex infants, Neuromuscular diseases, Neuromuscular research, General Movement Assessment (GMA)
- Location: Lincoln Park
Kaitlin Holtgrave, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
Washington University
Nicole Hroma
Physical Therapist III
University of Illinois; St. Mary's University
Jenitha Jomi, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
University of Iowa; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jennifer Joseph, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
- Central Michigan University
- Location(s): Arlington Pediatric Therapy
Sarah Kappers, DPT
Physical Therapist
University of Notre Dame; Northwestern University
Nicolle Kaytsner, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Marquette University
Elizabeth Kern, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
Marquette University
Christina Lacci, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Boston University
Katherine Laux, DPT
Physical Therapist
Loyola University Chicago; Northwestern University
Kristin Leonhardt, PT, DPT
Physical Therapy Manager
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
Colleen Lopata, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Northwestern University
Kelly Malloy, DPT
Physical Therapist
Purdue University; Northern Illinois University
Colleen McCloskey, DPT
Physical Therapist
Marquette University
Shannon McKevitt, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Governors State University
Jennifer McQuillan, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
Purdue University, University of Illinois at Chicago
Hannah Mead, DPT
Physical Therapist
Grand Valley State University; Duke University
Mary Meehan, PT
Physical Therapist II
Loras College; Northwestern University
Elizabeth O'Riordan, PT, DPT, MS
Physical Therapist II
University of Illinois at Chicago; University of Oklahoma; College of St. Scholastica
Arielle Ordonez, DPT
Physical Therapist
Marquette University
Elle Page, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
University of Missouri
Haley Pereira, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Springfield College
Ashley Raehsler, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist I
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- Special Interests: Scoliosis, Cerebral palsy, SMA, Infant treatment, Children with neuromuscular/neurological conditions
- Location(s): New Lenox, Lincoln Park
Madison Reimringer, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
University of St. Thomas; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Kathryn Ricautre, MSPT
Physical Therapist II
Augustana College; Washington Unviersity St. Louis
Laura Robinson
Physical Therapist II
- DePaul University; University of Illinois
- Location(s): Arlington Pediatric Therapy
Celine Rosati Skertich, PT, MS, PCS
Physical Therapist
- University of Health Sciences, The Chicago Medical School; Northwestern University
- Location(s): Main Hospital
Claire Rossi, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Northwestern University; DePaul University
Kim Rowe, MSPT
Physical Therapist II
University of Southern California
Christopher Sanchez, DPT, PCS
Physical Therapist
University of California Davis; MGH Institute of Health Professions
Deborah Sattler
Physical Therapist II
University of Illinois at Chicago
Tiffany Sigerich, DPT
Physical Therapist II
University Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Boston University
Lauraetta Smith, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Baylor University, Governors State University
Janette Stefani, PT, MSHA
Physical Therapist II
St Louis University; University of St. Francis
Margaret Swain, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
Elmhurst University; Washington University in St. Louis; Washington University in St. Louis
Rita Szopinski, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist II
Marquette University; The College of Saint Scholastica
Angeline Thommes, PT, DPT, C/NDT
Physical Therapist
Northwestern University
Jessica Trenkle, PT, DPT, PCS
Physical Therapist
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Washington University in St. Louis
Bridget Ugaste, PT, DPT
Physical Therapy Clinical Coordinator
University of Illinois; Midwestern University
Jennifer VanScoyoc, DPT
Physical Therapsit II
Washington University in St. Louis; University of Illinois at Chicago
Monica Velasco, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
University of Florida
Casey Vogel, PT, DPT, PCS, CCS
Physical Therapy Heart Center Lead
Rachel Weida, PT, DPT, CKTP
Physical Therapist
Governors State University; Northern Illinois University
Make An Appointment
We offer easy online scheduling for your child's physical therapy needs.
Our Locations
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Lincoln Park
2515 N. Clark Street/467 W. Deming Place
Chicago, Illinois 60614-3393
1.800.543.7362
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Northbrook
1131 Techny Road
Northbrook, Illinois 60062
312.227.7600
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in New Lenox
1870 N. Silver Cross Blvd. (formerly Clinton Street)
Suite 100
New Lenox, Illinois 60451
312.227.3620
Rehabilitation Services at Westbrook
Westbrook Corporate Center
11301 West Cermak Road, Suite 100
Westchester, Illinois 60154
312.227.1040
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Grayslake
1475 E. Belvidere Rd. (Rte. 120)
Suite 285, Pavilion C
Grayslake, Illinois 60030-2012
312.227.2220
Lurie Children’s Hospital Outpatient Center in Skokie
3722 W. Touhy Avenue
Skokie, Illinois 60076
312.227.5600
Lurie Children’s Health Services - Arlington Pediatric Therapy
3105 N. Wilke Road
Suite H
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004
312.227.8600
Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Schaumburg (Opening Fall 2025)
1895 Arbor Glen Boulevard
Schaumburg, Illinois 60195
1.800.543.7362
Physical Therapy News & Stories
Arlington Pediatric Therapy Management Services to Join Lurie Children’s
Philanthropy
Your support is vital in helping us continue to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. Lurie Children's relies on philanthropic funding to enhance its programs, services and research for children. To learn more, please e-mail the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312.227.7500.