A special supplement: findings from the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register, birth years 1993 to 2006.

Aim: To briefly outline the strengths and limitations of cerebral palsy (CP) registers, and to report on findings of the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register (ACPR) pertaining to a population cohort of children with CP.

Method: De-identified data were extracted from the ACPR for people with CP in birth years 1993 to 2006, from South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. Live birth prevalence of CP was estimated and risk factors described.

Congenital anomalies in cerebral palsy: where to from here?

Proportions of cases of cerebral palsy (CP) with congenital anomalies recorded in Australian CP registers range from 15% to 40%. The anomalies seen in CP are extremely variable. We have identified that CP registers often do not have quality data on congenital anomalies, necessitating linkage with congenital anomaly registers.

Temporal trends in cerebral palsy by impairment severity and birth gestation.

Aim: Our aim was to build on previous research indicating that rates of cerebral palsy (CP) in the Australian state of Victoria are declining, and examine whether severity of impairments is also decreasing.

Method: Data on individuals with CP were extracted from the Victorian Cerebral Palsy Register for birth years 1983 to 2009. The yearly rates of dichotomized categories for gross motor function, motor laterality, intellectual impairment, and epilepsy per 1000 neonatal survivors and proportions in the CP cohort were tabulated and plotted by birth gestation.

Prospective Surveillance of Extreme Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in Australia.

Objectives: To determine the incidence, causes, associated factors, and short-term outcomes of extreme neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Australia in order to identify opportunities for prevention.

Study Design: This was a prospective population-based surveillance study in collaboration with the Australian Pediatric Surveillance Unit between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2013. Case definition was: infants >34 weeks gestation with a peak total serum bilirubin ≥450 μmol/L and or clinical evidence of bilirubin encephalopathy.

Bangladesh Cerebral Palsy Register (BCPR): a pilot study to develop a national cerebral palsy (CP) register with surveillance of children for CP.

Background: The causes and pathogenesis of cerebral palsy (CP) are all poorly understood, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). There are gaps in knowledge about CP in Bangladesh, especially in the spheres of epidemiological research, intervention and service utilization. In high-income countries CP registers have made substantial contributions to our understanding of CP.

Sensitivity and specificity of General Movements Assessment for diagnostic accuracy of detecting cerebral palsy early in an Australian context.

Aim: The aim of this study was to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the General Movements Assessment (GMA) for estimating diagnostic accuracy in detecting cerebral palsy (CP) in an Australian context by a newly established NSW rater network.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal cross-sectional study was conducted. The GMA was blind-rated from conventional video by two independent certified raters, blinded to medical history.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Premature Infants Treated for Patent Ductus Arteriosus: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) who were treated medically or surgically and those who were not diagnosed with PDA or who did not undergo treatment for PDA.

Study Design: This retrospective population-based cohort study used data from a geographically defined area in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory served by a network of 10 neonatal intensive care units. Patients included all preterm infants born at <29 completed weeks of gestation between 1998 and 2004.

Environmental Fate of the Herbicide Fluazifop-P-butyl and Its Degradation Products in Two Loamy Agricultural Soils: A Combined Laboratory and Field Study.

The herbicide fluazifop-P-butyl (FPB) is used against grasses in agricultural crops such as potato, oilseed rape, and sugar beet. Limited information is available in scientific literature on its environmental fate, therefore extensive monitoring at two agricultural test fields was combined with laboratory studies to determine leaching and the underlying degradation and sorption processes. Water samples from drains, suction cups, and groundwater wells showed leaching of the degradation products fluazifop-P (FP) and 2-hydroxy-5-trifluoromethyl-pyridin (TFMP) following FPB treatment.

Developmental outcomes at 3 years of age following major non-cardiac and cardiac surgery in term infants: A population-based study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether there remain developmental differences between term infants at 3 years of age following major non-cardiac surgery (NCS) and cardiac surgery (CS) compared with healthy control infants in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Study Design: Between 2006 and 2008, term infants who required NCS or CS within the first ninety days of life were enrolled in a prospective population-based study. Their developmental outcome was then compared with a cohort of healthy term infants.

Regional (spinal, epidural, caudal) versus general anaesthesia in preterm infants undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy in early infancy.

Background: With improvements in neonatal intensive care, more preterm infants are surviving the neonatal period and presenting for surgery in early infancy. Inguinal hernia is the most common condition requiring early surgery, appearing in 38% of infants whose birth weight is between 751 grams and 1000 grams. Approximately 20% to 30% of otherwise healthy preterm infants having general anaesthesia for inguinal hernia surgery at a postmature age have at least one apnoeic episode within the postoperative period.

The impact of surgery on the developmental status of late preterm infants - a cohort study.

Aims: Despite increasing evidence in the literature regarding the impact of late prematurity on subsequent developmental impairment, the developmental outcome of late preterm infants who undergo major surgery remains unclear. The aim of this study therefore was to determine the developmental outcome for a cohort of late preterm surgical population.

Methods: Late preterm infants with a gestational age from 34-36 weeks inclusive who were enrolled in the state-wide prospective Development After Infant Surgery (DAISy) study and who had undergone non-cardiac major surgery within the first ninety days of life were eligible for inclusion.

Optimising motor learning in infants at high risk of cerebral palsy: a pilot study.

Background: The average age for the diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) is 19 months. Recent neuroplasticity literature suggests that intensive, task-specific intervention ought to commence as early as possible and in an enriched environment, during the critical period of neural development. Active motor interventions are effective in some populations, however the effects of active motor interventions on the motor outcomes of infants with CP have not been researched thoroughly, but pilot work is promising.

Cytomegalovirus-related childhood mortality in Australia 1999-2011.

Aim: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important cause of congenital infection, which can result in neonatal deaths or contribute to deaths in later childhood. Post-natally acquired CMV is a less common cause of disease and mortality, and only in preterm infants or immunocompromised children. Here we sought to describe CMV as a direct or secondary contributor to childhood mortality in Australia.

Neuroimaging findings in a series of children with cerebral palsy and congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Unlabelled: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a contributing cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities including cerebral palsy (CP). In this case series we reviewed the neuroimaging findings of children with CP and cCMV infection in the context of the children's clinical profile.

Participants: Children with CP and laboratory confirmed cCMV (n=12) reported to the Australian CP Register, born in South Australia and Victoria, 1993-2006, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computerized tomography (CT) report available.

Does aetiology of neonatal encephalopathy and hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy influence the outcome of treatment?

Neonatal encephalopathy, a clinical syndrome affecting term-born and late preterm newborn infants, increases the risk of perinatal death and long-term neurological morbidity, especially cerebral palsy. With the advent of therapeutic hypothermia, a treatment designed for hypoxic or ischaemic injury, associated mortality and morbidity rates have decreased. Unfortunately, only about one in eight neonates (95% confidence interval) who meet eligibility criteria for therapeutic cooling apparently benefit from the treatment.

Birth Weight, Insulin Resistance, and Blood Pressure in Late Preterm Infants.

Objectives: This study aims to compare insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and blood pressure in late preterm infants born at appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and small for gestational age (SGA).

Study Design: We conducted a prospective, observational study on AGA and SGA late preterm infants. Blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), insulin resistance, and lipid profile were measured on the 1st day and in the 2nd week of life.

Fine scale spatial variability of microbial pesticide degradation in soil: scales, controlling factors, and implications.

Pesticide biodegradation is a soil microbial function of critical importance for modern agriculture and its environmental impact. While it was once assumed that this activity was homogeneously distributed at the field scale, mounting evidence indicates that this is rarely the case. Here, we critically examine the literature on spatial variability of pesticide biodegradation in agricultural soil.

GAME (Goals - Activity - Motor Enrichment): protocol of a single blind randomised controlled trial of motor training, parent education and environmental enrichment for infants at high risk of cerebral palsy.

Background: Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability of childhood and early detection is possible using evidence based assessments. Systematic reviews indicate early intervention trials rarely demonstrate efficacy for improving motor outcomes but environmental enrichment interventions appear promising. This study is built on a previous pilot study and has been designed to assess the effectiveness of a goal - oriented motor training and enrichment intervention programme, "GAME", on the motor outcomes of infants at very high risk of cerebral palsy (CP) compared with standard community based care.

Infants at risk of cerebral palsy: a systematic review of outcomes used in Cochrane studies of pregnancy, childbirth and neonatology.

Objective: To systematically review meta-analyses (MAs) and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions for infants at risk of cerebral palsy (CP), to determine if consensus exists in study end-points.

Methods: MAs within the "Neonatal" and "Pregnancy and Childbirth" Review Groups in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (to June 2011) were included if they contained risk factors for CP as a study end-point, and were either published in 2010 or 2011 or cited >20 times in Sciverse Scopus. Up to 20 RCTs from each MA were included.

Comparative study of Y-split recession versus bilateral medial rectus recession for surgical management of infantile esotropia.

Aim: This prospective study compares the results of bilateral medial rectus recession versus (vs) Y-split recession of medial recti techniques for surgical management of essential infantile esotropia.

Patients And Methods: Thirty patients were included in this study and had preoperative infantile esotropia with large angles (ie, >30 prism diopters [PD]). Patients were divided into Group A, which underwent bilateral medial rectus (BMR) recession and Group B, which underwent bilateral Y-split recession of medial recti muscles.

Right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: A tertiary centre's experience over 25 years.

Aims: To provide analysis on infants treated for right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (RCDH) including mortality, neonatal morbidities, and associated congenital anomalies.

Methods: We reviewed records of infants admitted with RCDH from 1985 to 2010.

Results: A total of 160 infants with CDH were identified; of them 22 infants had RCDH, 14 (64%) were male and eight (36%) were female.

Impact of sleep and breathing in infancy on outcomes at three years of age for children with cleft lip and/or palate.

Study Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in early infancy and outcomes at 3 years of age in children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P).

Design: Observational follow-up study.

Setting: Multidisciplinary CL/P clinic, tertiary centre.

Congenital cytomegalovirus is associated with severe forms of cerebral palsy and female sex in a retrospective population-based study.

Aim: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection can result in poor outcomes including cerebral palsy (CP). The aim of this study was to describe the incidence and comorbidities of CP reported to the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register (ACPR) as attributed to cCMV infection.

Method: This was a retrospective population-based study.