At Nemours, we promise to do whatever it takes to treat children as we would our own. When your child comes to Nemours, we know you’re placing your trust in us. This trust and our dedication to improving the health of your child is what inspires us to provide exceptional care and the most satisfying experience possible.
Research
See How We're Advancing Breakthroughs in Orthotics Research
Research at Nemours improves the health and health care of all children. By seeking new approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood diseases and educating the next generation of leaders in the fields of children’s and public health, Nemours is making a difference today and establishing the opportunities to make a difference well into the future.
Our research program continues to grow in size and scope. Clinical questions continue to drive our efforts. Our growing research capability is a critical benefit to our patients’ well-being.
Insights Into Pediatric Orthotics
The Nemours Pediatric Engineering Research Lab (PERL) is involved in research of devices and therapies that will assist and rehabilitate children with neuromuscular disabilities and orthopedic disorders.
PERL’s staff of biomedical engineers and students work with various clinicians at the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE, to conceive and develop engineering solutions to medical problems. PERL has affiliations with Drexel University and the University of Delaware, and collaborates with a number of companies to manufacture and market devices conceived and developed at PERL.
WREX: Changing Lives
Children with neuromuscular disease often have difficulty moving their arms and performing activities of daily living due to muscle weakness. One ongoing Nemours research project addresses these concerns through the development of the Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (or WREX, for short) – an arm orthosis that helps children with very little residual strength to move their arms in space.
WREX is primarily intended for children with muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and arthrogryposis in which the distal muscles are less affected and sensation remains intact. WREX allows full passive range of motion of the arm and provides a sense of flotation that helps with voluntary movement.
