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Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic slated for fall opening 1:01 p.m., May 25, 2004--The University of Delaware Early Learning Center, which will provide high-quality child care and family support services, also will house a comprehensive clinic serving children who need physical, occupational and/or speech and language therapy. The UD Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic, expected to open in the fall, “will provide one-stop shopping for families whose children need these services,” according to James C. (Cole) Galloway, assistant professor of physical therapy and the faculty liaison to the clinic. Patients are expected to include youngsters enrolled in full-day or after-school care in the Early Learning Center, as well as children from the larger community. “This will be one of the few university-based clinics in the country that will offer all three specialties and also will have a threefold mission of providing clinical services, university education and clinical research,” Galloway said. “And, like the rest of the Early Learning Center, it’s going to be a nurturing and child-focused program.” He said the clinic will provide educational opportunities primarily to students in the University’s graduate physical therapy program and to the many UD undergraduates interested in learning about clinical and research careers in pediatric rehabilitation. Occupational and speech therapy students from other universities also are expected to have internships in the clinic. In addition, University researchers will conduct studies at the site, with a goal of advancing pediatric rehabilitation for all children through the development of novel assessment tools and intervention programs, Galloway said. Children receiving therapy at the clinic will likely have been diagnosed with any one of a range of conditions, including such diagnoses as autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, visual disorders or traumatic injuries. The ability for parents to come to a single location to receive a variety of screening and therapy services, and to work with the therapists to implement an individualized program for their child, should be both convenient and beneficial, Galloway said. “Families want advanced, comprehensive care for their children, and we expect to be able to provide that,” he said. “It can be overwhelming for parents to arrange all the appointments that are needed and deal with the paperwork and the rules that determine what services are available. Because of these ongoing demands on families, children can fall through the cracks and go without the appropriate services. We believe we can begin to help fill in those cracks.” For children who are enrolled in the Early Learning Center for daily child care, the clinic will be even more convenient and offer the continuity of providing therapy at the same location over a period time, he said. The center has allocated 20 percent of its 237 child-care slots for youngsters who are either at risk for or diagnosed with special needs. In addition to a staff of about 10 employees, the Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic will use the services of student interns and part-time therapists, and it will have a pediatric physical therapy resident, a licensed pediatric physical therapist who is obtaining additional training. In physical, occupational and speech therapy, students who have completed all their coursework are required to complete at least two eight-week internships, and Galloway said he expects the Early Learning Center clinic to be in demand for such internships. The clinic’s initial focus will be on infants and children 5 and younger, with a secondary focus on children ages 6-12. For additional information about the clinic’s services to the community, contact Galloway at 831-3697. Article by Ann Manser To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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