My daughter Ariana spent six weeks in the PICU because of a traumatic brain injury before being transferred to Children’s Specialized Hospital for recovery.Her cognitive abilities were damaged and she had to relearn how to eat, walk, and talk. Physical, occupational, and speech therapies all played a part in her recovery. Each therapy was important as she continued to grow and improve every day.
Ariana participated in a research program at Children’s Specialized – Usefulness of CogMed Training – a brain training program for children ages 8-17 with Traumatic Brain Injury. She showed remarkable growth as she progressed through the program, and she used the program every day. We were able to see improvement in her ability to complete the tasks. Her accuracy also improved as she continued using the program. Repetition was key in her success.
Research studies at hospitals across the country play a huge role in the development of new therapies and technologies for kids like my daughter. Without important research, our doctors wouldn’t have the knowledge they need to treat kids recovering from and living with life changing injuries and illnesses, or developmental differences. Research programs are also helpful to the children who take part in them. It gives them the chance to try new equipment or test a new treatment for their recovery.
I saw first-hand how important Ariana’s therapy sessions were, and continue to be. Her therapists and doctors knew exactly how to approach problems she was facing, giving her the chance to learn how to manager her brain injury. We understood how valuable research was in helping therapists discover new ways of approaching a treatment.
Research studies at Children’s Specialized focus on Autism, Brain Injury, Chronic Illness, Mobility, and Cognition. There are so many different options for programs that you child can get involved in, and there are always new studies being added. So why should your child participate in a research program? Not only would they be one of the first to try new therapies or use new technologies, but they would also be contributing to new discoveries that will help children with special health care needs around the world.
Click here to learn more about participating in research studies