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Research

Many clinicians in New Zealand do not follow guidelines for best practice in autism diagnosis. In this study, we investigated the processes that health professionals in New Zealand follow when diagnosing autistic children and adults. We asked 117 health professionals from a range of services and regions in New Zealand, how they identify and diagnose autism.

Research

This report provides detailed characterization of carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) in a young child and in the absence of defined therapeutic guidelines for pediatric CUP, the successful treatment strategy described should be considered for similar cases.

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To generate a conceptual framework describing what is done to reduce the impact of chronic tinnitus on the lives of children and adolescents.

Research

The effectiveness of bullying prevention programs has led to expectations that these programs could have effects beyond their primary goals. By reducing the number of victims and perpetrators and the harm experienced by those affected, programs may have longer-term effects on individual school performance and prevent crime. In this paper, we use Norwegian register data to study the long-term impact of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) on academic performance, high school dropout, and youth crime for the average student, which we call population-level effects.

Research

Recent studies in very premature infants (<32 weeks gestation) have shown that early commencement of parenteral nutrition immediately after birth improves physical growth. However, there are concerns that early use of very high dose of amino-acids (>3.5 g/kg/day immediately after birth) may cause metabolic acidosis, elevated blood urea, slower head growth and refeeding-hypophosphatemia syndrome. A recent multicentre randomized controlled trial found that commencement of parenteral nutrition within 24-h of admission increases the risk of infections and prolongs the duration of ventilation and ICU stay in full-term neonates, older infants and children. The study also found that delaying to day 8 of admission increased the risk of hypoglycaemia.

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The objectives of this study are to assess the association between childhood bullying and preference-based health-related quality of life in Australian school children and their parents and estimate quality-adjusted life years associated with bullying chronicity. Children aged 8-10 years completed the child health utilities, while parents completed the Australian quality of life.

Research

Valvular heart disease is a major contributor to loss of physical function, quality of life and longevity. The epidemiology of VHD varies substantially around the world, with a predominance of functional and degenerative disease in high-income countries, and a predominance of rheumatic heart disease in low-income and middle-income countries. Reflecting this distribution, rheumatic heart disease remains by far the most common manifestation of VHD worldwide and affects approximately 41 million people.

Research

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality and morbidity. Existing treatment protocols are aggressive in nature resulting in significant neurological, intellectual and physical disabilities for the children undergoing treatment. Thus, there is an urgent need for improved, targeted therapies that minimize these harmful side effects.

Research

Towards the goal of malaria elimination on Hispaniola, the National Malaria Control Program of Haiti and its international partner organisations are conducting a campaign of interventions targeted to high-risk communities prioritised through evidence-based planning. Here we present a key piece of this planning: an up-to-date, fine-scale endemicity map and seasonality profile for Haiti informed by monthly case counts.

Research

Sarcomeric gene mutations are associated with the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Current drug therapeutics for HCM patients are effective in relieving symptoms, but do not prevent or reverse disease progression. Moreover, due to heterogeneity in the clinical manifestations of the disease, patients experience variable outcomes in response to therapeutics.