About the Thompson Center
A generous gift from William and Nancy Thompson established the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Missouri on April 29, 2005.
The center promotes research, teaching and service innovations designed to improve the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other neurological conditions.
Research
The research mission of the center encompasses:
- Characterizing autism and its subtypes;
- Understanding the causes of autism;
- Identifying effective interventions;
- Improving service delivery systems.
Teaching
The teaching mission of the center focuses on:
- Interdisciplinary training for future professionals in health care, education and social services;
- Information and resources for community-based professionals;
- Family education.
Service
The service mission of the Thompson Center provides comprehensive, coordinated and family-oriented services from birth through early adulthood, including:
- Diagnostic evaluations;
- Health-related services;
- Educational and behavioral consultation;
- Family support;
- Transition from school to work;
- Resource identification and service coordination;
- Resource information for older individuals.
Interdisciplinary approach
It is not possible for a single discipline to deal with all the issues that face families of children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Interventions must be provided in a coordinated way by a team of professionals to meet each child’s individual needs. Some disciplines represented at the center include:
- Medicine;
- Nutrition;
- Psychology and behavioral science;
- Special education;
- Early childhood;
- Speech and language pathology;
- Occupational therapy;
- Physical therapy;
- Nursing;
- Developmental science.
