The Children's Center has been bringing brighter futures to children with complex disabilities since 1974. From humble beginnings to the transdisciplinary program that it is today, one thing has remained constant – the level of commitment on the part of the staff to make a difference in a child’s life. The Children’s Center was built on the notion that every child should have access to the joys (and trials) of life, daily opportunities (and responsibilities), and the chance to build a bright, beautiful future. The specialists at The Center spend their days working to make this vision a reality. Children enrolled at The Children’s Center present a wide variety of special needs and diagnoses, including (but not limited to) speech, hearing and language disorders, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, rare genetic disorders, or other conditions related to premature birth. What sets The Children’s Center apart from its counterparts is the way in which therapies are provided. Research has shown that early intervention is most successful when a comprehensive approach is taken toward a child’s development. What this means for the children enrolled in The Center is that the innovative therapies provided will be custom-fit to each child’s communication and developmental needs and delivered with a cohesive team approach. This team includes speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, special educators, behavioral therapists, and auditory-oral therapists. In addition to providing cost-free exemplary services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with complex disabilities, The Children’s Center is also a preeminent research and training facility. By providing pre-professional training to students at USM and other universities and colleges in the areas of speech-language pathology, audiology, special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, nursing, recreational therapy, and music therapy, The Children’s Center is helping to mold the next generation of committed specialists in Southern Mississippi and beyond.
