Child Health Research
Through world-class research, we are working hard to combat child health disorders and lessen their impact on families.
Child Health Research Projects
Mapping treatment-induced neuroplasticity in children who stutter
Status: In-progress Year: 2021 Funded: $109,798 Grant Type: Major Project Grant
Communicating effectively with others is essential for a person’s hauora (physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing). For those who kikikiki (stutter), everyday communication is a struggle. At least one in twenty preschoolers in Aotearoa (New Zealand) develops stuttering. While many recover, spontaneously or with early speech-language therapy, a significant proportion do not. For the 1% of the population with persistent kikikiki, there is currently no cure. Treatments are demanding and effects are often not maintained. Today, more than 50,000 New Zealanders live with the burden of stuttering and the well-documented academic, emotional (e.g., fear of speaking) and social (e.g., isolation) challenges that result. After centuries of research, the cause of stuttering remains unknown. Recent studies provide evidence for a neural basis, reflected by differences in brain function between those who stutter and fluent speakers. However, we do not yet understand the causal mechanisms underlying these differences nor how we can change them with treatment. Our study will, for the first time, investigate how stuttering therapy changes brain function in children who stutter. With these findings, we aim to improve treatment, and have a positive impact on the lives of the 80 million people who kikikiki and their whānau (family) worldwide.
Researcher // Associate Professor Catherine Theys https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/science/contact-us/people/catherine-theys.html
of the general population stutters
of the general population stutters
people estimated to stutter in NZ
Collisions in junior rugby: Incidence, peak linear accelerations, peak rotational accelerations and the potential of headgear to reduce impact accelerations
Status: In-progress Year: 2021 Funded: $109,296 Grant Type: Private: Wine & Art Auction Event Grant
Rugby union is a popular contact sport played by 7.7 million players in 129 countries. In New Zealand over three-quarters of active rugby players are juniors. The physical contact and collisions inherent in rugby increase the risk of children being exposed to concussion. The effects of concussion for children and adolescents represent a significant health issue. The focus of our research is to accurately assess the number and size of collisions in rugby and to assess the potential of World Rugby approved headgear to reduce collision forces. No research exists for teenage rugby players in these important areas of athlete safety and health.
The scientific significance of the study can be seen through the confusion that was identified even at the highest levels in the sport. New Zealand Rugby is the governing body for rugby in New Zealand. As part of the development of our study we consulted with NZR. It became clear from discussion that further research is required to help NZR in this important area of player health and wellbeing. The NZR Medical and Science Advisory Panel (MSAP), who approved the study, believed that “…wearing headgear does not prevent or modify concussion…” (July 2019). In contrast, however, Mike Anthony, the Head of High Performance at NZR suggested that headgear does offer mitigation of the risk of concussion (October 2019).
A necessary first step in deepening our understandings of concussion, as it relates to rugby, is to elucidate collisions mechanics; specifically to examine contact in rugby – incidence of collisions and the peak linear accelerations (PLA) and peak rotational accelerations (PRA) children are subject to when playing the game.
Researcher // Professor Nick Draper – University of Canterbury
junior rugby players worldwide
countries where junior rugby is played
of all NZ rugby players are juniors