About
Performance PediatricsPediatric Therapy, Occupational, Speech and Physical Therapy Services located in the heart of Passaic and Sussex Counties NJ. We are a private pediatric therapy clinic owned and directed by Davina Daura, OTD, MOT, MS, OTR/L.
OUR Core Values
INTEGRITY
We are our word. We are dependable & loyal.
RESULTS DRIVEN
Through the success of our clients. We are serious.
HIGH STANDARDS
WE are committed and dedicated to excellence.
TEAM PLAYER & MINDSET
We support and empower one another.
RESOURCEFUL
We take ownership and accountability.
Performance Pediatrics
specialize in working with children presenting with challenges associated with disorders of relating and communicating such as autism spectrum disorder, aspergers, sensory processing disorders (sensory integration disorders), regulatory disorders, dyspraxia, learning, behavioral and neurological disorders, gross/fine motor difficulties, visual perceptual/spatial challenges, self-help, and motor-coordination difficulties.
Performance Pediatrics
embrace the DIR®/Floortime Model of treatment developed by Stanley Greenspan, MD, Serena Wieder, PhD and Dr. Jean Ayres, Sensory Integration Theory with an emphasis on understanding the impact of the child’s sensory processing and postural control on their capacity to relate, communicate and learn. The focus of the practice is on empowering the child and parent in their interactions through child directed play.
Please contact us for information about our services. We are happy to accept new clients and look forward to speaking with you.
OUR
MISSION
STATEMENT:
Our mission is to provide families that enter Performance Pediatrics individualized attention and quality of care within our team to collectively contribute to empowering, striving, and working towards excellence in achieving goals of function and independence. Our clinical and administrative team exhibits the experience, commitment, knowledge, and positive attitude striving for excellence and a common trajectory to believe in an individual’s abilities to grow, learn and develop. Our vision is to continue to grow and sustain current and new programs to be able to partner and collaborate with other organizations and in the community on health promotion, relationships, advocacy and change. Our hope is to inspire and create a common goal of creating cultural creativity, innovation, health and well-being.
Our goal is to provide the highest quality of therapy to children and their families, with new and innovative evidence-based research and clinical experience. We strive to be on top of the latest programs available that will help children with and without special needs, as well as, to maintain the highest level of education and professionalism in our field.
MEET Our Staff
Davina Daura is a licensed and national board certified Pediatric Occupational Therapist. She is the owner of Performance Pediatrics. In February of 2012, she opened Performance Pediatrics in Lafayette, NJ with the goal of helping children with special needs and unique learning styles an opportunity to achieve their highest potential. I truly find great satisfaction in my work with children and in helping families overcome the everyday challenges of parenting children with special needs. Davina received her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from Dominican College in Orangeburg, NY. She attained her post professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Touro University in 2023.
Davina has extensive experience with children and young adults with an array of learning disabilities and in acute/sub-acute and out-patient rehabilitative settings, preschool and elementary school-based settings, and home-based therapy. Davina is certified in Handwriting Without Tears, The Listening Program with bone conduction (which is an auditory-based program to help improve overall organization, attention to task, processing skills, communication abilities, reading, and memory), Interactive Metronome, trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding, Yogapeutics, Zones of Regulation, and Pilates. Davina has advanced training in DIR/Floortime and neuro-developmental treatment. Davina has attended many continuing education courses and has advanced training in treating children with autistic spectrum disorders, attention deficits, and behavioral challenges; Handwriting Without Tears, The Alert Program and self-regulation, and Brain Gym. Davina’s hobbies are travel, cooking, decorating, fitness, and spending time with her family.
My first job was working in Sub-acute setting in 1996. The patients whom I worked with had various diagnosis ranging from total hip replacement to shoulder injuries. While working in sub-acute and various settings, I discovered my true passion lied in working with children. In 2007, I took a position as an Occupational Therapist at Celebrate the Children School in Wharton, NJ where I had the opportunity to learn and embrace the DIR/Floortime model while blending Sensory Integrative techniques. Seeing as there was a need for private speech, occupational and physical therapy services Lafayette and Totowa, New Jersey, I established my own private practice clinic outfitted with fun, therapeutic equipment. I continue to be passionate about discovering new occupational therapy treatment techniques that will help improve the quality of life of the children with whom I work. My hope is to provide you and your child with quality care in a fun, therapeutic, clean, and safe environment.
I have been part of the Performance Pediatrics team since 2014! I have experience working with children who display an array of challenges from, Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism spectrum disorders, fine and gross motor deficits, emotional regulation dysfunction, feeding challenges, Genetic Disorders, ADHD, Opposition Defiant Disorder and more! I have experience with children of all ages between the school systems and private clinic. I strive to stay up to date with the newest training and therapeutic certifications to guide and aid my treatment sessions, in addition to my creativity, and enthusiasm while creating the Just Right Challenge for your child. I currently hold certifications and training in DIR Floor time, SOS approach to Feeding, Handwriting without Tears, Zones of Regulation, Interactive Metronome, Alert Program, Brain Gym, The Listening Program /Provider, Student Fieldwork Educator and NJ Top Doc award Recipient. I am also the owner of Louie, our clinic Therapy Dog! When I am not at work, I enjoy traveling, hiking, cooking, going to concerts, spending time with my family, playing with my two young nieces!
I have been an employee of Performance Pediatrics since 2013. I attended undergraduate and graduate school at Stockton University where I received my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. My experience includes manual therapy, school based therapy, and outpatient based therapy. I enjoy continuing my education and have participated in courses including Maitland Manual Therapy, Interactive Metronome, DIR Approach, Brain Gym, Masgutova NeuroSensory Reflex Integration, and other Reflex Integration courses. Recently, I was nominated for the New Jersey Top Doc Award. When I am not at work, I enjoy going to the beach, going to country music concerts, outdoor activities, and going to the movies.
Jen is a licensed and national board certified Occupational Therapist with over 16 years of Pediatric experience. Jen has experience working with children and young adults with an array of learning disabilities in acute/sub-acute rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, school-based settings, and home-based therapy. Jen is certified in Handwriting Without Tears, Primitive Reflex Integration, and DIR/Floortime. Jen has attended many continuing
education courses and has training in treating children with autistic spectrum disorders, attention deficits, and behavioral challenges. Jen’s hobbies are traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
I am excited to continue growing in my profession through continuing education classes to become the very best therapist I can be. Helping children reach their full potential and celebrating milestones, big or small, are just two of the reasons why I love being in this profession. I am very passionate about what I do and take pride in being part of a hard-working team that is just as passionate!
When I am not at work, I enjoy spending my time snuggling up with my three cats, reading a good book, or enjoying some fresh air!
Hi! I'm Amanda, and I'm thrilled to be a part of the Performance Pediatrics team. I am a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant having experience working with children of various ages and gross motor needs. I initially obtained my B.S. in Exercise Science and Health Promotion at Florida Atlantic University. This background led me to work as an Exercise Physiologist at a cardiac rehab, a role that deepened my passion for helping individuals enhance their well-being. Amid the challenges of Covid, I took the opportunity to return to school at Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale, obtaining my Physical Therapy Assistant degree while coaching sports to toddlers and school-aged kids. This decision brought me back to my love of working with pediatrics.
I'm dedicated to the continuous growth in my career and cherish aiding each child in reaching their potential and celebrating each milestone, big or small! In my free time I love exploring new hiking trails, baking new recipes, and reading a good book.
Hi! My name is Jen and I am thrilled to be part of the amazing team at Performance Pediatrics. I am a licensed and board-certified physical therapist, and obtained my DPT from Rutgers School of Health Professions. I have always been drawn to working with children and my wonderful pediatric rotation in PT school solidified my passion for peds. I am so grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many kiddos, and to be able to help families within the community. I am constantly seeking for growth in my career and strive to be the very best therapist I can!
In my spare time, I love dancing, teaching fitness classes, spending time with my loved ones, and snuggling my outrageously handsome 19 lb cat.
My name is Hannah, I am a licensed Occupational Therapist from New Jersey, and attended Quinnipiac University where I got my Masters in Occupational Therapy.
I have always been inspired to work with unique children and adults. I have experience working in a school setting, with children with a variety of diagnoses and am excited to join the team at Performance Pediatrics.
In my free time I enjoy indoor gardening, baking, and spending time with family and friends.
Rebecca Janis is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) with a proven track record of dedication to working with young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and learning disabilities. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing from Montclair State University and has a New Jersey Substitute Teaching certificate, reflecting her commitment to excellence in education and behavioral sciences.
In addition to her professional endeavors, Rebecca is actively engaged in community service. She volunteers with Morris County 4-H and Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey. As a proud parent of two children, she brings a deep understanding of family dynamics and child development to her work.
Driven by a genuine enthusiasm for making a positive impact in the lives of children, Rebecca embodies professionalism, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to educational excellence.
I am a certified elementary teacher with a broad range of experience in both public and private schools that specialize in students with learning challenges. Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to work with students from preschool to fourth grade. Seeing the many struggles students have, prompted me to become Orton Gillingham trained. This multi- sensory approach to teaching reading benefits all students, especially those with Dyslexia or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Additionally, I also work with the L.A.C.E. Program, (Learning At the College Experience) that is taught at Sussex County Community College. This program is designed to provide an education for adults who have special needs. I thoroughly enjoy teaching students of all ages and look forward to tutoring students or all ages and levels with reading, or math.
On a personal note, I have raised six children as a single mom, who are now adults with only two currently in college. This provides time for me to devote to hobbies such as playing the piano, refinishing furniture, and self-defense training.
Kim Ebel is a licensed and registered occupational therapist in New Jersey. She graduated from Seton Hall University’s dual degree program with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy and is certified as a school-based occupational therapist. Kim has worked as a pediatric occupational therapist in Early Intervention, school, and outpatient clinic settings. She has experience working with a variety of diagnoses, including ASD, CP, sensory processing disorder, developmental delays, anxiety, learning disabilities, and more. Kim is passionate about creating an environment that emphasizes close collaboration between therapists and families in order to help each child reach their unique goals. She enjoys getting to know each child’s interests and incorporating them into sessions to help motivate the child and make sessions fun! In her free time, she keeps herself busy with dancing, skiing, running, hiking with her dog, baking, and playing board games with friends.
I am a licensed and national board-certified occupational therapist. I have over twenty years of experience working in a variety of settings including school, acute, subacute and homecare. I graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business. After successfully completing my undergraduate degree, I furthered my education and received a Post Baccalaureate in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac College. I began my career at a children’s hospital working with infants through the age of eighteen. I have experience treating spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities including autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy along with hearing and visual impairments.
For the past four years, I have been working for Performance Pediatrics as
an occupational therapist in a public school setting. I have taken several continuing education classes focusing on autism along with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder specifically in the classroom setting. I love working with children and helping them to reach their full potential. Each child is
unique and I enjoy making a difference in their lives. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family. I have three children and on the weekends, I enjoy attending their soccer and baseball games.
Meghan DiGerolamo is a registered and licensed occupational therapist. Meghan has worked with children of all ages in conquering physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral challenges, adapting to everyday changes, and achieving well-being. In 2017, Meghan graduated Misericordia University in Dallas, PA with her Master of Science in Occupational therapy. Meghan began her career as a geriatric occupational therapist in Hackensack, NJ working with older adults to maintain their safety and independence. She then worked in the South Bronx with two to three-year-old children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She has training in Pediatric Feeding, Managing Challenging Behaviors, and is certified in Handwriting Without Tears. Meghan is an enthusiastic and dedicated therapist who values strong rapport with her children and their families. Meghan has recently moved back to the area after growing up in Mt. Olive, NJ with her husband. She enjoys photography, racing on sailboats, napping, going to the beach, decorating, talking, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Hello! My name is Gabby and I became a part of Performance Pediatrics in 2021. I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with a strong passion to work with and help children of all ages and disabilities. I had the pleasure of completing my final Fieldwork placement at Performance and learned more than I could ever imagine. Everyone in the clinic made my experience one that I could never forget and I knew I wanted to continue my education and career with the Performance team. I am extremely excited for all that is to come and to watch each child grow and improve as time goes on. In my free time, I enjoy performing with my theatre groups, hiking, traveling, and spending time with my with my many pets.
I am a nationally certified, state licensed speech language pathologist with over 25 years of experience in a variety of settings with all ages. I have my New Jersey speech language specialist certificate. I am PROMPT Level 1 trained and have been trained in Beckman Oral Motor Techniques and DIR/Floortime. I specialize in childhood apraxia, language delays, autism, phonemic awareness, feeding/swallowing disorders, articulation disorders, executive functioning and verbal reasoning, preparing an adolescent for adult challenges and vocabulary development. I love what I do and experience joy improving a child’s ability to communicate and cognitively function with the his/her family, peers and community. During my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, walking and hiking, and reading.
With 20 years of dedicated experience as a certified speech-language pathologist, Maura has made it her life's mission to empower children to find their voices. She believes that every child deserves the gift of effective communication, and is committed to making that journey an engaging and exciting experience for each child she works with. Maura specializes in childhood apraxia of speech, articulation, phonology, developmental language delays and autism. Her approach to therapy is built on the foundation that learning should be, not only effective, but also fun! She takes pride in being PROMPT certified and ensures that each child she works with receives the individualized support they need to develop effective communication skills. Maura’s therapy focuses on unlocking the potential within every child and prioritizes giving children the confidence they need to express themselves.
When not at work, Maura loves spending time with her husband, children, and their French bulldog “Bounce.” She loves hiking, running, boating, and yoga.
Jenn is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist. She is licensed in the state of New Jersey and holds the New Jersey Speech and Language Specialist certificate. Jenn has experience in a variety of settings with the early childhood through teenage populations. Jenn attended Kean University, graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and in 2017 received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Jenn completed her clinical fellowship with focus and training on the Social Thinking curriculum. Jenn is also a PROMPT Level 1 trained therapist. She specializes in treating children with expressive and receptive language disorders, as well as articulation and phonological disorders. She is experienced in treating diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder, language delay, and stuttering, in addition to developing executive function, auditory memory, social/pragmatic language, problem solving, and vocabulary skills. Jenn’s personal therapy style is rooted in her connection with your child and having each child feel empowered and successful while developing their communication abilities. In her spare time, you can find her spending time with loved ones, trying new coffee shops, and exploring new places!
Toni is thrilled to be a part of Performance Pediatrics! She is a nationally certified and New Jersey state licensed speech language pathologist with over 35 years of experience in a variety of settings, from early intervention
to high school students. She holds a New Jersey Speech-Language Specialist certificate and Teacher of the Handicapped certificate.
Additionally she is PROMPT trained (level 1). Toni is a member of the New Jersey Speech-Language Hearing Association (NJSHA) and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). She is the recipient of the
ACE award for continuing education, and has received the Governor Teacher Recognition Award as a special education teacher in 2006 and as a speech-language specialist in 2015. Toni has also supervised speech-language pathology graduate students at Montclair State
University. She specializes in various areas of communication disorders including childhood apraxia of speech, receptive and expressive language delays/disorders, articulation disorders, and social language disorders. Toni
is passionate about working with children with communication disorders and values working with occupational therapists and physical therapists. Her interests include spending time with her husband, two sons, and two
dogs, running, cooking/baking, binge watching Netflix series, watching
sports, and drinking cappuccino!
Hi! My name is Rina and I am excited to be a part of the Performance Pediatrics team as a speech-language pathologist during my CFY. I graduated from Montclair State University with a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. I have experience working with children of all ages presenting with various types of diagnoses including autism, apraxia of speech, expressive & receptive language disorders, and articulation disorders. I have also worked with adults presenting with aphasia. I believe each individual client deserves a session and treatment approach that is catered towards and works best for them.
I have always loved working with people, especially kids, and I appreciate the creativity, problem-solving, and patience required to be a great speech therapist. I am a fast learner and a hard worker, and I enjoy collaborating with the other team members. In my free time, I enjoy music, reading, playing games, and spending time with friends and family.
My name is Sue Useini, I have been working part time at Performance Pediatrics since 2015. I am a proud mother of three. I enjoy cooking, shopping, traveling and spending time with my family. I am proud to be part of the Performance’s family and the wonderful services we provide to the community and families.
Elaine has been with Performance Pediatrics since its inception in 2012. When not in the office, Elaine enjoys spending time outdoors in nature with her family.
Louie is a Therapeutic Service Dog who has made his debut at Performance Pediatrics in 2018. Louie is a gentle giant, and a purebred fawn boxer When Louie is not at work, you will most likely find him sun bathing any chance he gets! His favorite word is ‘Cookie,” and he knows exactly what that means! He enjoys going for rides in the car, chasing squirrels, giving kisses, and most importantly he loves coming to work and learning new things with our kiddos!
Meet our therapy dog, Teddy, also known as “Teddy Bear”! He is our newest, sweetest and fluffiest therapy dog (in training). Teddy absolutely loves coming to work to play on the swings and crash pads, all while making new friends! He loves to play with our kiddos during their sessions but he also enjoys his much needed nap times during the day!
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