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More than a good night's sleep: why a preterm baby's body clock may unlock the secret to life-long health

A simple set of eye masks and ear plugs – an inexpensive solution explored in a successful pilot study by The Kids Research Institute Australia, together with the Child and Adolescent Health Service – could hold the key to better outcomes for our tiniest bubs. Now, a nationwide clinical trial is testing the idea

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).

Continuity of temperament subgroup classifications from infancy to toddlerhood in the context of early autism traits

Our previous cross-sectional investigation (Chetcuti et al., 2020) showed that infants with autism traits could be divided into distinct subgroups based on temperament. This longitudinal study builds on this existing work by exploring the continuity of temperament subgroup classifications and their associations with behavioral/clinical phenotypic features from infancy to toddlerhood.

Early ear infections linked to higher risk of future problems: study

Researchers have found kids who experience repeat ear infections in infancy have a much higher risk of ongoing problems with ear infections in later childhood

Increasing emergency department visits for anaphylaxis in very early childhood: A canary in the coal mine

The incidence of anaphylaxis is increasing globally in tandem with changing environmental and lifestyle factors. There is very limited data on very early childhood presentations. We aim to assess changes in rates, characteristics and management of infant anaphylaxis in a paediatric ED over a 15-year period.

PCV10 elicits Protein D IgG responses in Papua New Guinean children but has no impact on NTHi carriage in the first two years of life

Nasopharyngeal colonisation with nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is associated with development of infections including pneumonia and otitis media. The 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) uses NTHi Protein D (PD) as a carrier. Papua New Guinean children have exceptionally early and dense NTHi carriage, and high rates of NTHi-associated disease.

Use of health services in the last year of life and cause of death in people with intellectual disability: a retrospective matched cohort study

People with intellectual disability were more likely to experience potentially preventable conditions at the end of their lives

Estimating the excess burden of pertussis disease in Australia within the first year of life, that might have been prevented through timely vaccination

Previous Australian studies have shown that delayed vaccination with each of the three primary doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing vaccines (DTP) is up to 50 % in certain subpopulations. We estimated the excess burden of pertussis that might have been prevented if (i) all primary doses and (ii) each dose was given on time.

The impact of top surgery: a longitudinal cohort study of dysphoria, mental health, and quality of life of trans Australians following top surgery

This project aims to investigate the long-term impacts of top surgery – a term encompassing both chest reconstructive surgery and breast augmentation – on gender dysphoria, mental health, well-being and quality of life in trans and gender diverse individuals.

Innate Immune Training for Prevention of Recurrent Wheeze in Early Childhood

Pat Deborah Holt Strickland PhD, DSc, FRCPath, FRCPI, FAA PhD Emeritus Honorary Researcher Head, Pregnancy and Early Life Immunology Patrick.Holt@