Investigators
Prof Jane Valentine, Dr Alison Salt, Sue-Anne Davidson, Dr Ashleigh Thornton, Dr Tiffany Grisbrook, Prof Catherine Elliott, Dr Andrew Savery (WACHS), A/Prof Mary Sharp (KEMH), Dr Anthony Clark (Ophthalmology, CAHS).
The Kids Project team members
Brooke Sanderson, Kathryn Malley
Lead agency
Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS)
Partners
Western Australia Country Health Service (WACHS), King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH).
Project description
Accelerate will develop and pilot, a multi-directorate teaching and training network for early detection of cerebral palsy (CP), encompassing key clinical partners across CAHS and WACHS.
Early diagnosis of CP now possible for babies from 12 weeks post term, however standard clinical use of the gold standard assessment tools (including General Movements and Hammersmith infant Neurological Examination) does not exist beyond the inn-metropolitan area in WA, meaning that babies are falling through the gaps in our health system. Particularly vulnerable are children in regional and remote areas of WA, requiring a coordinated approach with local stakeholders to increase training of health care workers, streamline referrals for specialised screening and ultimately a reduction in the age of diagnosis and referral to early intervention for babies at risk of CP.
As well as significant motor impairments children with CP often have other conditions including vision impairment. Given the crucial role vision plays in early development, it is of critical importance that all children with CP are screened for vision impairment. The Accelerate network will build systems that detect children with CP and other common impairments early, promote early responsive parenting and support parent mental health at this very difficult time.
Following this pilot in the Kimberley region, we plan to rollout this network across WA, therefore allowing all babies in WA at-risk of cerebral palsy access to early detection and intervention services, improving outcomes for them and their families.
Funding
Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation (PCHF) Education and Training Grant (ID1008).