How can OT help my 2-year-old?

Patrick McLean

Patrick McLean

Patrick McLean serves as Administrative Director and Co-CEO of Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center, a comprehensive pediatric therapy practice he co-founded with his wife Rose in 2014. With over a decade of healthcare business leadership, Patrick has transformed their vision of coordinated, family-centered care into a thriving multidisciplinary clinic serving families throughout Chicago. After graduating from Western Illinois University in 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in Business and Finance, Patrick developed expertise in healthcare operations, strategic planning, and organizational growth. His business acumen combined with a deep commitment to serving children with developmental needs has positioned Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center as a trusted resource for families navigating speech delays, sensory processing challenges, autism spectrum disorder, motor delays, and behavioral concerns. As Co-CEO, Patrick oversees essential operational pillars including marketing and community outreach, human resources and staff development, financial management and insurance coordination, and long-term business strategy. His leadership has enabled the clinic to expand from offering single therapy services to providing integrated physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, ABA therapy, and social work—all coordinated under one roof for maximum family convenience and clinical effectiveness. Patrick's management philosophy centers on creating systems that empower both staff and families. He has built a culture of collaboration where therapists from different disciplines communicate seamlessly about each child's progress, ensuring holistic treatment plans that address the whole child. His proudest moments come from witnessing families' journeys—from initial concerns through celebrated milestones and hard-won achievements. Beyond his professional role, Patrick brings personal perspective as a father of four children. He actively coaches his kids in various sports, enjoys creating barbecue masterpieces on his smoker, and values connection time with friends on the golf course. This balance between professional purpose and family life reinforces his understanding of the families Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center serves every day.

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Does your 2-year-old have frequent, intense tantrums that seem to last longer than other kids his/her age? Does he/she have a hard time playing with new toys? Does your 2-year-old struggle to participate in daily activities or self-care tasks, such as feeding him/her self and dressing? If you answered yes to any of the above, then occupational therapy might be appropriate for your child.

Occupational therapists will work with both you and your child to address gross motor, fine motor, sensory processing, communication, feeding and play skills that may be impacting your child’s ability to participate in daily routines and tasks.

7 Ways Pediatric Occupational Therapists can help:

Develop co-regulation strategies to implement with your child. This will help during moments of distress.

Develop strategies to help identify when a melt down may happen, helping you & your child through their moments of really big feelings.

Identify and treat any sensory-processing challenges that may be impacting your child’s development.

Teach both you and your child emotional-regulation strategies. This will give you both a game plan for the obstacles of everyday life.

Address fine-motor delays which may be impacting utensil use during meal times and difficulty with toy manipulation.

Target motor-planning which may be causing challenges with dressing skills and navigating new places such as a park.

Develop play skills so that your child can interact appropriately with other children his/her age and play with a variety of toys.

Need more help or have more questions?

WHEW! Our pediatric OTs do ALOT when it comes to helping children succeed in their daily jobs of playing and feeling regulated!  If you have a child that you feel may need help with some strategies for soothing, participating in self-help skills, or diversifying their play with toys, we can help!

Call our pediatric occupational therapists at Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center and learn how we can help your family thrive!  We can be reached at 773-687-9241!

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