The Stunting Risk Assessment Tool: Identifying Infants At High Risk Of Impaired Growth And Development In Resource Poor Settings.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$344,644.00
Summary
Stunting is a neglected global health crisis. After the age of 2, irreversible health, developmental and economic consequences occur that are perpetuated across generations. Early risk prediction is key to more effective interventions. By determining the contribution of risk factors in pregnancy and early infancy, I propose to develop a tool that can be used by health workers to identify infants at high risk of stunting in early life, so that early preventive measures can be introduced.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101053
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,556.00
Summary
Influence of parent and educator feeding practices on child self-regulation. This project aims to be the first study to investigate whether children who experience consistent and responsive feeding practices both at home and in early childhood education and care have higher levels of self-regulation, optimal eating behaviour and diet quality. The project expects to develop simple and low-cost strategies that parents and educators can use at mealtimes to enhance child self-regulation. With one mi ....Influence of parent and educator feeding practices on child self-regulation. This project aims to be the first study to investigate whether children who experience consistent and responsive feeding practices both at home and in early childhood education and care have higher levels of self-regulation, optimal eating behaviour and diet quality. The project expects to develop simple and low-cost strategies that parents and educators can use at mealtimes to enhance child self-regulation. With one million Australian children in care during their parent’s working week, outcomes of this project have widespread benefits. Higher self-regulation improves a child's health and well-being and provides short- and long-term social and economic benefits including school readiness, academic achievement and workforce participation.Read moreRead less
DHA For The Improvement Of Neurodevelopmental Outcome In Preterm Infants: The DINO Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,875.00
Summary
The incidence of neurological problems that occur in children born prematurely is higher than for those born at term. The earlier that a baby is born, the greater chance it has of having some developmental delay and general inability to cope at school. This has implications for the child, the families and the health system. One of the many dietary factors implicated in the development of neural abilities in premature infants is an omega-3 fatty acid called DHA. This compound is present in breast ....The incidence of neurological problems that occur in children born prematurely is higher than for those born at term. The earlier that a baby is born, the greater chance it has of having some developmental delay and general inability to cope at school. This has implications for the child, the families and the health system. One of the many dietary factors implicated in the development of neural abilities in premature infants is an omega-3 fatty acid called DHA. This compound is present in breast milk and most preterm formulas and is found in high concentrations in the brain and retina. In the last third of pregnancy the developing baby would normally accumulate DHA at a rapid rate. So it seems reasonable to assume that a baby outside the mother, that is born premature, would also need to accumulate DHA at this same rate. The problem is that none of the milks currently given to premature infants have DHA in high enough concentration to supply this amount of DHA to the baby. For example, breast milk and preterm formulas contain only a third of the DHA required. In order to provide this amount for the premature infant, breast milk containing DHA at about 1% of the total fat is required. Fortunately the level of DHA in breast milk can be increased to this level by supplementing the mothers diet with fish or olis like tuna oil. This study hopes to show that premature babies who receive DHA in amounts similar to that supplied in the womb will develop better than babies who receive low amounts of DHA.Read moreRead less
Modern Chemical Exposures In Utero And In Infancy, And Their Impact Upon Early Neurodevelopmental Outcomes In The Barwon Infant Study, An Unselected Birth Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$138,353.00
Summary
I am a paediatric doctor interested in the effects of modern industrial chemicals on children’s development. Even in the womb babies are exposed to industrial chemicals and we know some, like lead, are harmful to developing brains. I am interested in other chemicals that are now suspected to affect development, including the polybrominated diphenyl esters (PBDEs), and I intend to investigate this as part of the Barwon Infant Study, which follows 1250 children from before birth to 3 years.
Docosahexaenic Acid (DHA) From Dairy. How Dietary Omega-3 Fats From Dairy Can Increase DHA Levels To Improve
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,887.00
Summary
A high level of the omega-3 fat DHA in the blood is related to good health and has benefits on neural development in breastfed infants. Infant formulas have been enriched with preformed DHA but are expensive and may be environmentally unsustainable. Dairy contains DPA, a direct precursor of DHA. I aim to identify DPA-rich dairy sources, produce a safe and inexpensive nutritional powder and validate its efficacy in an animal model and a human infant clinical trial. Based on research outcomes, thi ....A high level of the omega-3 fat DHA in the blood is related to good health and has benefits on neural development in breastfed infants. Infant formulas have been enriched with preformed DHA but are expensive and may be environmentally unsustainable. Dairy contains DPA, a direct precursor of DHA. I aim to identify DPA-rich dairy sources, produce a safe and inexpensive nutritional powder and validate its efficacy in an animal model and a human infant clinical trial. Based on research outcomes, this powder will be safe and inexpensive and have the potential to be marketed as a Infant Formula Supplement.Read moreRead less
Investigating Autism Spectrum Disorder: Causes And Efficacious Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$705,501.00
Summary
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a growing public health concern, but we know little about the causes nor treatments for the condition. During the period of this Fellowship I will seek to make significant inroads into these unknowns, by performing large-scale international research into the genetic, biochemical and neurological causes of ASD, and conducting a series of clinical treatment trials in collaboration with research groups from across the world.
The Cherbourg Project: Building Capacity For FASD Screening And Diagnosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$717,501.00
Summary
The House of Representatives 2012 Inquiry into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) noted the particular need for research, training and capacity-building relating to FASD in ATSI communities.This project, in collaboration with Cherbourge community in Queensland and the WHO, addresses several Inquiry recommendations by providing: training to increase local capacity to screen/diagnose FASD; community education; diagnostic service for FASD; FASD prevalence data; and data to inform service provi ....The House of Representatives 2012 Inquiry into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) noted the particular need for research, training and capacity-building relating to FASD in ATSI communities.This project, in collaboration with Cherbourge community in Queensland and the WHO, addresses several Inquiry recommendations by providing: training to increase local capacity to screen/diagnose FASD; community education; diagnostic service for FASD; FASD prevalence data; and data to inform service provision and prevention programs.Read moreRead less
Cumulative Harm: Reducing child abuse through improved decision-making. In 2005/06 56,000 cases of child abuse were substantiated in Australia, and this figure is rising exponentially. Disillusionment is growing with an incident based approach to children's safety which fails to either acknowledge or intervene effectively in the cumulative effects of harm to the child's development and well-being. This project uses the leverage of new legislation to re-focus on an earlier intervention with vulne ....Cumulative Harm: Reducing child abuse through improved decision-making. In 2005/06 56,000 cases of child abuse were substantiated in Australia, and this figure is rising exponentially. Disillusionment is growing with an incident based approach to children's safety which fails to either acknowledge or intervene effectively in the cumulative effects of harm to the child's development and well-being. This project uses the leverage of new legislation to re-focus on an earlier intervention with vulnerable children at risk of cumulative harm within a hospital setting. An interdisciplinary lens is bought to the development of new knowledge to provide a better and healthier start to life for this group of children.Read moreRead less