Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

No results yet

Search

Research

Maternal educational attainment in pregnancy and epigenome-wide DNA methylation changes in the offspring from birth until adolescence

Maternal educational attainment (MEA) shapes offspring health through multiple potential pathways. Differential DNA methylation may provide a mechanistic understanding of these long-term associations. We aimed to quantify the associations of MEA with offspring DNA methylation levels at birth, in childhood and in adolescence.

Research

A Deep Learning-Based System for the Assessment of Dental Caries Using Colour Dental Photographs

Dental caries remains the most common chronic disease in childhood, affecting almost half of all children globally. Dental care and examination of children living in remote and rural areas is an ongoing challenge that has been compounded by COVID.

Research

Looking beyond: complex holistic care needs of Syrian and Iraqi refugee children and adolescents

Protracted international conflict has seen escalating numbers of displaced and resettled Syrian and Iraqi refugees, raising concerns for their health and well-being. This paper describes the demographic and clinical profiles of recently resettled Syrian and Iraqi refugee children and adolescents across physical, psychosocial, developmental and educational domains using standardised multidisciplinary assessments.

Research

Associations between changes in caregiver’s and child’s weight status in a community-based obesity intervention programme

We examined whether caregivers of children/adolescents enroled in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a family-centred intervention indirectly achieved reductions in body mass index (BMI), and if these were associated with changes in their children’s BMI.

Research

Children's neighbourhood physical environment and early development: an individual child level linked data study

The neighbourhood physical environment has a weak but significant association with early childhood development

Research

Do sex hormones at birth predict later-life economic preferences? Evidence from a pregnancy birth cohort study: Hormones at birth and preferences

Economic preferences may be shaped by exposure to sex hormones around birth. Prior studies of economic preferences and numerous other phenotypic characteristics use digit ratios (2D : 4D), a purported proxy for prenatal testosterone exposure, whose validity has recently been questioned. We use direct measures of neonatal sex hormones (testosterone and oestrogen), measured from umbilical cord blood (n = 200) to investigate their association with later-life economic preferences (risk preferences, competitiveness, time preferences and social preferences) in an Australian cohort (Raine Study Gen2).

Research

Clinician-rated quality of video otoscopy recordings and still images for the asynchronous assessment of middle-ear disease

Video otoscopy plays an important role in improving access to ear health services. This study investigated the clinician-rated quality of video otoscopy recordings and still images, and compared their suitability for asynchronous diagnosis of middle-ear disease. Two hundred and eighty video otoscopy image-recording pairs were collected from 150 children (aged six months to 15 years) by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist, audiologists, and trained research assistants, and independently rated by an audiologist and ENT surgeon.

Research

Using a trauma informed practice framework to enhance understanding of and identify support strategies for behavioural difficulties in young people with Prader-Willi syndrome

Behavioural support for young people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is necessary in home and school environments. The Trauma Informed Practice (TIP) framework has been used to support young people with complex behavioural needs in school settings. To identify parent and professional perspectives on behavioural challenges experienced by young people with PWS and strategies for supports, to inform understanding of how they are aligned with the TIP framework.

Research

Changes in airway inflammation with pseudomonas eradication in early cystic fibrosis

Neutrophil elastase is a significant risk factor for structural lung disease in cystic fibrosis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infection is linked with neutrophilic inflammation and substantial respiratory morbidity. We aimed to evaluate how neutrophil elastase (NE) activity changes after P. aeruginosa eradication and influences early disease outcomes. We assessed participants in the AREST CF cohort between 2000 and 2018 who had P. aeruginosa cultured from their routine annual bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and who underwent eradication treatment and a post eradication BAL. Factors associated with persistent P. aeruginosa infection, persistent neutrophilic inflammation following eradication and worse structural lung disease one year post-eradication were evaluated.

Research

Vitamin A supplementation in very-preterm or very-low-birth-weight infants to prevent morbidity and mortality: A systematic review and meta-Analysis of randomized trials

A previous systematic review showed that intramuscular vitamin A supplementation reduced the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. However, more recent studies have questioned this finding.