Whitney Ihezue, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist | Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant
Founder, OTier Pediatric Therapy

For years, I believed that if I tried harder, learned more, and pushed myself further, I could handle anything that came my way as a pediatric occupational therapist.

Early in my career, I worked with children experiencing extreme behaviors, intense meltdowns, withdrawal, and dysregulation that felt impossible to soothe. Week after week, I left sessions knowing something had to change, but I couldn’t yet name what was missing.

Then came the moment everything shifted.

After yet another difficult session, it became clear: it wasn’t just the child who needed support. It was the entire team surrounding them—including me. Complex challenges aren’t meant to be carried by a single provider. Without coordinated, collaborative care, even the most skilled therapist can reach their limits.

That realization reshaped how I understood my role as an occupational therapist. I stopped asking, “How can I support this child?” and began asking, “How do we grow together for this child?” Because children don’t thrive in isolation—and neither do the adults supporting them.

That question became the foundation of OTier Pediatric Therapy.

Today, I bring 10+ years of experience across hospitals, clinics, and school-based settings, grounded in a warm, science-backed, neuro-informed approach rooted in connection and collaboration. I specialize in early childhood development, sensory processing, feeding, and sleep challenges—always through a family-centered lens.

I am S.O.S Feeding Trained, using an evidence-based, child-led approach that supports infants and toddlers with picky eating, sensory-based feeding challenges, and mealtime stress. Feeding, to me, is never just about the mouth, it reflects sensory systems, motor coordination, emotional safety, and family routines. When those pieces are supported together, progress becomes both gentler and more sustainable.

I approach sleep the same way. From an occupational therapy perspective, sleep is a core occupation of early childhood, shaped by routines, sensory processing, nervous system regulation, and adult support. To deepen my work in this area, I became a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant through the Institute of Pediatric Sleep and Parenting. This allows me to integrate evidence-informed sleep guidance directly into OT care—without quick fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions.

Whether a family is navigating sleep disruptions, feeding challenges, sensory regulation, or early developmental delays, my role is to help create alignment. I partner closely with parents, caregivers, EI specialists, doulas, daycares, and other providers to build unified, realistic plans that support the child across daily routines—not just during therapy sessions.

Through my work, one truth continues to stand out: children grow best when the adults around them are supported, informed, and connected. Real progress happens when caregivers feel confident, teams share language, and no one is carrying the weight alone.

OTier Pediatric Therapy was created to offer care that is whole-child, whole-family, and whole-team.

My vision is simple: to support the child by supporting the team—so every child has a strong foundation for meaningful growth, joyful engagement, and lifelong confidence.

Let’s reach new tiers, together.