Autism virtual issue

Autism virtual issue

Autism Child development Children

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1 in 68 children have an ASD diagnosis, with the prevalence in males being nearly five times more likely than females.

You can read and share some of the recently published research on this disorder in the special, free Virtual Issue on Autism.  The articles are taken from the Wiley Neurology & Neuroscience portfolios. 

Improving the early life outcomes of Indigenous children

Improving the early life outcomes of Indigenous children

Child development Children Indigenous health

This paper outlines the wide gaps in early life outcomes for Indigenous people compared with non-Indigenous people, such as higher rates of poor health conditions, hospital admissions and poor nutrition among Indigenous children. It then discusses how localised early childhood development works to overcome these disadvantages through a range of interventions that are tailored to address the local determinants of early childhood development. 

Improving the early life outcomes of Indigenous children: implementing early childhood development at the local level.

Issues paper no. 6 produced for the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse. AIHW. Sarah Wise, December 2013

National Performance Indicators to Support Neonatal Hearing Screening in Australia

National Performance Indicators to Support Neonatal Hearing Screening in Australia

Child development Hearing

Around half the children born with hearing impairment have no identified risk factor for the condition. It is widely acknowledged that delays in the identification and treatment of permanent childhood hearing impairment may profoundly affect quality of life in terms of language acquisition, social and emotional development, and education and employment prospects. All states and territories in Australia have universal neonatal hearing screening. This working paper, by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), presents a set of performance indicators for monitoring neonatal hearing screening activity in Australia at a national level. National evaluation and monitoring provides a measure of how well neonatal hearing screening is achieving its aims and objectives and will enable strengthening of screening practices and administrative processes to further improve outcomes for Australian infants. (Report released by the AIHW on 25th November 2013)

The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children: Annual Statistical Report 2012

The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children: Annual Statistical Report 2012

Child development Children Statistics Wellbeing

This report, Growing up in Australia: the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), aims to provide the evidence base for future research and policy development to support family functioning and children's health and wellbeing. LSAC was initiated and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and is conducted in partnership with the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). A consortium of leading researchers and experts from universities and research agencies provide advice to the study.
This is the third volume in the LSAC Annual Statistical Report series, which for the first time incorporates data from the fourth wave of the study. The purpose of these reports is to provide an overview of the data from the study and to address policy-relevant questions about aspects of Australian children’s lives and development. The reports make use of the longitudinal nature of LSAC data to describe continuities and change as children develop, as well as the dynamics of change in their families, neighbourhoods and communities. (APO 19 June 2013)