The Waisman Center provides comprehensive clinical care and support for children with disabilities and their families. The Waisman Center Down Syndrome Clinic is a partnership with UW Health and the American Family Children’s Hospital. An interdisciplinary team of professionals works together to provide clinical care of children with a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
Children and their families are seen for initial and follow-up visits to address concerns related to Down syndrome in the areas of: feeding, growth, development, communication, behavior, hearing, therapy and support services. Genetic counseling is also provided in the clinic. Individualized care is provided according to the needs of the child identified in collaboration with their parent or guardian. The guidelines will be followed from the American Academy of Pediatrics Standards in the Care of Children with Down Syndrome.
If you are interested in an appointment, please have your/your child’s primary care provider fill out a referral at uwhealth.org/referral. We will call you to schedule an appointment once we have processed the referral.
- This appointment may take up to four hours, so please plan accordingly.
- All clinic visitors should park in stalls outlined in blue and give their license plate number to the schedulers upon check-in. (See map and directions below.)
- Our clinic is located on the first floor of the Waisman Center, 1500 Highland Avenue.
- Plan to arrive 5 to 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment. Check in at the clinic reception desk located just beyond the Waisman Center’s main lobby.
- A medical assistant may obtain your child’s height, weight, pulse and blood pressure. You and your child will be taken to an examination room.
- A developmental pediatrician or nurse practitioner will obtain a thorough health history, examine your child, discuss the evaluation and answer any questions.
- Other professionals may also provide evaluations and/or consultations including: a speech pathologist, an audiologist, a geneticist, a genetic counselor, a dietitian, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, and social worker.
- The clinics are a nut-free zone.
NOTE: Full visit information will be shared in writing with you and your child’s primary health care provider, subspecialists, and others as indicated by signed release of information forms.
- Educate the family about Down syndrome, associated complications and the genetic cause.
- Detect and treat problems related to Down syndrome.
- Provide health care counseling about potential risks and preventive behaviors.
- Refer and collaborate with other health professionals to meet your child’s special needs.
- Provide information on community resources and services to support your child and family.
- Support and advocate for the patient and family.
For inquiries about obtaining copies of your medical records call:
(608) 263-6030
Or Visit:
How to Obtain Your Medical Records
608.263.3301 (8 am – 4:30 pm)
We cannot communicate though email due to privacy concerns.
Current patients may use MyChart to contact their clinic.
Clinic Staff
Clinic Director
Clinic Coordinator
Nurse
Grace Anders
Position title: iPSC/Gene Editing Service Staff
Email:
gnanders
Phone: (608) 890-4911
Address:
1500 Highland Ave
Room 641c
Madison, WI 53705
Madeline C. Barger, MS, LMFT, BCBA, CST
Position title: Lead Behavior Analyst Teen and Young Adults program
Gail Chodron, PhD
Position title: Director, Wisconsin Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities
Leann Smith DaWalt, PhD
Position title: Director, University Center for Excellence In Developmental Disabilities
Maureen S. Durkin, PhD, DrPH
Position title: Evan and Marion Helfaer Professor of Public Health and Chair, Population Health Sciences and Pediatrics
Spencer Eckerty
Position title: Business Office Support Specialist
Email:
seckerty
Phone: 608-263-1656
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 202
Grace Eilers, MA, IMH-E®
Position title: Family Child Care Content Specialist, Satellite Family Child Care System
David Gamm, MD, PhD
Position title: Sandra Lemke Trout Chair in Eye Research, Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Bernadette Gillick, PhD, MSPT, PT, FAPTA
Position title: Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Pediatrics
Scott Gletty-Syoen
Position title: Information Technology
Email:
scottgs
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 245
Timothy M. Gomez, PhD
Position title: Retina Research Foundation M. D. Matthews Research Professor, Department of Neuroscience
April Hall, PhD, MS, CGC
Position title: Facilitator, Subject Matter Expert (Genetic Counselor)
Email:
alhall2
Sigan Hartley, PhD
Position title: Professor, 100 Women Distinguished Chair in Human Ecology, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor
Melissa Henning
Position title: Human Resources Manager
Email:
melissa.henning
Phone: 608-890-1388
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 253
Katherine C. Hustad, PhD
Position title: Oros Bascom Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Ping Jiang, PhD
Position title: Manager
Email:
pjiang39
Phone: (608) 262-9441
Address:
1500 Highland Ave
Room 622
Madison, WI 53705
Sterling C. Johnson, PhD
Position title: Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and the Jean R. Finley Professor of Geriatrics and Dementia, Department of Medicine
Rick Keir
Position title: Information Technology - Help Desk
Email:
rdkeir
Phone: 608-890-1000
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 232
Clark Kellogg
Position title: Media Specialist
Email:
kellogg
Phone: 608-263-8726
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 240
Karla M. Knobel, PhD
Position title: Cellular Imaging and Analysis Manager
Email:
kknobel
Phone: 608-890-2280
Address:
Waisman Center
1500 Highland Ave
Room T605
Madison, WI 53705
Emily Leclerc
Position title: Science Writer
Email:
ecleclerc
Phone: 608-890-0943
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 227
Pao Lee
Position title: Grants Administration
Email:
paolee
Phone: 608-265-6903
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 273
Yi-Tang Lee, PhD
Position title: hPSC Manager
Email:
ylee864
Phone: (608) 262-9441
Address:
1500 Highland Ave
Room 641c
Madison, WI 53705
Alyssa Lentine
Position title: iPSC/Gene Editing Service Staff
Email:
lentine
Phone: (608) 890-4911
Address:
1500 Highland Ave
Room 641C
Madison, WI 53705
Ruth Litovsky, PhD
Position title: Oros Family Chair & Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology
Haley Mahoney
Position title: Accountant
Email:
holig2
Phone: (608) 263-5910
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 202
Steve Marshall, MS, MSPH
Position title: Associate Director, Finance and Administration
Email:
smarshall
Phone: (608) 263-5900
Address:
Waisman Center, Room T201C
Molly Murphy, PhD, BCBA-D
Position title: Program Director/Lead Behavior Analyst Early Childhood program
Robert Olson, PhD
Position title: Associate Researcher
Email:
rolson
Phone: 608-890-3075
Teresa Palumbo
Position title: Communications Manager
Email:
palumbo
Phone: 608-263-5837
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 239
Tonia Peters
Position title: Grants Administration
Email:
tpeters2
Phone: 608-890-1405
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 265
Seth Pollak, PhD
Position title: Vaughan Bascom Professor of Psychology and Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics
Aracely Portillo
Position title: ECHO Content Expert (Lived Experience, Family Navigation)
Email:
aracely.portillo
Charlene Rivera-Bonet
Position title: Science Writer
Email:
riverabonet
Phone: 608-890-1033
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 227
Linda Rowley
Position title: Web Manager
Email:
rowley
Phone: 608-263-5973
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 229
Jess Scott Schwoerer, MD
Position title: Facilitator, Subject Matter Expert (Medical Geneticist)
Email:
jscottschwoerer
Jessica Soper
Position title: Human Resources Generalist
Email:
jdsoper
Phone: 608-262-9613
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 251
Joshua Soper
Position title: Building Manager
Email:
building
Phone: (608) 263-5883
Cheryl Soref
Position title: iPSC/Gene Editing Service Staff
Email:
cmsoref
Phone: (608) 890-4911
Address:
1500 Highland Ave
Room 641c
Madison, WI 53705
Jennifer Stengrevics, PAC
Position title: Subject Matter Expert (Physician Assistant)
Email:
jstengrevics
Daifeng Wang, PhD
Position title: H.I. Romnes Associate Professor, Biostatistics & Medical Informatics, Computer Sciences
Jacob Werla
Position title: Information Technology
Email:
werla
Phone: 608-263-3467
Address:
Waisman Center, Room 238
Yingnan Yin
Position title: iPSC Service Staff
Email:
yyin8
Phone: (608) 890-4911
Address:
1500 Highland Ave
Room 641c
Madison, WI 53705
Xinyu Zhao, PhD
Position title: Professor, Neuroscience, Jenni & Kyle Professor, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor
Sara Zoran, MS, CGC
Position title: Facilitator, Subject Matter Expert (Genetic Counselor)
Email:
zoran
Clinic Team
Maps, Directions, and Parking for Clinic Visitors
From the east—follow University Avenue through campus and then go off to the right on Campus Drive; stay in the right lane and turn right at the University Bay Drive/Farley Avenue intersection.
From the west—follow University Avenue and turn left at the University Bay Drive/Farley Avenue intersection. After making the turn (from either direction)... Continue straight over the hill; the road at that point becomes Highland Avenue. The Waisman Center is at the bottom of the hill on the left, across the street from UW-Children's Hospital.
PARKING:
- All visitors should park in stalls outlined in WHITE. To ensure you are not ticketed, please do not park in the YELLOW lined stalls.
- You can check-in for your clinic appointment by calling (608)915-0680. If you do not have a cell phone, please enter the building and proceed to the clinics scheduler desk, past the main lobby reception desk.
- You will need to provide your license plate number to the schedulers to ensure you are not ticketed.
ENTRANCE:
- Enter building in north tower at main clinics/lobby doors.
- A reception desk is located in the main lobby.
Download a PDF of Maps, Directions & Parking for Clinic Visitors