The Child Study Center (CSC) was established by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in 1958. It was originally called the Study Center for Exceptional Children but the name was later changed to better reflect the founding mission of the Center: to develop a comprehensive diagnostic and resource center located in the community to provide services for children with developmental disabilities and their families. The Child Study Center was originally based in the Children’s Hospital, then from 1963 to 1969, it was housed at Macklanburg House, a private residence near campus.
By the early 1970’s, with support from the Oklahoma State Legislature, the Department of Human Services, the University of Oklahoma, and a private donor, the present Child Study Center was built. It was administered as an outpatient facility of Children’s Hospital and affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics. Throughout its history, the CSC has provided interdisciplinary clinical services for children with developmental and behavioral disorders and their families and has provided training and research in its interdisciplinary setting for multiple disciplines across the campus.
The Child Study Center provides individual and interdisciplinary assessment and treatment programs for children with developmental disabilities, social and behavioral challenges, and emotional disorders, and faculty provide instruction to pediatric trainees, including fellows and residents, conduct current research projects, including projects on fetal drug and alcohol exposure, emotional trauma, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders.
Clinicians at Child Study Center provide services to children and adolescents and their caregiver in assessment, diagnosis and treatment in areas of AD/HD, children who have been exposed to drugs and/or alcohol before birth, behavior management for young children experiencing behavioral and/or emotional difficulties, children who have been exposed to trauma and Autism diagnosis and treatment.
In conjunction with serving the special needs of children and their families, the Child Study Center provides unique training opportunities for future health care providers in our state. Pediatric residents, psychologists, and students from several other disciplines participate with the CSC professional staff in evaluation and treatment programs. CSC is in partnership with the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program (LEND) to provide family centered, culturally sensitive, interdisciplinary care.
For applicants interested in the Developmental and Behavioral Fellowship at the OU College of Medicine, please visit the Fellowship page.
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric experts at the Child Study Center help children with developmental, educational, behavioral or medical needs. A highly skilled team of pediatric specialists offer evaluations, consultations and treatment. Experts include:
- Developmental & behavioral pediatricians
- Psychologists
- Speech pathologists
- Clinical social workers
- Professional counselors
- Occupational therapists
- Nurse practitioners
- Child development specialists
In addition, staff provide services in the neonate, developmental delay, and meningomyelocele clinics at Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health and are available for consultation for inpatients.
For more information on the Child Study Center or any of the programs that are offered, please contact Amanda Matheson at (405) 271-5700.