What therapy services does Lumiere Children's Therapy provide?

Lumiere Children's Therapy offers comprehensive pediatric services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), social work, early intervention, autism testing, teletherapy, and a therapeutic preschool. Our multidisciplinary team collaborates to create personalized treatment plans that support every child's unique developmental journey.

At what age can my child begin therapy?

We serve children from birth through 18 years of age. Early intervention can help address developmental delays before they become more significant, while older children benefit from therapy that supports communication, learning, motor development, emotional regulation, and independence throughout childhood and adolescence.

How do you determine the right therapy plan for my child?

Every child begins with a comprehensive evaluation completed by a licensed therapist. We assess developmental skills, discuss your concerns and goals, and use standardized assessments when appropriate. Based on the results, our team creates a personalized treatment plan that evolves as your child grows and reaches new milestones.

Can my child receive more than one therapy service at the same location?

Yes. Because Lumiere Children's Therapy offers multiple pediatric therapy services under one roof, children can receive coordinated care from speech, occupational, physical, behavioral, and social work professionals. This collaborative approach improves communication among therapists and creates a more consistent experience for families.

Does Lumiere Children's Therapy accept insurance?

We work with many major insurance providers and help families understand their available benefits before therapy begins. Our experienced administrative team assists with insurance verification, claim submissions, billing questions, and payment options, making the process as simple and transparent as possible for parents and caregivers.

What should we expect during our first therapy appointment?

Your first visit focuses on understanding your child's strengths, developmental needs, and family goals. A licensed therapist will complete an evaluation, answer your questions, and explain recommended services. You'll leave with a clear understanding of the next steps and a personalized treatment plan designed for your child.

Why do families choose Lumiere Children's Therapy?

Families choose Lumiere Children's Therapy because we provide individualized care through a collaborative team of experienced pediatric specialists. From evaluations and insurance guidance to ongoing therapy and family education, we're committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care that helps children build lifelong skills and confidence.

How can I schedule an evaluation at Lumiere Children's Therapy?

Scheduling an evaluation is quick and straightforward. Simply call our office, send us an email, or complete the contact form on our website. Our friendly team will guide you through every step, including insurance verification, appointment scheduling, and preparing for your child's first visit so you can get started with confidence.

March 19, 2018

Child Therapy: Story Telling

Narrative skills allow us to understand and express information. We tell stories everyday by introducing ourselves, retelling memories, providing directions, reporting news, describing an event, and persuading others. Good storytellers are able to capture an audience with a compelling and fascinating story. Children experience storytelling first hand through caregivers, teachers, movies, books, etc. Children learn to determine the plot, characters, climax, and conclusion by listening to stories. Eventually, children will develop the skills to retell stories in a cohesive and sequential manner.

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If a child demonstrates difficulty with reading comprehension in school, they may experience poor narrative skills as well. The child may have trouble detecting key parts of the story such as the main idea and character development. Problems with verbal narrative skills may include poor topic maintenance, deletion of important details, and poor sentence structure. Below are tips to incorporate at home to increase story telling. Continue to share memories, read books, and create playful stories with your children!

Improving Story Telling:

Bedtime stories: Creating a consistent routine of nightly story time instills the importance of reading and story telling at a young age.
Narrate routines: Verbalize the steps to everyday activities in front of your children. For example, at bath time narrate, “First I turn on the hot water, then add the soap, and finally step into the bathtub”. Once children learn sequencing, they will be able to provide verbal directions or steps.
Imaginary play: Play pretend with your child by creating a story line with dolls, figurines, or dress-up. Create a clear plot with characters, conflict and resolution.
Ask “wh” questions. Ask specific questions that start with who, what, where, or when instead of black and white questions requiring only a yes or no response. While reading a book, ask “wh” questions throughout to encourage reading comprehension and expressive language.
Summarize shows and movies: After watching a TV show or movie, ask your child to explain what happened. Guide your child’s response by asking about the characters, scene, conflict, and resolutions.
Reminisce about the past. Children love to hear stories about themselves. Tell funny stories about them as a child, or reminisce together about fun family activities or vacations.

Story games to encourage storytelling:

Rory’s Story Cubes: Roll 9 cubes to generate 9 random images and create a story beginning with “Once upon a time…” by incorporating all 9 image elements.
eeBoo Create and Tell Me A Story Cards: These cards incorporate elements of a fairy tale into beautifully designed cards. Play the game as a group by taking turns adding to the story. The cards inspire story telling, language elements, and imagination.
Tell Tale Card Game: Consists of 120 illustrations of characters, settings, objects, and emotions for endless imaginary possibilities.
Good Dog, Carl: A Classic Board Book: This wordless picture book provides children with an opportunity to create their own story line.

Lumiere Therapy Team🖐️

References:

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

“Storytelling: Why Narrative Skills Are Essential to Communication.” Integrated Children’s Therapy, 1 Mar. 2018, integratedchildrens.com/storytelling-narrative-skills-essential-communication/.

SUPPORT YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT

Looking for expert pediatric therapy services? Our team specializes in helping children reach their full potential through compassionate, personalized care.

Book an Appointment → Call (312) 242-1665

Vasilikitsa “Kitsa” Antonopoulos

Vasilikitsa “Kitsa” Antonopoulos, MA, CCC-SLP/L is a licensed speech-language pathologist with over two decades of experience supporting children and families. After earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Saint Louis University, she gained deep clinical expertise working across pediatric hospitals, early intervention programs, and autism therapy settings.

In 2010, Kitsa founded Lumiere Children’s Therapy to create a holistic, collaborative space where children could receive personalized, multidisciplinary care. Her vision continues to guide Lumiere’s dedicated team of therapists, offering speech, occupational, physical, and behavioral therapy and more, to help every child reach their fullest potential.