Visit The DIC

The Detroit Institute for Children (DIC) has been providing specialized diagnostic, medical and rehabilitative care to children with chronic physical, neurological or developmental disabilities since 1920.  With the emphasis on treating the whole child, not just the disability, physicians, therapists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, orthotists and other specialists provide more than 30 services and programs under one roof on Woodward Avenue in Detroit.

Although the DIC opened its doors in 1920, its real story began in 1904 when eight teenaged girls in Detroit formed a club.  Like many girls, they shared secrets and fun, but they shared something more of a concern for others less fortunate than themselves, and a strong sense of responsibility.  The purpose of the club called the Sigma Gammas was camaraderie with friends and to contribute to charitable work in the community.

The Sigma Gammas held social events as well as annual fairs and bazaars, with the proceeds donated to the needy children of Detroit.  Many of the funds raised went to the Infants Charity Ward of the Women’s Hospital and Founding Homes.  By 1917, the Sigma Gammas, then 72 in number, considered how to continue to aid children.  Detroit had suffered a polio epidemic in 1916-17 and a school census revealed that there were over 200 children with orthopedic problems without proper care.  After visiting clinics in Boston and New York and consulting with experts, the women founded the Sigma Gamma clinic for Crippled Children in 1920.  This clinic was operated in a space provided by the Board of Health in its building on Mullett Street.

The vision of the clinic was to care for the whole child, pioneering the idea of holistic treatment, and to provide care for all children who needed it, regardless of the family’s ability to pay.  There were 62 patients the first month and more than 2,500 children were admitted and treated during the first four years.

The Sigma Gammas soon realized that additional facilities were needed to provide long-term convalescent care.  Land was purchased south of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, and the Sigma Gamma Hospital School was dedicated in 1926.  Treatment included physiotherapy, minor surgical procedures and manipulations under general anesthesia, followed by “plasters” (casts).  Sigma Gammas saw to it that the children treated at the hospital maintained some normalcy during their stay.  School was taught in the onsite “hospital school” classroom and for those children who were restricted to bed; classes were held at their bedsides.  Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops were formed and extracurricular activities such as sewing classes and field trips were also offered.

The hospital pioneered the application of operative measures that reduced convalescent time, and developed new corrective braces for legs and arms.  It also featured a state-of-the-art therapeutic pool.  In fact, when Franklin Roosevelt searched for innovative programs for the care of polio patients in his Warm Springs Foundation in Georgia, he visited the hospital and chose the pool as his model.

By 1952 there was a sharp decline in the number of children with polio who needed to be treated in a hospital.  Thus, in 1957 the hospital and hospital school was closed.  Sigma Gamma then dedicated all its efforts to the clinic, then named the Detroit Orthopedic Clinic, located in the Dwight Cutler home on Woodward Avenue, its current location, and the patient focus changed to children with cerebral palsy.  The home was torn down and a new facility was built, which opened in 1960, featuring the most advanced medical equipment available. 

In the late 1970’s the name of the, clinic was changed to its current name, The Detroit Institute for Children.  It was determined that this new name reflected the broadened scope of services provided by the clinic.  While it continues to treat children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida and orthopedic abnormalities, neurological and developmental disorders such as autism, epilepsy and ADHD, as well as learning disabilities are taking center stage at The DIC.  Many of the treatment methods from the early days, such as physical therapy, casting and braces continue to be used.  However, modern-day treatment has expanded to include technology such as computers, opening a new world for children with special needs in terms of learning, recreation and communication.

The DIC is the only agency of its kind in the state to offer such a comprehensive continuum of care.  From specialty physician clinics and customized braces, to mental health services and dentistry, everything is available in one location, providing tremendous convenience to patients’ families. The cost for providing such specialized care to children with chronic disabilities is considerable, yet The DIC commits itself to working closely with families to ensure that no child is denied care because of financial constraints.  Thanks to the support of the United Way, donations from foundations, corporations and individuals, and the continued dedication of the founders, Sigma Gamma, The DIC is able to carry on its charitable legacy.

While some things have changed at the clinic, the mission has remained constant.  The principles established at its founding are still the cornerstone of the care The DIC provides today, and will continue to provide to children who need it.

Each year, The DIC hosts or benefits from a series of special events and fundraisers that help further the Institute’s charitable mission.