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Research
Arcuate fasciculus and pre-reading language development in children with prenatal alcohol exposurePrenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) contributes to widespread neurodevelopmental challenges, including reading, and has been associated with altered white matter. Here, we aimed to investigate whether arcuate fasciculus development is associated with pre-reading language skills in young children with PAE.
Research
Online health literacy resources for people with intellectual disability: protocol for a grey literature scoping reviewPeople with intellectual disability are at risk of poor physical and mental health. Risks to health are compounded by poor health literacy, that is, reduced capacity to access health services, respond quickly to changes in health status and navigate care pathways. Building health literacy skills is a strength-based way to increase health and optimise the use of healthcare services. The internet is a primary source of health information for many people, including people with intellectual disability and their families.
Research
Caregiver sensitivity predicts infant language use, and infant language complexity predicts caregiver language complexity, in the context of possible emerging autismWhile theory supports bidirectional effects between caregiver sensitivity and language use, and infant language acquisition-both caregiver-to-infant and also infant-to-caregiver effects-empirical research has chiefly explored the former unidirectional path. In the context of infants showing early signs of autism, we investigated prospective bidirectional associations with 6-min free-play interaction samples collected for 103 caregivers and their infants (mean age 12-months; and followed up 6-months later).

The Human Development and Community Wellbeing (HDCW) Team focuses on improving outcomes for children, family, and the community.

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ORIGINS reaches key milestoneORIGINS, a collaboration between The Kids and the Joondalup Health Campus, has achieved a major milestone – recruiting its 1000th family.
Research
Maternal Serum Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy and Offspring Neurocognitive DevelopmentNew research links poor language to lack of Vitamin D in womb.

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How learning to talk is in the genesResearchers from Perth's The Kids Research Institute Australia have been part of an international study that has found that genetic factors contribute to the development of l

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Language Study Reveals Need for Long Term MonitoringA new study looking at the receptive language development of young children has highlighted the need to monitor kids over time to ensure they don't fall behind.

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Twins talk half as much at twoA world first study of language development in toddler twins confirms the widely held belief that twins start to talk later than single-born children.