Our Mission:
To conduct and disseminate basic scientific research to better understand
the complexity of individuals with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and spina
bifida and to utilize this knowledge to design and test innovative clinical
services
We describe complexity as the dynamic interactions of biological and
psychological factors that contribute to the overall quality of the individual's
motor behavior. As we learn more about the relevant factors that may alter behavior,
this information is used to design and test interventions to improve the quality
of functioning in people with various disabilities, including Down syndrome and
cerebral palsy.
Our goal is to share this information with scientists, parents, and professionals
around the world through presentations and publications of current research,
discussion of review papers, and organization of seminars. As part of the
University of Michigan and the Division of Kinesiology, we create interdisciplinary
and collaborative learning opportunities for researchers at the undergraduate
through post-doctoral levels. The ultimate outcome will be a significant increase
in the number of people conducting research and scholarship related to individuals
with various pediatric disabilities, hopefully leading to meaningful development
of movement, play, and sport skills.
Our center does not provide direct clinical services to children but does
conduct clinical trials to test the functional outcomes of new innovative programs.
Our mission also includes speaking to parent support groups on topics related
to our research findings and to disseminate our new knowledge to professionals
in physical therapy and occupational therapy. Many undergraduate and graduate
students at the University of Michigan are invited to participate in many of
our on-going research projects. Faculty members and graduate students at the
center are involved in national and international collaborative research with
other researchers who are studying cognitive and social development in children
with disabilities. Our mission at the center is to have a positive impact on
the whole child, recognizing that the child's physical functioning influences
many other areas of their life including their families.
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