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Research
Protection against neonatal respiratory viral infection via maternal treatment during pregnancy with the benign immune training agent OM-85Incomplete maturation of immune regulatory functions at birth is antecedent to the heightened risk for severe respiratory infections during infancy. Our forerunner animal model studies demonstrated that maternal treatment with the microbial-derived immune training agent OM-85 during pregnancy promotes accelerated postnatal maturation of mechanisms that regulate inflammatory processes in the offspring airways.
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Findings from the Kids in Communities Study (KiCS): A mixed methods study examining community-level influences on early childhood developmentThere is increasing international interest in place-based approaches to improve early childhood development (ECD) outcomes. The available data and evidence are limited and precludes well informed policy and practice change. Developing the evidence-base for community-level effects on ECD is one way to facilitate more informed and targeted community action.
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A peer support intervention for first-time mothers: Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the mummy buddy programThe transition to motherhood, although joyous, can be highly stressful, and the availability of professional postpartum support for mothers is often limited. Peer volunteer support programs may offer a viable and cost-effective method to provide community-based support for new mothers. The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of a peer volunteer support program-The Mummy Buddy Program-in which experienced volunteer mothers are paired with, and trained to offer social support to, first-time mothers.
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Patterns of multiple risk exposures for low receptive vocabulary growth 4-8 years in the Longitudinal Study of Australian ChildrenOur results demonstrate a range of multiple risk profiles in a population-representative sample of Australian children and highlight the mix of risk factors faced by children
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A population health approach in education to support children's early development: A Critical Interpretive SynthesisThe results from this review indicate that it would indeed be plausible to adapt the population health approach to sites and schools
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Investing in school readiness: A comparison of different early childhood education pathways in rural IndonesiaThis paper documents that children in rural Indonesia participate in a great variety of early childhood education pathways
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Birth outcomes and academic achievement in childhood: A population record linkage studyThis study used population-based record linkage to examine the association between early life risk factors and academic achievement.
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Breastfeeding and early child development: A prospective cohort studyBreastfeeding has been associated with multiple developmental advantages for the infant; however, there have also been a number of studies that find...
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Ethnicity and anthropometric deficits in children: A cross-sectional analysis of national survey data from 18 countries in sub-Saharan AfricaChild anthropometric deficits remain a major public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and are a key target of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs recommend disaggregation of health indicators by ethnic group. However, few studies have assessed how ethnicity is associated with anthropometric deficits across SSA.
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Prenatal Origins of Obstructive Airway Disease: Starting on the Wrong Trajectory?From the results of well-performed population health studies, we now have excellent data demonstrating that deficits in adult lung function may be present early in life, possibly as a result of developmental disorders, incurring a lifelong risk of obstructive airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.