![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Kids-rehab-researchers-1000x500.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPhoto: Kids Rehab WA team<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Together, they are bridging the gap between research and clinical services to give children the very best possible start at life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Kids Rehab team delivers evidence-based treatments, backed by more than 20 years of research, to WA children with acquired or congenital neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTimely and early intervention can make a lifetime of difference for children and their families,\u201d Professor Elliott said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have patients who are walking now that might not have been able to if they weren\u2019t diagnosed as early as they were.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kids Rehab WA forms part of the Centre for Research Excellence (CRE), a National Health and Medicine Research Council (NHMRC) funded project, working to improve the long-term health outcomes for children with cerebral palsy across the country. Professor Elliott, who has a clinical background as an occupational therapist, was a Chief Investigator and the WA lead on the CRE in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their work has been translated into clinical guidelines, policy, and practice at a state and national level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been able to detect cerebral palsy in children as early as 12 weeks by looking at their general movements,\u201d Professor Elliott said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe look at their movement patterns \u2013 the way they wiggle. These tend to be good indicators of how well their brain is developing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne interesting thing we noticed over the years is that some of the children who might not have developed cerebral palsy have ended up with other developmental disorders, such as cognitive impairments or autism spectrum disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFrom this we realised that early movements could help us understand a lot more about the developing brain. This is how our latest project, Early Moves<\/em>, came to life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Early Moves<\/em> is a collaboration with a range of research and funding partners from across Australia, including Telethon Kids Institute, as part of the ORIGINS project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Co-led by Professor Elliott and Professor Jane Valentine from the Perth Children\u2019s Hospital, the Early Moves <\/em>project is investigating whether a baby\u2019s early movements can predict learning difficulties later in childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo: Professor Jane Valentine and Professor Catherine Elliot<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And it\u2019s all being done through a smartphone app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to make sure children get the right intervention at the right time,\u201d Professor Elliott said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut we also want to offer services that are easy to use and accessible to as many families as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis home screening fits into their day-to- day activities. Parents just need to take a 3-minute video of their baby during the first 14 weeks of life, upload it to the app, and then the footage is scored by one of our experienced clinicians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo credit: Early Moves<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The babies also receive an early screening for risk of cerebral palsy at the 12-week mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Babies found to have abnormal movement patterns are then referred to Perth Children\u2019s Hospital for further assessment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently children with potential cognitive impairments are not commonly diagnosed before the age of two. This world-first study could see children diagnosed earlier than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/PRofessor-Elliott-and-PRofessor-Jane-Valentine-2-1000x500.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/DSC00821-1000x1080.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/earlymoves-banner.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"