Media releases

May 22, 2013

The gap between life expectancy in patients with a mental illness and the general population has widened since 1985 and efforts to reduce this gap should focus on improving physical health, suggest researchers in a paper published today on bmj.com

May 21, 2013

The State Government has today launched a new strategy aimed at improving immunisation rates among Western Australian children, to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as measles, rubella and meningitis.

April 23, 2013

As many parents would know, exercise can cause asthma-related breathing problems in children like wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. It can be a scary thing for both the child and parents. Our researchers are conducting a study looking at exercise-related asthma in young children, and we need volunteers to take part

April 10, 2013

A new study from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has revealed a potential link between professional pesticide treatments in the home and a higher risk of children developing brain tumours.

April 9, 2013

A new study from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research shows testosterone levels in the womb have little impact on later childhood behavior.

April 4, 2013

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research shows that a Western diet is associated with an increased risk of liver disease in teenagers.

April 4, 2013

Australian five year olds are developing better than they were three years ago and have improved in four of the five key development indicators, according to the latest round of data from the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI).

April 3, 2013

A study of the Western Australian justice system has identified that up to 85 per cent of staff say responding to the needs of people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is an issue in their work.

March 18, 2013

Researchers from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research are calling for further investigation into a potential link between maternal smoking and childhood brain tumours.

March 1, 2013

New research from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has shown that children with an intellectual disability or autism are up to ten times more likely to be admitted to hospital than unaffected children.

February 18, 2013

The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research will play a key role in a ground breaking, multi-million dollar Autism research centre announced by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism Spectrum Disorders will bring together the most respected Autism researchers and scientists from across Australia, including a Telethon Institute team led by the Head of Autism research, Dr Andrew Whitehouse.

February 14, 2013

A global action plan to tackle one of the most aggressive types of childhood brain tumours will be developed as a result of an unprecedented meeting of international experts in Western Australia.

February 14, 2013

The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has welcomed a commitment by the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers to fast track the development of a vaccine against rheumatic fever - an important contributor to premature deaths and reduced life expectancy in Indigenous communities.

February 12, 2013

Researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research are mourning the sudden passing of Canadian child development expert Dr Clyde Hertzman, and send their sincerest condolences to his family and colleagues.

February 11, 2013

A father's passion to find a cure for childhood cancer will take a huge step closer to reality this week with some of the world's brightest medical minds descending on Perth. For the first time, the world's premier childhood brain tumour researchers and scientists have come together in Australia to develop a plan to tackle an invasive disease that aggressively targets young children.

February 5, 2013

A link between chronic lung disease and low Vitamin D levels is the focus of a new study just started by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. The study will investigate the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and poor lung growth, which is thought to contribute to the development of chronic lung disease.

January 15, 2013

New research aimed at reducing the airway damage caused by asthma attacks in children has just begun at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Western Australia.

January 7, 2013

An international collaboration including researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has identified a critical genetic risk factor for a potentially fatal parasitic disease that affects up to 400 thousand people a year, mostly children. The results have just been published online in the prestigious international journal Nature Genetics and are an important step towards the development of a vaccine against the disease known as visceral leishmaniasis.

December 17, 2012

Researchers at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have found new genetic differences in one of the rarest and most aggressive types of children's cancer that may present new opportunities in treating the disease, NUT-midline carcinoma (NMC).

December 11, 2012

A correlation between brain tumours in young children and their parents' exposure to diesel exhaust fumes before the birth has been described in a newly published study by researchers at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR) and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (TICHR).

December 5, 2012

New research from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has uncovered likely mechanisms for the link between arsenic in drinking water and increased risk of developing chronic lung disease.

November 29, 2012

Leading researchers into the effects of alcohol in pregnancy have thrown their support behind the recommendations of a national Inquiry into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

November 26, 2012

This media release was issued by the AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Common myths about immunisation have been laid to rest in a comprehensive new booklet written by the nation’s top immunologists and published by the Australian Academy of Science.

October 19, 2012

Researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have today been awarded $3.46 million in competitive grants and two early career fellowships from the Federal Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council.

October 4, 2012

A new study led by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has uncovered a significant link between vitamin B levels and the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents.

September 29, 2012

Researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research will lead a comprehensive national survey of the mental health of Australia’s children.

September 28, 2012

A new study by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has uncovered a significant decline in the risk of birth defects amongst WA children born using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).

September 27, 2012

A national study led by Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy reduces the risk of childhood brain tumours.

September 24, 2012

A forward-thinking program aimed at developing future research leaders has earned the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research a national award for excellence.

September 21, 2012

Professor Moira Clay from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has taken over the reins of a key international body designed to support research administrators and managers across Australia and the Asia Pacific region.

September 17, 2012

The Fraser Mustard Centre, launched today in South Australia, aims to improve the development, education, health and wellbeing of Aussie kids by ensuring key policy makers have first-hand access to world-class research and expertise.

September 14, 2012

A new research scholarship to combat childhood brain tumours will be launched tonight in honour of two year old Perth toddler Ethan Davies.

September 12, 2012

A new study has found that young children with severe or persistent asthma are at higher risk of developing many common mental health problems.

August 17, 2012

Western Australia will lead the largest, longest and most comprehensive study of language and literacy development in the world after being awarded a prestigious international grant.

June 25, 2012

The new super science of bioinformatics has been given a $1.3 million boost with the launch of the The McCusker Charitable Foundation Bioinformatics Centre at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

June 11, 2012

A Perth researcher dedicated to reducing serious chest and ear infections in children has been recognised with the award of Officer in the Order of Australia (AO).

May 7, 2012

Researchers are an important step closer to finding a vaccine that protects against a wide range of strains of meningococcal B – the most common cause of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.

May 3, 2012

More than 300 guests from as far afield as Canada, the UK, USA, Scandanavia and across Australia have descended on Perth for a major international conference celebrating the role of data linkage in improving health and social outcomes.

May 2, 2012

This week more than 7500 government and non-government schools across Australia will start taking part in the world’s most comprehensive collection of information about the development of Australia’s children.

April 18, 2012

Today WA-based charity The Meningitis Centre will celebrate its milestone 20th year of providing meningitis awareness and support to Australian families.

April 3, 2012

Researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research will join more than 50 scientists from 36 research institutions around the world to improve early nutrition to boost long-term health.

March 28, 2012

A young researcher with a passion for helping people with Down syndrome has been recognised as the recipient of a prestigious West Australian research scholarship.

March 6, 2012

Telethon Institute for Child Health Research scientist Dr Anthony Bosco has been recognised for his cutting edge research investigating asthma attacks in children.

February 14, 2012

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that children of mums who had low levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy are twice as likely to have language difficulties.

February 9, 2012

A program of research at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research to uncover the key drivers to improve child health and wellbeing has been today recognised as one of the Ten of the Best Research Projects of 2011 by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

January 27, 2012

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that boys who are exposed to high levels of testosterone before birth are twice as likely to experience delays in language development.

January 20, 2012

Telethon Institute for Child Health Research Patron Professor Fiona Stanley has been reappointed to Australia’s peak science advisory body, the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC).

January 17, 2012

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research shows that consumption of sugary drinks is high amongst Australian children and adolescents with the majority consumed in the home.

January 12, 2012

Pregnant women who already have an autistic child are being sought for a study by the Autism Research Team at WA’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

December 22, 2011

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that young children whose mothers talk with them more frequently and in more detail about people’s thoughts and feelings tend to be better at taking another’s perspective than other children of the same age.

December 16, 2011

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that children whose father smoked around the time of conception may have a 35 per cent higher risk of developing childhood leukaemia.

December 9, 2011

A new study of child maltreatment over the last two decades in developed countries has found no consistent decrease in rates despite a raft of policy initiatives.

December 6, 2011

Leading paediatrician and infectious diseases specialist Professor Jonathan Carapetis has been appointed Director of Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

December 6, 2011

The Telethon Adventurers have announced a new research fellowship to investigate the genes involved in childhood brain tumours.

December 2, 2011

The State Government has unveiled the concept design for the new children’s hospital which will also be the new home of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

November 30, 2011

A new West Australian study will look at the breathing and airway problems of children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP) so that health professionals can prevent serious respiratory problems.

November 18, 2011

A new study led by Australian researchers has outlined for the first time the best treatment options for children suffering from meningioma -- a rare type of paediatric brain tumour.

November 15, 2011

Five outstanding researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have been awarded the inaugural Heath Ledger Career Development Scholarships.

November 3, 2011

A new study by researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research provides more evidence that reading books to young children and helping them visually to follow the story improves a child’s language.

November 1, 2011

Researchers from Perth’s Centre for Research Excellence in Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing have won more than $1.3 million in competitive funding for Indigenous mental health and parenting projects.

October 31, 2011

A new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that babies born by elective caesarean are more likely to be admitted to hospital with the serious respiratory infection, bronchiolitis, in the first year of life.

October 17, 2011

Researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have been awarded more than $4 million in competitive grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

October 5, 2011

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has linked traffic emissions to reduced fetal growth.

September 20, 2011

The results of the Kwinana Children’s Health Respiratory Study have today been sent to the nearly 600 participating children from almost 500 families as well as 10 local schools that participated.

September 12, 2011

Perth researchers have begun a clinical trial of an investigational Meningococcal B vaccine against the most common form of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.

August 16, 2011

Researchers at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research support calls for mandatory health warning labels on alcohol products.

July 12, 2011

New research from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research and The University of Western Australia shows that parents have an important role to play in teaching their children to understand another person’s feelings and point of view.

July 4, 2011

A new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has shown that late-talking toddlers are no more likely to experience behavioural and emotional difficulties during childhood and adolescence than children who have normal language development.

July 1, 2011

Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research will be located in an integrated building with the state’s new children’s hospital, thanks to funding support announced today by the Government of Western Australia.

June 10, 2011

Mums-to-be shouldn’t worry unnecessarily about potential risks during their pregnancy, with Perth researchers suggesting that over-inflated perceptions of risk could be causing more harm than the risks themselves.

June 2, 2011

Perth researchers are seeking volunteers to test the effectiveness of a vaccine against the debilitating Ross River Virus.

May 25, 2011

The Board of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research tonight announced at its AGM that Professor Fiona Stanley would retire as Director at the end of 2011.

April 20, 2011

Research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found a link between the number of stressful events experienced during pregnancy and increased risk of behavioural problems in children.

April 14, 2011

In a world first, 96 per cent of communities in Australia now have vital information about their children’s development, following the latest release of results from the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) today.

April 14, 2011

Hundreds of researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research will join a rally in Forrest Place today to oppose Australian Government plans to cut medical research funding in the federal budget.

February 3, 2011

New research from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research shows that the pneumococcal vaccine program has contributed to closing of the gap in serious infections in Aboriginal children.

February 2, 2011

A new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has uncovered more evidence of a link between early testosterone levels and autism.

January 30, 2011

A study by researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has discovered the first concrete evidence linking Vitamin D deficiency with poorer lung function and changes in lung growth.

December 20, 2010

A new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that children who are mainly breastfed for the first six months (or longer) score significantly higher academically at 10 years of age, especially boys.

December 16, 2010

The head of nutrition research at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has been named in the nation’s top 10 health and medical researchers for 2010.

December 14, 2010

A state of the art 3D molecular imager that will help children’s brain tumour researchers monitor how brain tumours grow has been delivered to the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, thanks to the AHG Adventurers and PMH Foundation.

December 6, 2010

By Fiona Stanley and Norman Gillespie Rich Australia is failing to live up to its cherished reputation.

December 2, 2010

Professor Fiona Stanley, Director of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, has been inducted into the Science Hall of Fame.

November 29, 2010

A new report has been released into the impact of genomic medicine and technologies on global public health.

November 26, 2010

A cutting edge cancer imaging facility will help specialist children’s cancer researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research to better understand how tumours grow.

November 17, 2010

Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has been awarded more than 3 million dollars from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to undertake cutting edge research into a range of diseases and disabilities.

November 15, 2010

Urgent action is needed to tackle the huge impact of ear infections on child development and learning, particularly in Indigenous communities.

November 5, 2010

Researchers from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have found fertility rates increased following the introduction of the Federal government’s “Baby Bonus” payments.

October 6, 2010

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has shown that women who drink heavily in the first trimester of pregnancy are four times more likely to have a child with certain types of birth defects.

October 5, 2010

Children's development and wellbeing are under threat because their parents are fearful of strangers, according to researchers at The University of Western Australia.

September 20, 2010

Perth researchers are about to trial a new vaccine that aims to protect against all four strains of the potentially devastating Dengue Fever.

August 2, 2010

A new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that most cases of child abuse or neglect that are identified in hospital are later substantiated.

July 29, 2010

A new study from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research shows an association between ADHD and a 'Western-style' diet in adolescents.

July 20, 2010

Perth researchers are calling for families with young children to help test a potential vaccine against two of the most common causes of bronchiolitis.

July 20, 2010

Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has been awarded two prestigious Centres of Research Excellence awards. One will tackle the tough issue of why many programs have failed to deliver improved health for Aboriginal people and the other will focus on the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

July 16, 2010

Pregnant mums can be reassured with findings from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research that show relatively common stressful events during pregnancy do not have a long term impact on a child’s language development.

July 15, 2010

Apache Energy and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research today signed a two-year partnership that will enhance the Institute’s internationally renowned cancer research program.

June 23, 2010

Researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have been awarded a prestigious Australian Research Council linkage grant to examine child, family and community factors affecting child development.

May 28, 2010

A new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found a link between children with larger head measurements in-utero and a subsequent diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as toddlers.

April 15, 2010

Division Head Professor Ursula Kees has been awarded $140 000 over two years to investigate the role of a growth factor called CTGF in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). This protein is a potential new target for treatments of patients with the devastating disease.

March 12, 2010

Cancer researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have discovered a genetic pattern that predicts the likelihood of relapse in patients with one of the most aggressive forms of childhood leukaemia.

February 24, 2010

Perth researchers are calling for volunteers to help test an investigational vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus (golden staph).

January 14, 2010

A new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has shown that children who are breastfed for longer than six months have a lower risk of mental health problems as they enter their teen years.

December 10, 2009

For the first time, the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) has been completed nationally, giving Australia a snapshot of young children’s development.

December 9, 2009

Former WA Health Minister, the Hon Jim McGinty, has been appointed to the Board of Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

December 3, 2009

Researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research say a new study that has found a possible association between parental occupations and a common birth defect warrants further investigation.

November 20, 2009

A new study from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found evidence that the amount and timing of alcohol consumption in pregnancy affects child behaviour in different ways.

November 16, 2009

Families and clinicians caring for girls with the rare and debilitating neurological condition Rett syndrome can now access a comprehensive guide to the best management of one of their most significant issues, scoliosis.

November 6, 2009

The first Capacity Building Grant comprising solely of Indigenous researchers has been completed successfully, generating a wide range of research and skills to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and their families.

October 15, 2009

A study by researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that the rapid increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Western Australia reflects changes to diagnostic practices and services.

September 21, 2009

New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research shows long term benefits for a child if their mother quits smoking even after the pregnancy is established.

September 11, 2009

The introduction of mandatory fortification of bread making flour with folate in Australia on Sunday September 13 will save hundreds of families every year from the heartbreak of serious birth defects.

September 1, 2009

The health of Australia’s children depends on a firm national commitment to implement the comprehensive strategy outlined by the Preventative Health Taskforce.

August 3, 2009

Perth researchers are about to begin testing of a new vaccine to protect against swine flu in children.

July 17, 2009

Research from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has revealed a link between healthy growth in the womb and improved numeracy and literacy skills in early primary school.

July 5, 2009

Almost 30% of 14-year-old Australian children fall within a group identified as being at future increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes or stroke, according to results referred to in the Medical Journal of Australia.

May 29, 2009

A new study from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has shown a link between Western-style diets and more mental health problems in teenagers.

May 21, 2009

Researchers at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have found that twins born as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as IVF are more likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care and to be hospitalised in their first three years of life than spontaneously conceived twins.

May 19, 2009

A study led by The University of Western Australia has found that teenage girls who lose their virginity when they are not ready; often at an earlier age, are more likely to feel disappointed and regret the experience.

April 22, 2009

A new Australian study has found that the number of newborns suffering serious drug withdrawal symptoms is now more than 40 times higher than in 1980.

April 20, 2009

A research collaboration between Australia and Israel has identified a genetic variation that influences the severity of symptoms in Rett syndrome.

March 6, 2009

Child health researchers are urging community support to help women avoid alcohol in pregnancy and if planning a pregnancy.

February 27, 2009

Director of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research Professor Fiona Stanley says she feels privileged to be a very small part of an inspiring new video on the Apology to the Stolen Generations by Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas and responsible for the Barack Obama "Yes We Can" video) and Perth Director/photographer Russell James.

February 9, 2009

Perth researchers are trialling a Meningococcal B vaccine that could potentially provide protection against the most common form of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.

February 6, 2009

WA researchers have been awarded a prestigious $9.7 million grant to undertake an unprecedented program of research to determine the critical social, economic and environmental factors in pregnancy and early childhood that have a lifelong impact on health and wellbeing.

January 27, 2009

A new scholarship program offering Aboriginal Health Workers an opportunity to take up further study has been launched as part of the Rio Tinto Aboriginal Health Partnership: Strong Foundations, Sustainable Futures.

January 21, 2009

A new study from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has revealed the consequences of heavy and binge drinking on pregnancy even after these drinking patterns have stopped.

December 2, 2008

A new study has found that children whose mothers were stressed during pregnancy are at higher risk of developing behavioural and emotional problems.

October 2, 2008

The internet is emerging as a valuable tool for scientists to gather data for critical research into rare diseases.

August 25, 2008

Leading child advocates have called for a new approach to tackling child abuse and neglect amid rising rates of abuse notifications and children being brought into State care.

August 11, 2008

The Meningitis Centre is urging all people to be on alert for the signs and symptoms of the potential deadly disease.

July 14, 2008

The head of Indigenous research at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has been honoured as the 2008 National NAIDOC Person of the Year.

July 7, 2008

The Board of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has confirmed that the Institute is planning to move to the QEII site.

July 4, 2008

The COAG commitment to invest in young Aboriginal children will produce immediate and real community benefits.

June 17, 2008

A Perth medical researcher responsible for major advancements in the understanding of the neurological disorder Rett syndrome has had her efforts recognised with an international award.

May 28, 2008

Business leader Mr John Langoulant was tonight appointed Chairman of the Board of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

May 27, 2008

Adding a banana to your bowl of cereal and milk could be the key to better mental health in teenagers, according to Australian researchers who have found that a variety of foods at breakfast is linked to mental functioning.

May 19, 2008

A new report from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found a strong link between childhood ear infections and exposure to tobacco smoke.

May 19, 2008

A new study has found that swimming pools in remote Aboriginal communities can dramatically reduce rates of skin, ear and chest infections.

May 14, 2008

New research findings from the world’s largest study on language emergence have revealed that one in four late talking toddlers continue to have language problems by age 7.

April 18, 2008

The Australian Government should form a National Indigenous Healing Foundation to provide compensation to the stolen generations.

March 28, 2008

Hundreds of healthy volunteers are needed in Perth to test the effectiveness of a current ‘flu vaccine.

March 11, 2008

The first comprehensive analysis of the clinical effects of genetic mutations involved in Rett syndrome will enable affected families to receive a more accurate indication of their child’s prognosis.

March 6, 2008

Researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have found that girls and young women with Rett syndrome are nearly four times more likely to suffer a fracture.

January 20, 2008

Child health expert Fiona Stanley says effective action to break the cycle of disadvantage for Aboriginal children must begin well before they start formal schooling.

January 20, 2008

The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) program is conducted by the Centre for Community Child Health, a key research centre of the Murdoch Childrens research Institute in Melbourne in partnership with the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Perth.

November 12, 2007

Perth researchers today launched the trial of new vaccine that could provide women with additional protection against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types known to cause cervical cancer.

November 1, 2007

A new information pack is now available to help anyone who is concerned about a friend or family member who is distressed or suicidal.

October 19, 2007

More help will be available for people bereaved by suicide as the result of two initiatives launched in Perth today.

October 15, 2007

The 2007 Fiona Stanley Award has been presented to Mr Kerry Stokes AO in recognition of his outstanding contribution to child health research.

August 22, 2007

A study to investigate mental health and dietary patterns throughout childhood and into adolescence has received a $57,800 grant from the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund.

June 28, 2007

Just under 150 Perth women have contributed to major international research at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research that has proved that the new Cervarix vaccine provides broader protection against cervical cancer.

June 22, 2007

Child health expert Professor Fiona Stanley says today’s decision by the Federal and State Food Regulation Ministers to fortify food with folate was a great win for Australian families.

June 11, 2007

Western Australian researchers are surveying secondary school students to find out what factors put young people at risk of unintended pregnancy and young parenthood.

May 16, 2007

A new study has found that the rate of caesarean sections in Western Australia has almost doubled in a 20 year period to 2003.

May 2, 2007

A new study has found that infectious diseases are the most common reason that children under two years of age are admitted to hospital.

April 2, 2007

Doctors and other health professionals who care for pregnant women are being encouraged to talk openly to women about the dangers of alcohol in pregnancy.

March 8, 2007

An Australian-developed vaccine that's been trialed in Perth has been found to produce a strong immune response against the H5N1 bird flu virus.

February 5, 2007

Two of Australia's pioneers in folate research have urged the Federal government to hold firm in its support for mandatory fortification, despite increasing pressure from vested interests in the food industry.

January 26, 2007

A new study by researchers at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that more than half of West Australian women surveyed drank alcohol during pregnancy.

November 22, 2006

The largest survey ever undertaken of Aboriginal children and families has thrown new light on why most existing intervention programs are failing to produce results needed for overcoming the present levels of Indigenous disadvantage.

October 31, 2006

Perth researchers are about to trial a new vaccine that could potentially provide protection against the most common form of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.

October 27, 2006

A new study has found that babies that are breastfed for longer than six months have significantly better mental health in childhood.

October 25, 2006

Answers many of the frequently asked questions relating to folate and the need to artificially add folate to our foods.

October 25, 2006

Child health expert Professor Fiona Stanley has welcomed today's commitment by the State and Federal Food Regulation Ministers to proceed with mandatory fortification of food with folate as quickly as possible.

October 23, 2006

Australian researchers have found that exposure to measured doses of ultraviolet light, such as sunlight, could reduce asthma.

October 17, 2006

Perth researchers have begun a trial to test the effectiveness in children and seniors of a new vaccine to protect against the potentially deadly bird flu.

October 3, 2006

The introduction of the Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine to the childhood immunisation schedule has resulted in a dramatic drop in the number of children hospitalised with meningitis.

August 8, 2006

A new study has found that the genetic flaw responsible for Rett syndrome can strike males, even where there isn't a family history of the rare brain disorder.

July 12, 2006

New research findings from the world's largest study predicting children's late language emergence has revealed that parents are not to blame for late talking toddlers.

June 28, 2006

Perth researchers have begun a trial to test the effectiveness of a new vaccine to protect against the potentially deadly bird flu.

June 12, 2006

Perth researchers are calling for help from Perth toddlers and their parents to participate in a new project that aims to reduce the number of injections needed to protect children against meningitis.

May 26, 2006

The risk of death for an Aboriginal infant in Western Australia is three times higher than for a non-Aboriginal infant, according to an article in this week's issue of The Lancet. The study highlights the increasing disparities between these groups, especially in remote communities.

April 12, 2006

Perth women are being invited to take part in a global study of an exciting new vaccine that could protect against cervical cancer -- one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide.

April 3, 2006

Australian scientists have today launched a world first research trial into a treatment that could prevent asthma in high risk children.

March 23, 2006

The most comprehensive survey every undertaken of Aboriginal education has found little significant improvement in outcomes for children in more than 30 years.

March 23, 2006

The Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey is the most extensive survey of Aboriginal families ever undertaken.

March 21, 2006

The Advisory Council on the Prevention of Deaths of Children and Young People today officially released this report.

February 24, 2006

A comprehensive study into the impact of swimming pools in remote Aboriginal communities has found significant health and social benefits for children.

February 15, 2006

Asthma researchers at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research are developing a world first system for predicting the severity of asthma in young children.

December 13, 2005

A comprehensive review of scientific studies on the use of baby pacifiers (dummies) has found that they interfere with successful breastfeeding.

November 24, 2005

Nearly a quarter of Australian children could be developmentally at risk, according to the findings of the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI), a national research project that measures children’s developmental progress as they enter school.

November 18, 2005

The first large scale scientific evaluation of group-based positive parenting programs has found that the intervention reduces clinically significant behavioural problems in children by 36 per cent.

October 27, 2005

Aboriginal researcher Annette Stokes has been awarded the Fiona Stanley Medal for her commitment to improving child health and wellbeing.

October 6, 2005

Avantogen Limited (ACU:ASX) today announced that cancer researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (TICHR) and Avantogen Limited have achieved an important milestone towards more individually targeted and effective treatments for cancer patients.

September 13, 2005

Suicide prevention researcher Kate Miller has been recognised for her innovative work in developing safe, effective online resources for young people. 24 year old Kate is a project officer with the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

July 8, 2005

Wesfarmers Managing Director Michael Chaney has been honoured with the Fiona Stanley Medal for his commitment to improving child health and wellbeing.

June 7, 2005

Perth researchers are investigating a new combined vaccine to protect against three causes of potentially deadly bacterial meningitis.

April 18, 2005

Community health and education programs may help Australia avert chronic labour and skills shortages in the decades ahead, according to Professor Fiona Stanley.

April 13, 2005

A landmark new report on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children has found that nearly a quarter (24%) of Aboriginal children are at high risk of clinically significant emotional or behavioural difficulties. This compares with an equivalent figure of 15 % in the general population.

April 13, 2005

A new report has found that the long term effects of past government policies to forcibly separate Aboriginal children from their families are being felt by Aboriginal young people today.

March 16, 2005

Perth children are being asked to volunteer for an important national study to test the effectiveness of an influenza vaccine in children.

October 13, 2004

The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research today announced the commencement of a new study, in collaboration with the Department of Health’s WA Cervical Cancer Prevention Program, investigating a vaccine to prevent infection with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This virus has been identified as the central cause of cervical cancer.

July 5, 2004

Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has been awarded a major national grant to continue its ground-breaking work on child health and development.

June 24, 2004

Two Australian scientists are spearheading an international campaign that’s challenging the way asthma drugs are developed and tested.

June 3, 2004

High rates of recurrent infection are a major risk to the health of Aboriginal children and are comparable to those of third world countries

June 3, 2004

The impact of death, separation and divorce is having a profound impact on the lives of Aboriginal children.

June 3, 2004

Aboriginal children are faced with significant impediments to their chances of a healthy life even before they are born.

June 3, 2004

A national strategy that focuses on early child development is the key to breaking the cycle of Aboriginal poor health and disadvantage.

February 26, 2004

A national study is investigating diet, chemical exposure and genetic factors in a new bid to unravel the causes of childhood leukaemia.

January 21, 2004

Scientists at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have launched an innovative project to test the relationship between stress and asthma.

November 26, 2003

Leading child health advocate Professor Fiona Stanley AC has described results from the first Australian survey using the Early Development Index as alarming.

November 26, 2003

A ground breaking study of West Australian 5-year olds has found that more than a quarter of the children have developmental difficulties that could have life-long impacts.

November 13, 2003

Cancer researchers at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (TICHR) have developed a new test that can rapidly detect the loss of genes in cancer cells, paving the way for more targeted and effective treatments for patients.

July 28, 2003

West Australian families are being asked to play a vital role in a major new national study to unravel the causes of childhood leukaemia.

July 23, 2003

Perth researchers are leading an exciting new international study looking at genetic factors that may cause Kawasaki disease and the subsequent development of heart damage.

May 28, 2003

Western Australia has joined a major international study that could significantly change the treatment of asthma in children.

March 3, 2003

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research congratulate the WA State Government on its decision not to water down pool fencing legislation.