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Andrew WhitehouseDeputy Director (Research); Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research at The Kids Research Institute Australia; Director, CliniKids
Research
Extensive Diversity of Streptococcus pyogenes in a Remote Human Population Reflects Global-Scale Transmission Rather than Localised DiversificationThe Indigenous population of the Northern Territory of Australia (NT) suffers from a very high burden of Streptococcus pyogenes disease, including cardiac...
Research
Resident CD8+ and Migratory CD103+ Dendritic Cells Control CD8 T Cell Immunity during Acute Influenza InfectionThe identification of the specific DC subsets providing a critical role in presenting influenza antigens to naïve T cell precursors remains contentious and...
Research
Investigating Parental Observations of Early Autism Development in Simplex and Multiplex FamiliesPast research has highlighted the importance of early identification of developmental differences to improve targeted access to early interventions or supports. As such, it is of particular importance in the context of children at elevated likelihood of autism (such as where an older sibling has a diagnosis of autism), to better understand when and which early concerns are important as predictors of which children will benefit from pre-diagnostic supports.
Research
Empathy and Autism: Establishing the Structure and Different Manifestations of Empathy in Autistic Individuals Using the Perth Empathy ScaleThere is a common mischaracterisation that autistic individuals have reduced or absent empathy. Measurement issues may have influenced existing findings on the relationships between autism and empathy, and the structure of the empathy construct in autism remains unclear.
Research
Characterizing the risk of respiratory syncytial virus in infants with older siblings: a population-based birth cohort studyOur results lend support to a vaccination strategy which includes family members in order to provide maximum protection for newborn babies.
Research
Comprehensive candidate gene analysis for symptomatic or asymptomatic outcomes of Leishmania infantum infection in BrazilOur results imply a role for IgG-mediated inflammation in determining delayed-type hypersensitivity associated with asymptomatic leishmaniasis
Research
Maternal Serum Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy and Offspring Neurocognitive DevelopmentNew research links poor language to lack of Vitamin D in womb.
Research
Maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and hospitalization with infection in offspring: a population-based cohort studyAntibiotic exposure before or during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of childhood hospitalized infections
Research
Post-infectious group A streptococcal autoimmune syndromes and the heartARF is a classical example of an autoimmune syndrome and is of particular immunological interest because it follows a known antecedent infection with group A...
Research
Lower anti-echovirus antibody responses in children presenting to hospital with asthma exacerbations.This article assesses the absolute and specific antibody titres to VP1 antigens of the gut-trophic enteroviruses, echovirus 30 and Sabin 1 poliovirus, in...
Research
Comparison of approaches to rheumatic fever surveillance across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.Rheumatic fever (RF) prevention, control and surveillance are increasingly important priorities in New Zealand (NZ) and Australia.
News & Events
Children with autism may benefit from app-based therapiesA The Kids Research Institute Australia study has shown that in addition to intervention with trained therapists, children with autism may benefit from app-based therapies.
Research
Respiratory syncytial virus is present in the neonatal intensive care unitThe results suggest that though the risk for RSV in the NICU remains low, personnel clothing are contaminated with RSV-RNA and may have a role in transmission
Research
Parent-reported Areas of Greatest Challenge for their ADHD and/or Autistic ChildrenThis study aimed to understand how parents describe the most challenging behaviors exhibited by their children diagnosed with autism and/or ADHD, how those behaviours impact their family, and whether challenges are directly related to the core characteristics of these conditions.
News & Events
Infectious diseases advocate and child disability researcher named as finalists for national awardsCongratulations to prominent consumer advocate Catherine Hughes and The Kids Research Institute Australia honorary researcher Dr Noula Gibson, who have been named finalists in Research Australia’s 2023 Health and Medical Research Awards.
News & Events
Autism researcher wins accolade for science videosProfessor Andrew Whitehouse has been awarded an Autism Spectrum Australia Recognition Award for his work communicating scientific findings to families.
Research
Child and Family Characteristics Associated with Symptoms of Anxiety in Autistic Children: A Biobank StudyAutistic children have an increased likelihood of anxiety, but more research is needed on the characteristics that predict various types of anxiety in this population.
Research
A GWAS for grip strength in cohorts of children-Advantages of analysing young participants for this traitGrip strength is a proxy measure for muscular strength and a predictor for bone fracture risk among other diseases. Previous genome-wide association studies have been conducted in large cohorts of adults focusing on scores collected for the dominant hand, therefore increasing the likelihood of confounding effects by environmental factors.
Research
Comorbidities and quality of life in children with intellectual disabilityMany children with intellectual disability live with medical comorbidities. This study examined the impacts of comorbidities on quality of life (QOL) of children with intellectual disabilities and whether impacts varied with caregiver perceptions that medical needs had been met.