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Nutrition in Early Life

The vision of the Nutrition in Early Life team is to work together with the community to produce quality research, for improving our knowledge of how a mother’s diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding can improve both her and her child’s health.

Direct infant UV light exposure is associated with eczema and immune development

This study is the first to demonstrate an association between greater direct UV light exposures in early infancy with lower incidence of eczema

PCV10 elicits Protein D IgG responses in Papua New Guinean children but has no impact on NTHi carriage in the first two years of life

Nasopharyngeal colonisation with nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is associated with development of infections including pneumonia and otitis media. The 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) uses NTHi Protein D (PD) as a carrier. Papua New Guinean children have exceptionally early and dense NTHi carriage, and high rates of NTHi-associated disease.

Egg-sensitised infants have elevated CD4+ effector memory T regulatory cells from birth

IgE-mediated sensitisation to egg is common in infants. In some cases, the processes leading to egg sensitisation are established in early life, even before introduction to solid foods. The underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. 

Effects of UVR exposure on the gut microbiota of mice and humans

Both human and murine studies report that multiple exposures to sub-erythemal UV radiation can increase the diversity of the gut microbiome

Emerging Early Life Environmental Exposures and Lung Development

In this review article we systematically summarize the evidence for an impact on lung development of 1) maternal ingestion of arsenic contaminated drinking...

Effect of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based asthma management during pregnancy versus usual care on infant development, temperament, sensory function and autism signs

Asthma during pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse perinatal outcomes. It is also linked to increased rates of neurodevelopmental conditions in the offspring. We aimed to assess whether fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based asthma management during pregnancy improves child developmental and behavioural outcomes compared to usual care. The Breathing for Life Trial was a randomised controlled trial that compared FENO-based asthma management during pregnancy to usual care.

The National Paediatric Applied Research Translation Initiative (N-PARTI): using implementation science to improve primary care for Australian children with asthma, type 1 diabetes

General practice-based care for Australian children is facing low levels of clinical guideline adherence particularly in three key areas: asthma, type 1 diabetes and antibiotic use. We offer an implementation science-informed position paper, providing a broad overview of how we aim to address this issue.

Longitudinal effects of prenatal exposure to plastic-derived chemicals and their metabolites on asthma and lung function from childhood into adulthood

Environmental exposure to phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), chemicals used in the production of plastics, may increase risk for asthma and allergies. However, little is known about the long-term effects of early life exposure to these compounds.

Children with East Asian-Born Parents Have an Increased Risk of Allergy but May Not Have More Asthma in Early Childhood

Children of East Asian ancestry born in Australia have a higher burden of most allergic diseases in the first 6 years of life, whereas asthma may follow a different pattern