About

Your child is a unique being. My individualized intervention program and my holistic and interconnected approach to your child’s treatment sets me apart as an Occupational Therapist. Through pleasurable, child-led activities that focus on your child’s interest, Initial assessment occurs in a clinical, but naturalistic play environment that supports you and your child playing together. We integrate how your child relates to you and to objects that interest them. Together we come to understand how your child approaches relationships, play, learning, thinking, reasoning, problem solving and activities of daily living, including dressing, self-feeding, tool use and hygiene.

 

In order to support their learning, it is imperative that we understand how kids demonstrate curiosity. Their strengths and opportunities for growth need to be understood and differentiated from each other so that we can identify where the treatment process should begin and how treatment options or goals can be prioritized. Typically, parents seek out my services when their children show difficulties in regulation, attention, visual spatial organization, motor planning, and/or body in space perception. These issues influence their capacity to enjoy engagement with their parents and friends and impacts their level of curiosity. Curiosity is the basis for all age appropriate learning. Children with challenges in sensory processing can show hypersensitivity or under-reactivity to sensory stimuli, including emotion, touch, movement, sound, taste, or pain. These issues compromise their sense of mastery over the environment, and therefore in their level of curiosity in the world around them, in their sense of self and their positive self esteem.

 

 

My Specialty

After 35 years of broad experience in Pediatric Occupational Therapy, I have come to focus on children who struggle in:

  • Sensory processing
  • Perceptual motor organization
  • Affect regulation
  • Executive function
  • Play
  • Relationships with peers or parents
  • Organizational or Emotional Performance in the classroom setting

Lois Gold OTR, PA

Using the DIR/Floortime Model, my work is considered Best Practice and is empirically supported.

 

 

Approach

The best teacher for a child is his or her parents and/or primary caregiver. Typically, parents and I collaborate to understand the developmental picture of your child. Because we want the child to learn, master skills, and raise the bar on their development, we focus intervention on learning within the relationship with you, the parent.

 

We follow your child’s lead and your feedback. Your child is my teacher, and your observations are my most important tool. I modify each session from your child’s response to the strategies provided in a previous session, and from your comments about how you see your child function. Normal development does not occur in a linear fashion, therefore our work is dynamic and flexible enough to meet your child at his or her developmental level. Goals are continuously updated in accordance with your child’s progress.

 

There is no homework. Working collaboratively, parents learn strategies that can be incorporated into daily lives. Your child practices repeatedly throughout the day. The work is hard, but we know that for something to improve, we must practice often.

Reason for Referral

Infants (0-18 months)

Crying, and Separation issues

Decreased vocalizations

Limited interest in age appropriate toys

Not holding bottle or difficulties with finger feeding

Difficulties engaging or inconsistent engaging

Difficulties attending to you

Difficulties with sleep, eating, and elimination

Hypersensitivity to light, sound, noise, touch, or movement

Difficulties with crowds

Indifference

Irritability

Poor registration of pain

Prematurity

Developmental delay

Adoptions from Foster Care

Hospitalization

Known neurological issues

Entering pre-schoolers (18 months – 3 years)

Avoidant or hypersensitivity of touch, hands dirty, hugs, tags or socks

Avoidant or resistant to peer play

Biting

Choosing clothes by how they feel rather than the appearance

Decreased eye contact

Difficulties managing separation

Difficulties sitting in circle time

Difficulties with transitions or change in routine

Difficulties imitating gestures for communication or songs

Hypersensitivity to sound/noise

Irritability

Movement; bumps/bruises

Not using fork or spoon

Picky eaters

Preference to play alone

Temper tantrums

Throwing

Rule out and/or diagnosis of Autism

Illness or hospitalization or frequent travel of parents

Pre-Schoolers (2-5 years)

Avoidance of playground equipment

Biting

Clumsiness

Difficulties adapting to new environments or routines

Difficulties with attention

Difficulties with flexibility

Difficulties on the playground

Difficulties sitting in circle time

Difficulties socializing

Difficulties standing in line

Difficulties with drawing

Difficulties with fine motor skills including toys or use of pencil and crayons

Difficulties with peers either avoidant or resistant

Difficulties with potty training

Difficulties with sleep

Difficulties with transitions or change in routine

Easily frustrated

Going from one toy to another

Limited repertoire of play when choosing play centers

Over focused attention

Picky eaters

Playing alone or on the periphery

Temper tantrums

Throwing

Unaware of obstacles in environment

Frequent travel

Illness/hospitalization/loss of parents

Kindergarten (5-6 years)

Avoidance of organized sports

Avoidant or resistant to peers

Clumsiness

Difficulties in fine motor skills

Difficulties sitting in chair

Difficulties managing transitions or change in routine

Difficulties tying shoes

Difficulties in drawing

Easily frustrated

Handwriting

Not able to manage the rules in a game

Elementary School (6+ years)

Avoidance of organized sports

Decreased attention

Decreased flexibility and adaptability

Decreased time management

Difficulties getting and staying quiet

Difficulties in fine motor skills

Difficulties in school

Handwriting

Increased activity level

Taking a long time to complete work

Who refers?

Parents • Pediatricians • Pediatric Neurologists • Physical Therapists • Psychologists • Speech Therapists • Teachers

The Practice

We are conveniently located in Coral Gables, FL with ample street parking. The setup of the office includes a waiting room, playroom, and a playground room with hooks for hanging equipment.

 

Lois Gold OTR, PA – OT Kids

156 Almeria Avenue Suite 205

Coral Gables, FL 33134

 

Multi-disciplinary Team

My colleagues in the community serve as resources for my clients so that care can be closely coordinated.

Our Services

Occupational Therapy in Miami and beyond. We offer a variety of services:

Initial Consultation

At our first meeting, I evaluate your child in a setting created to assess and support his or her highest level of function. I observe your child’s strengths as well as vulnerabilities to determine the primary problem and to understand how they manage frustration and success. We always want to move from your child’s strengths to support their vulnerabilities. Parents are present and active during the entire session, ensuring observations are consistent their experiences outside the office.

A written report will be completed documenting the session and the recommendations.

Parent Coaching

Children between the ages of 0-5 years old work most easily within the context of his or her parents. Treatment begins with the primary caregiver and the child, however I also coach babysitters, nannies and grandparents. This is an opportunity to deepen you and your child’s relationship for more complex play and learning. You will develop strategies that you can incorporate into your home environment.

Notes are provided at the end of each session to review and reflect upon at home.

Skype Coaching

Once a child has been evaluated in-person within the office/playroom setting, parent coaching can be provided through Skype, when his or her family lives at a distance from our office. This is an excellent tool for families who live outside South Florida.

Direct Treatment

Sometimes children benefit from working with a therapist in a 1:1 situation. During this time, the parent chooses whether to be an observer in the room or wait in the waiting area.

Teacher Training

Many schools contract with me to provide professional education and inservice seminars to teachers on teacher planning days. My inservice and consultative services support all domains of function within a classroom. This includes promoting socialization, executive function and play, necessary for the transition to upper grades.

School Observation/Teacher Consultation & Training

It’s helpful to observe your child in their school setting to better understand how he or she functions in the classroom during both structured and unstructured activities (i.e. Centertime or Playground). Through classroom observation, we can learn the concerns or observations of the teacher. We provide strategies to the teacher to support your child’s function at his or her highest level of classroom behavior.

How long does it take?

Intervention, regardless of format, can take anywhere from a single consultation to several years of twice weekly sessions. Typically I observe progress within six weeks of initiating intervention. However it takes longer for new skills to become part of the child’s everyday behavioral repertoire.

 

When parents participate in our intervention, it is reassuring to see progress. Intervention can feel unnatural at first. When intervention produces progress for your child, you will develop trust in our therapeutic relationship and your own judgement.

 

 

FAQs

Q: Do you recommend treatment in an office or school setting?
A: Although it can be more convenient for children to be treated at school, the treatment plan is likely compromised because the occupational therapist doesn’t have all of the necessary tools. They can only bring what fits in their bag, privacy is compromised, and ultimately, the school is not a therapeutic space. When working on concepts of frustration tolerance or mastery, a therapeutic office setting is recommended.

 

Q: I’m interesting in getting a second opinion on my child. Should I come see you?
A: There are times when your child has already been evaluated by an Occupational Therapist or another child specialist, but either the results were confusing or progress was too difficult to measure. A second opinion can be helpful, and my goal is to be more comprehensive and clarify the primary challenges and/or diagnosis so that the treatment plan and goals can be re-prioritized. A written report will always be completed documenting the session and the recommendations that have already been discussed with you.

 

Q: I experienced challenges as a child but am now successful. Does that mean my child will also likely be successful without treatment?
A: The trajectory of development has shifted in our modern society. Children are in structured situations at a younger age and for more hours than you. Technology has also had its effects on relationships, language, and thinking. There are less opportunities for movement within a given day. These changes are critical and compromise appropriate progression in development. Parent coaching is a method for you to become informed and more mindful of specific strategies that you can use with your children to support their development.

Lois Gold

Education

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy

University of Florida (1981)

 

Post Professional Doctoral Student

Occupational Therapy

American International College, Springfield, MA

2020-2022

 

Work Experience

Owner

Solo Practice (May 2017-Present)

Coral Gables, FL

 

Manager of Occupational Therapy

Miami Children’s Hospital/Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (1982-1987)

 

Director/Owner

Occupational Therapy

Center for Pediatric Therapy, Inc (1987-Present)

Certifications

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Course Certificate of Completion, FL Psychoanalytic Society 2018

 

Neurodevelopmental Treatment-Pediatrics Advanced certifications in Infants

 

Sensory Integration

 

DIR-Floortime®

 

Faculty Appointments: Profectum.org

ICDL (1992-Present)

 Consultant

  • St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School in Miami, FL (2018-Present)
  • Casablanca Academy (Autism) in Hollywood, FL (2008-2016)
  • Gordon School at Beth David Congregation in Miami, FL (2015-2016)

 Adjunct Member

  • Florida Psychoanalytic Society, Miami, FL (2016-Present)
  • Supervision in Psychoanalytic Infant Mental Health (2003-Present)

 Guest Lecturer

  • ICDL 201 Floortime Course (Fall 2017 and February 2021)
  • NDTA Webinar Lecture and Discussion: Integrating Motor and Emotional Development | 0-6 years old (November 12, 2020)
  • American International College – OTR 6030, OT Process (September 2020)
  • NDTA Instagram Live Discussion: Connecting Motor and Emotional Development | 4 months-6 years old (August 13 and 20, 2020)
  • Child Psychiatry Fellows at University of Miami (2017)
  • Erikson Institute at Loyola University in Chicago (2014-2017)
  • National Conferences including ICDL-Bethesda, MD (1998-2011)
  • Zero to Three in Fort Lauderdale, FL (2014)
  • Sensory Processing Disorders in Orlando, FL (2015)
  • Linda Ray Center in Miami, FL (2009)

 Awards

  • Distinguished Alumni, University of Florida
  • College of Public Health and Health Professions (2008)

 Payment for Services

We are unable to accept Health Insurance. However, a bill is provided at the end of the week or month which can be presented to your PPO or POS for reimbursement, as per Insurance Provider policy.

 

All major credit cards are accepted.
All medical records are kept completely confidential.

Contact

If you prefer to talk rather than email, please feel free to call me at (786) 361-9120

    Contact

    156 Almeria Avenue Suite 205
    Coral Gables, FL 33134

    Phone

    (786) 361-9120

    E-Mail

    LoisGoldOTKids@Gmail.com