Top Achievements: Some of the ways the Telethon Institute has improved child health

More healthy babies, fewer birth defects
Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley were part of the international group that found that consuming an adequate amount of the vitamin folate prior to conception could reduce serious disabilities such as spina bifida by up to 70%. The Institute introduced the first campaign in the world encouraging women to have more folate in their diets and last year were successful in lobbying government for it to be included in all bread products.

Protection against meningitis
The Institute’s analysis of childhood infection rates was the evidence the State Government needed to agree to fund vaccinations for all babies against Hib meningitis. The initiative was so successful it was taken up nation wide.

Causes of cerebral palsy
The Institute’s Cerebral Palsy register was the first in Australia. Analysis of this information has changed the thinking on what causes CP – the most common physical disability in children. Contrary to traditional thought, only a small minority of cases are caused by trauma at birth. The majority of cases are linked to problems much earlier in the pregnancy – important information for parents and obstetricians.

Preventing SIDS
Most parents now know the importance of sleeping babies on their backs and not overheating them to reduce their risk of SIDS. The Institute advised the Government on the first “Reduce the Risk” campaign and monitored its impact. That monitoring revealed that SIDS rates failed to fall in Aboriginal communities, prompting targeted campaigns to reach these families.

Treating allergies
Dust mites and cats are common triggers for children with allergies. The Institute’s scientists have identified and refined the allergens that cause these severe reactions. They will be used in desensitisation treatments,  improving the quality of life for many people around the world.

Pneumococcal vaccination
Pneumococcal is a very nasty bug that can cause pneumonia, ear infections and meningitis. The Institute’s Meningitis Centre advocated for the Pneumococcal vaccine to be included on the childhood immunisation schedule. This has seen rates of invasive pneumococcal infection drop by about half. The Institute’s Vaccine Trials Group is now testing a vaccine against meningococcal B infection, the most common cause of meningococcal meningitis in WA.

Better communities for children
Professor Fiona Stanley was impressed by an early development index used in Canada to assess how well communities were faring in raising young children. She brought the initiative here where it was adapted for Australian children and trialled in WA. The Australian Early Development Index has now been rolled out nation wide by the Commonwealth  as an important measure of strengths and weaknesses in all communities that will help focus resources and effort where they’re most needed.

Stopping epidemics before they take hold
The Vaccine Trials Group based at the Institute and PMH played a crucial role in protecting Australia from a swine flu pandemic as one of the few centres nationwide geared up to run large clinical trials of the new vaccine. It also tested  a vaccine against bird flu, gathering valuable data to make sure potential new vaccines are both safe  and effective.
 
New treatments for children with cancer
Institute scientists have discovered genetic markers which identify which children are at greatest risk of relapse. This is paving the way to individualised treatments that target the child’s particular cancer. The Institute collaborates with PMH so that children in WA can join international clinical trials, ensuring they’re getting the latest treatments available. The Children’s Cancer team are also focused on understanding what causes brain tumours in children – an important step towards preventing them in the longer term.

Preventing asthma in high risk children
Institute scientists have dramatically changed international thinking on preventing asthma through their research on how children’s immune systems develop. They have started a world-first trial of a vaccine for children at high risk of the disease.

Swimming to good health
Can something as simple as a swimming pool improve health and school attendance of children in remote areas? The Institute led a three year study at three remote communities that found that community swimming pools dramatically reduced skin and ear infections in Aboriginal children – conditions that can have significant long term health effects. It also improved school attendance. Based on this evidence, pools are now being built in a number of remote communities as a practical intervention to improve Aboriginal child health and wellbeing.

Preventing suicide
Suicide is a devastating issue within the WA community. The Institute’s comprehensive monitoring of trends found that many youths who suicided had previously attempted to take their own life, but were discharged without followup. This led to programs to give greater support to these young people and has seen a significant reduction in the youth suicide rate. The Institute is also pioneering a new outreach service for people recently bereaved by suicide as research shows that they are particularly vulnerable.

Looking at language
About 7 per cent of children have problems with speech and reading. The Institute is tracking the language development of hundreds of twins and single-born children in the most comprehensive study of its kind in the world. It is looking at both genetic and environmental factors. While most children who are late talker will catch up, a quarter will have ongoing problems. The study found that a mother's education, income, parenting style or mental health had no impact on a child's likelihood of being a late talker.

A solid start for Aboriginal children
Closing the gap in health and wellbeing between Aboriginal children and other Australians has been a priority area for the Institute since it began. The Institute has undertaken the most comprehensive survey of Aboriginal children and their families to produce four compelling volumes of evidence about strengths and vulnerabilities within Aboriginal communities. This study was the first to quantify the second and third generation effects of the stolen generation.

Early detection for cystic fibrosis
Our data on children with cystic fibrosis shows that structural lung damage can be occurring without any symptoms at all, so doctors can not rely on the usual clinical indications on when to treat. This research is now being used to develop and trial new intervention strategies to reduce lung damage in this debilitating disease.

Parents are important people
The Institute’s studies of child development have repeatedly shown the impact of parenting on a child’s mental, physical and intellectual development. That has driven the Institute’s lobbying for paid parental leave and higher-quality childcare. There is overwhelming that investing in families will have long term economic and social benefits for the entire nation.

Alcohol and pregnancy
Excessive alcohol consumption in pregnancy is the biggest cause of intellectual disability around the world. Institute researchers have shown a link between low and moderate alcohol consumption and a higher risk of later behavioural problems in children. The team has developed guides to help health professionals talk with pregnant women about alcohol consumption. They are also working to improve the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome so that those children can get the specialist early support that they need.

Improving care for children with disabilities
Parents of children with significant disabilities often face an uncertain prognosis and future. The Institute has developed comprehensive registers for a range of  intellectual and physical disabilities. The analysis of this information has led to better clinical care and practical advice for families.  

Benefits of breastfeeding
Through studies of thousands of children over 20 years, Institute researchers have been able to analyse the longer term impact of breast feeding. Their studies have shown a link to improved mental health and lower rates of respiratory disease.

Nutrition and mental health
It’s not just eating a healthy breakfast that gets young people off to a good start for the day – it’s the number of different food groups that they consume that brings the biggest benefits. The Institute has looked at a range of nutrition issues including the benefits of Omega 3 in mental health and development.

Swimming pool fences
A comprehensive analysis of childhood deaths and injuries prompted the Institute to lobby the government for new swimming pool fencing laws. The isolation fencing initiative has resulted in a significant fall in drownings and near-drownings in WA.