INFANT Centre News
Harnessing gaming technology to assess brain development in young children: Liltoda grows from cutting edge research in the INFANT centre, UCC.
New technology to support non-verbal assessment of infants & young children. 31st August 2021: A new UCC spin out company, Liltoda Ltd, launched today. Liltoda will focus on harnessing the power of gaming technology for the early detection of infant brain injury. The Liltoda team aim to create a sea change in the assessment of brain development in young children. The company is the direct result of an ongoing collaboration between Ireland’s world-class Maternal and Child Health research centre, the INFANT centre, and global gaming company, Hello Games. Since 2014 Deirdre Murray, Professor of Paediatrics in UCC, and her brother Sean Murray, Founder and Managing Director of Hello Games, have worked together to study the ability of young infants to interact with touchscreen technology. The responsive nature of touchscreen tablets allows young children aged 18 months onwards to interact and solve puzzles without the need for language. Traditionally, cognitive ability in very young children is assessed based on the surrogate markers of developmental milestones. Parents can easily track a child’s speech and motor skills, but tracking their child’s thinking skills and problem solving ability is much more difficult. For this reason many children with learning difficulties are not detected before starting school. Children often have years of struggling at school before their difficulties come to light. Traditional tests such as Bayley’s Scales, were developed in the 1950s, [...]
INFANT Student Secures IRC Scholarship
INFANT centre and UCC Departments of Biochemistry and Obstetrics & Gynaecology PhD student Caroline Joyce was awarded an Employment-Based Programme Postgraduate award by the Irish Research Council on 25th August 2021. Caroline, who is a Principal Clinical Biochemist in Cork University Hospital, received the prestigious scholarship for her research into biomarker discovery for the diagnosis, management and treatment of women with Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD). She was one of 28 awardees under this scheme and the only recipient in Cork. Molar pregnancy (MP) is the commonest form of GTD with an incidence of one per 600 pregnancies. First trimester ultrasound and levels of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) can diagnose a MP with histological confirmation of trophoblastic tissue in the placenta. After a molar pregnancy, hCG levels are monitored closely until levels return to normal and most women have a good outcome. However, some patients with GTD develop persistent disease or gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) and may require surgery and/or chemotherapy. Plateauing or rising hCG levels can indicate disease recurrence but alternative more sensitive biomarkers are needed to ensure early detection and treatment of this largely curative disease. Caroline’s research will examine the molecular mechanisms underlying this rare disease under the supervision of INFANT’s Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, Professor Tommie McCarthy from UCC’s School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, and Dr John Coulter, Consultant Gynaecologist and Clinical Lead at the National Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Centre.
Professor Keelin O’Donoghue Co-authors Report on Implementation of National Bereavement Standards across all 19 Maternity Units
Infant’s Professor Keelin O’Donoghue - https://www.ucc.ie/en/obsgyn/staff/keelin/ - has co-authored a report that aims to develop and improve perinatal bereavement care across all of Ireland’s Maternity units. Read/Download the report (PDF) here - https://www.infantcentre.ie/2021/08/18/hse-national-standards-for-bereavement-care-report/ Compiled by Prof O'Donoghue, Clinical lead for Implementation, and Riona Cotter National Programme Manager, the report highlights the dedication and hard work of healthcare professionals, support groups and voluntary organisations who work with parents bereaved through pregnancy loss and perinatal death. Titled, The Implementation of the National Standards for Bereavement Care Following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death - link: https://www.infantcentre.ie/2021/08/18/hse-national-standards-for-bereavement-care-report/ , the report also acknowledges the work and commitment in each Maternity Unit to implement the standards, as well as outlining the work still to be done. Speaking following the launch of the report, Professor O’Donoghue said that she was grateful to all of those who contributed to the implementation programme. "This report shows that progress has been made in the implementation of the Bereavement Standards nationally.." “We are grateful to all the families and volunteers who shared their experiences of pregnancy loss and perinatal death with us”. “Their experiences helped inform us of what is necessary to provide high quality bereavement care in our Maternity services”. The final recommendations of the report are based on audit findings, expert opinion, best practice and the learning from experiences of bereaved parents and families, [...]
HSE National Standards for Bereavement Care – Report
The Implementation of the National Standards for Bereavement Care Following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death VIEW or DOWNLOAD the Report (PDF) here: HSE National Standards for Bereavement Care Between 2017 and 2021, experts in perinatal bereavement care, bereaved parents and members of support organisations and voluntary groups came together to develop and improve perinatal bereavement care through the implementation of the Standards in all Maternity units. The enclosed report was prepared to present the programmes of work undertaken to implement the Standards. The content of this report shows the dedication and hard work of both the healthcare professionals and the support groups and voluntary organisations who work with parents bereaved through pregnancy loss and perinatal death. We acknowledge the work and commitment in each Maternity Unit to implement the Standards. Finally, we present further recommendations based on audit findings, expert opinion, best practice and the learning from experiences of bereaved parents and families, which should be a priority for every Maternity Unit. The report was compiled by Professor Keelin O'Donoghue - https://www.ucc.ie/en/obsgyn/staff/keelin/ - Clinical lead for Implementation, and Riona Cotter National Programme Manager, the report highlights the dedication and hard work of healthcare professionals, support groups and voluntary organisations who work with parents bereaved through pregnancy loss and perinatal death. VIEW or DOWNLOAD the Report (PDF) here: HSE National Standards for Bereavement Care
Results of PARROT Ireland Trial Published in British Medical Journal
Results of PARROT Ireland Trial Published in British Medical Journal Research funded by the Health Research Board Mother and Baby Clinical Trial Network Collaborative Ireland and published by Professor Keelin O’Donoghue in the British Medical Journal, has found that using the Placental Growth Factor test in clinical practice does not improve or worsen outcomes for women and their babies. A clinical trial involving 2,313 pregnant women has found that using the Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) test does not help Clinicians improve or worsen outcomes for women and their babies. The potentially dangerous condition pre-eclampsia, which affects between 4-7% of pregnant women, causes high blood pressure and protein in urine, and may in severe cases even lead to the fatality of a mother or baby. Published in the British Medical Journal [https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1857 ], the findings of the trial do not support the addition of PlGF testing, which had previously in other studies shown promising results in helping to diagnose pre-eclampsia or manage pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia. The results of the national multi-centre trial, which was led by Professor Keelin O’Donoghue [https://www.ucc.ie/en/obsgyn/staff/keelin/], along with investigators from 7 maternity units across Ireland, from UCC’s world renowned Infant Centre, leaves clinicians without an effective test that can differentiate between women presenting with high blood pressure and those affected by pre-eclampsia. “At present, we do not [...]
C4C – Press Release: First site open for patient recruitment into ‘Kawasaki Disease Coronary Artery Aneurysm Prevention trial (KD-CAAP)’ study
The IMI conect4children (c4c) consortium are pleased to announce that the first site is now open for the ‘Kawasaki Disease Coronary Artery Aneurysm Prevention trial (KD-CAAP)’ study as of 28 September 2020 at Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Kawasaki disease is a disease where arteries, particularly the coronary arteries in the heart, become inflamed, sometimes causing irreversible heart damage, heart attacks or even death. To prevent heart damage, Kawasaki disease in children and young people must be recognised by clinicians early, and promptly treated with anti-inflammatory medicines. This study will assess the effectiveness of adding steroids to standard treatment in children with Kawasaki Disease, and aims to recruit 262 children as part of the study. The study will continue to open in approximately 60 sites in 15 countries across Europe. In April 2019, c4c announced the selection of its first portfolio of pan-European paediatric studies, aimed at advancing the understanding of high priority medicines commonly used in babies, children and young people in Europe. The KD-CAAP study is the first of the proof of viability studies, to begin recruitment. The other academic studies, shown below, plan to begin recruitment later this year, despite initial delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. View Full Press Release Here: Conect4Children - PRESS RELEASE Downloads: Conect4Children (C4C) - PRESS RELEASE Related Links: https://conect4children.org/
Press Release for: BABY LOSS AWARENESS WEEK
Wednesday 14 October 2020 RESEARCHERS FROM PREGNANCY LOSS RESEARCH GROUP AND INFANT CENTRE UCC/CUMH ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP IMPROVE SERVICES FOR THOSE WH0 EXPERIENCE RECURRENT MISCARRIAGE October 13th 2020: Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from October 9 – 15, is an international event which seeks to raise awareness of the issues affecting families who have experienced a loss of a pregnancy or baby. Researchers from the Pregnancy Loss Research Group and Infant Research Centre at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH)/ University College Cork share some of the work that they are doing with those who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy or baby, particularly in the area of recurrent miscarriage, as part of efforts to standardise and improve services across the country. Miscarriage affects one in four couples, while at least 1-2% will experience at least two or more first-trimester miscarriages in a row, known as recurrent miscarriage. The loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy can have a devastating impact on a woman, her partner, and their family, even more so if this loss occurs several times. Rachel Rice, a Parent Advocate said “Despite having had a first miscarriage, nothing prepared me for the reality that it could happen again and again and again. It is a truly devastating experience and women must be assured that the services they require from [...]
Infant Mental Health
Friday 19 June 2020 Here at the INFANT Research Centre, we specialise in the science of babies brains! The brain develops more in the first five years than at any other stage of our life. The first 1,000 days of life are vital as the brain and biological pathways formed during this time can affect physical and mental health for the rest of a babies life. During pregnancy and infancy, it is obvious how physically reliant babies are on their parents and caregivers. They are socially and emotionally connected to us in so many fascinating ways. The way we interact with babies and infants shapes their brain development. Infant Mental Health is the term used to describe the ability of a child to form close relationships with those around them like mum and dad, siblings and grandparents, to understand and express their emotions and to explore and learn about their environment around them. When one hears the phrase ‘infant mental health’, there may be a tendency to be concerned that is it connected with mental illness and be puzzled as to how the term mental health could be associated with the stage of infancy. Babies are like scientists, exploring the world around them by sending out messages to see what happens, how things work, and where they fit in! They serve the ball and wait [...]
INFANT student wins Student Entrepreneur Award
Friday 12 June 2020 INFANT PhD student Mark O’Sullivan has won the top prize at Enterprise Ireland's Student Entrepreneur Awards 2020 for his Neurobell medical device. Mark was one of 10 finalists participating in the virtual final of the third-level Student Entrepreneur Awards. Mark developed Neurobell to support early detection and monitoring of brain injuries in newborns and has being working on the project since 2016. With the device, he aims to help clinicians diagnose abnormal brain activity faster and with greater accuracy. “This award will help Neurobell on the road to commercialisation and help me excel as an entrepreneur,” “Sincere thanks to my academic advisors and colleagues, and to the entrepreneurship ecosystem in UCC which has provided me with the support and resources to achieve this." He will now receive a €10,000 cash prize fund and have the opportunity to avail of specialist advice and assistance from Enterprise Ireland to help turn his enterprise idea into a business reality. Well done Mark!
INFANT Researchers share in €1.4m SFI funding
Tuesday 09 June 2020 Researchers at INFANT have received funding for a pilot project that aims to reduce the number of hospital check-up visits for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. With funding from Science Foundation Ireland, INFANT researchers will apply connected technology to enable pregnant women to have their blood pressure monitored remotely. The project is one of 11 proposals which is to share funding of €1.4m under the SFI-coordinated research and innovation response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as announced today by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD. If a pregnant woman’s blood pressure is too high for too long and left uncontrolled, it can affect the baby’s growth and may be a sign of a potentially life-threatening condition called pre-eclampsia. In some cases, women with suspected high blood pressure may need to present at the hospital for extra check-ups as well as their routine consultations. This is more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study at Cork University Maternity Hospital will use remote technology to monitor blood pressure in pregnant women in the COVID-19 pandemic, including inpatients and outpatients and COVID-positive and COVID-negative mothers. The 500 pregnant women who enrol in the project will use an automated device connected to the INFANT Research Centre’s LEANBH platform to measure their blood pressure and relay the results to the clinical team. The mothers can then be [...]
INFANT giving a voice to children with special needs
Friday 29 May 2020 INFANT has launched a new study to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the accessibility of support services for carers of children with special needs, and the effect, if any, on carer well-being. Carers Access to REspite services and support during COVID-19 (CARE Study) is about giving a voice to children with special needs and their carers during COVID-19 pandemic. Participation is open to people that are 18 years of age or over and who are carers or guardians to a child or children with special needs in the Republic of Ireland and it involves answering a 15-minute survey, at a time that suits you. Children with physical and intellectual disabilities make up 6.7% of the Irish population and require extra supportive care and services daily, for them to participate in all aspects of life. The imposed COVID-19 restrictions will have reduced or removed their support network, which will directly impact the physical and mental development of these children. The current situation will also inevitably impact the well-being of carers and affect the quality of life for both entities.
Healthy Eating for Pregnant Women
Tuesday 26 May 2020 Since the global outbreak of COVID-19, we are being inundated with claims that certain foods, nutrients and nutritional supplements can prevent or even cure COVID-19. However, the truth about diet and COVID-19 is this: No single food, nutrient or supplement can “boost” our immune function to prevent us from catching COVID-19. Good hygiene practices and physical distancing remain the best ways of limiting our risk of infection. A healthy diet has a role in maintaining a healthy immune system and helping the body fight infection. There are a number of healthy food and lifestyle choices that you can make during this time to ensure that your body has all the nutrients it needs to keep you healthy, to help your baby grow and develop and to support your immune function. 1. Get your supply of essential nutrients Aim for a diet that includes a range of healthy, nutrient-rich foods that will deliver important vitamins and minerals for pregnancy such as folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Take a folic acid supplement (400μg per day) every day for the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy and include foods that are a rich source of folic acid in your diet, such as green leafy vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals and milk. Eat foods that are rich in iron at least [...]
The Scientific Theory of Happiness
Friday 22 May 2020 Our Clinical Psychologists, Leanna Fogarty and Dr Margaret O’ Rourke have identified a number of tools and resources to help you deal with any additional stresses in your lives. We will share some bitesize tips with you every week through the INFANT website and our social media channels. There are no quick fixes but there are things that we can do to remain focused, calm, and positive. - Psychological research has discovered that happiness can be built and enhanced with five core ingredients. The word PERMA is the easiest way to remember the five important building blocks of mental health and wellbeing – all things that are very helpful right now! 1. Positive Emotions It can be hard work to be positive sometimes but the more you try the more it will become a habit. Positive emotions really help your mental health and will build and support confidence and self-belief, creativity, flexibility, optimism, perseverance, physical and mental health productivity, and energy. 2. Engagement Being fully focused and engaged on the task at hand is very good for wellbeing. Try to be fully present in the now and the tasks and activities you are engaged in - it doesn’t matter how simple or difficult the task may be. 3. Relationships Positive relationships help us build resilience, reduce stress, and improve wellbeing. Regardless of what happens at work, [...]
Support crucial for maintaining successful breastfeeding
Thursday 14 May 2020 New research led by Dr. Andrea Hemmingway, PI Prof Mairead Kiely, and the INFANT maternal and child nutrition team has been published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The study has reported that breastfeeding rates have increased slightly over the past 10 years and mothers are breastfeeding for longer. Breastfeeding is recommended, where possible, because it has many health benefits for mum and baby. It can promote the development of a baby’s immune system and protect against infection. For mums, breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer and may help with a gradual return to pre-pregnancy weight. Using data from the COMBINE study - of which over 450 families from Cork and the surrounding area participated between 2015-2017 - the team analysed current infant feeding practices and explored changes in breastfeeding rates over the past 8-10 years. The COMBINE study found that 75% of mums were breastfeeding to some extent by the time they went home from the hospital and 44% breastfed solely without formula top-ups. In comparison, INFANT’s BASELINE study - led by PI Prof Deirdre Murray between 2008 and 2011 - had a breastfeeding rate of 69% at the time mums went home and 40% breastfed solely. Both studies had several follow-up visits with families during the first year. At two months of age, 36% of COMBINE babies were [...]
INFANT shortlisted to compete for €2 million prize
Monday 11 May 2020 Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, TD, today announced that twelve teams have been shortlisted to progress onto the next phase of the SFI Future Innovator Prize. Funded by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), this competition is part of an overall government plan to cultivate challenge-based funding in Ireland. The two Challenges, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Societal Good Challenge and the Zero Emissions Challenge are run in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. AI4LIFE - led by Prof Geraldine Boylan, Prof Liam Marnane and Societal Champion Dr Mairead O'Riordan - will focus on the challenge of reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality. The team plan to develop a new, easy to interpret, fetal monitoring system that will use AI assisted interpretation to monitor the vital signs of mother and baby during labour to quickly identify any issues. The AI4LIFE project has the potential to impact current clinical practice and improve the lives of families and their babies nationally and internationally. Minister Heather Humphreys, TD said: “I am delighted to announce that twelve teams will go forward to the next phase of the Future Innovator Prize competition. These teams are addressing key societal challenges Zero Emissions and Artificial Intelligence for Societal Good. I commend the researchers on their inspiring solution-focused ideas. Now more than ever, we need to ensure that ongoing significant [...]
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2020
Friday 08 May 2020 This week is World Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week. The aim is to raise awareness of maternal mental health issues and to promote the help and support that is available for those who require it. Pregnancy and the period after birth can be particularly challenging and now, more than ever, it is normal to feel extra stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or upset. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised worldwide that 15.6% of pregnant women and 19.8% of women who have just given birth experience challenges in relation to mental health. It is important to be prepared and equipped to try and face these added stresses and what better way to do so than with the aid of a ‘TOOLBOX’. Our INFANT clinical psychologists Leanna Fogarty and Dr. Margaret O’Rourke have put together a quick summary of the essential tools that you need in your toolbox! Tools for you Toolbox Tool 1: GROUNDING: Try to ground yourself by becoming aware of your thoughts and feelings. Slow them down and try and connect with your body by relaxing and breathing. Refocus and engage with the world around you. Tool 2: UNHOOKING: The main aim is to try and unhook yourself from unhelpful and intrusive thoughts. NOTICE that a difficult thought or feeling has hooked you. Realise that you are distracted by a difficult thought or feeling, and notice it with curiosity. [...]
Families do better when they KISS!
Friday 01 May 2020 The team at INFANT would like to assure all of our community that we understand how challenging a situation we now find ourselves in. Our Clinical Psychologists, Leanna and Margaret have identified a number of tools and resources to help you deal with any additional stresses in your lives. We will share some bitesize tips with you every week through the INFANT website and our social media channels. There are no quick fixes but there are things that we can do to remain focused, calm, and positive and to and keep moving forward. Please let us know if you find these resources useful! Keep it Simple and Structured (KISS) Maintaining a daily routine can help you preserve a sense of order and purpose in your life despite the unfamiliarity of isolation and quarantine. Try to include regular daily activities, such as work, exercise or learning, even if they must be done remotely. Integrate other healthy pastimes as needed. Spend time on things that make you happy! Over the next few days try using the KISS approach. KEEP: Make sure each day has a beginning, middle, and end. Children cope better with stress when it is introduced in predictable ways, such as daily routines and normal activities: getting up in the morning, getting dressed, breakfast, school work, fun-time, bedtime routines, eating healthy, drinking healthy, getting enough [...]
Thank you from INFANT
Wednesday 22 April 2020 We are incredibly grateful for the donations we have received over the past few weeks in response to the virtual visitation technology we have implemented in Cork Univerity Maternity Hospital Neonatal Unit. Because of you, we were able to deploy the technology to regional hospitals in the area too! If you would like to support our work further, please visit our 'Giving' page.
What INFANT is doing in response to COVID-19
Thursday 23 April 2020 COVID-19 is the most significant public health crisis in 100 years. Its impact will be felt for decades and it is already changing in unprecedented ways how we live, work and carry out our lives. INFANT, as a Maternal and Child Health Research Centre, is particularly conscious of the impact of COVID-19 with many of our colleagues and collaborators working directly in the health system in Cork, in Ireland and across the world, especially colleagues in Cork University Maternity Hospital and Cork University Hospital. The safety and wellbeing of all our staff, students, colleagues and stakeholders, including the many families and children participating in our research studies is our main priority in this uncertain time. So what is INFANT doing? Many INFANT staff remain in or have redeployed to the frontline whilst others have made the transition to working from home and continuing our vital research to improve outcomes for mums, babies and children. INFANT has accelerated research and innovation projects that can immediately impact staff, patients and families. For example, we led the implementation of a novel “Virtual Visitation” solution for parents and extended families of babies in the neonatal ICU to alleviate separation anxiety and to practically support the necessary social distancing measures to protect vulnerable patients from COVID-19. Many of our other researchers are redeploying INFANT skills, expertise and research towards COVID-19 focused outcomes such as remote vital [...]
New guidance on COVID-19 and maternity care issued
Sunday 05 April 2020 The Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has issued new guidance on COVID-19 and maternity services. The guidance was written by INFANT Centre Principal Investigator Dr Keelin O’Donoghue and Joye McKernan, National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre. COVID-19 infection is a new disease and the impact on pregnancy remains uncertain. Aims of the guidance document: • To outline considerations for care for pregnant women and their infants during the COVD-19 pandemic • To advise maternity units around the provision of safe care to women and infants with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 • To support healthcare staff working in the maternity services • To set out a framework for managing the impact on maternity services • To provide principles to help units develop their own response plans As this is an evolving situation this guidance is subject to ongoing review and will be updated as further information and evidence becomes available. Read the full document here.
INFANT PI chats to BBC World News
Saturday 04 April 2020 We have collaborated with our colleagues in Cork University Maternity Hospital to provide virtual visiting for babies in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The new initiative allows families to remotely check-in on their baby amid COVID-19 visiting restrictions. The support for this initiative has been wonderful and we are delighted this video technology to support our parents is having such a positive effect!
INFANT Centre providing virtual visitation for families
Thursday 02 April 2020 The INFANT Research Centre at University College Cork in collaboration with Cork University Maternity Hospital, Ireland South Women & Infants Directorate have introduced a secure video messaging platform called vCreate in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Under normal circumstances, having a baby in the neonatal unit can be a time of significant emotional distress and anxiety for parents. In these very challenging times, significant restrictions on access to the neonatal unit mean that only mums can visit for limited time periods during the day. These necessary measures, put in place because of the COVID-19 outbreak, have added to the stress parents face when their newborn infant requires neonatal unit admission. CUMH wants to help provide comfort to parents during this worrying period. “This is a fantastic initiative which we hope will go some way to reducing the significant stress that parents are now facing. Whether it’s for a day or two admission, or indeed many months for our most immature babies, we believe this system, along with its educational material, will alleviate some of the worries that families face in these difficult times,” said Prof Gene Dempsey, Consultant Neonatologist at CUMH and Principal Investigator at INFANT, UCC. The INFANT team supported the rapid introduction of this solution into the NICU which allows staff, coordinated by Neonatal Nurse Manager, Lucille Bradfield, to record short video messages [...]
Brain Awareness Week 2020
Friday 20 March 2020 To celebrate Brain Awareness Week 2020 we asked our INFANT physchologists what a typical working day looks like for them. Meet Leanna - Clinical Neuropsychologist at INFANT Please describe your job: What do you do? I am a Chartered Clinical Neuropsychologist working within the wonderful setting of the INFANT Research Centre, which allows me to be a Scientist and a Practitioner all in one -every Psychologist’s goal and desire! ‘Child Neuropsychology’ is a specialist branch of psychology and neurology that seeks to understand the relationship between the brain and behaviour in children and adolescents. Simply put, it explores how the brain has a direct impact on behavioural, cognitive, and psychosocial adjustment. It attempts to explain the way in which the activity of the brain is expressed in observable and measurable behaviour. I measure this with the help of various specialist assessment tools, diagnostic tools, clinical questionnaires, screeners, parents reports, EEGs, observation and also with the use of novel assessment tools such as ‘Eye-Tracking’. Every day, I am afforded the opportunity to use my training in both Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology and endeavour to understand why and when something alters, delays or affects brain development during pregnancy, birth and/or early childhood. Thus, I can assess how this may relate to problems exhibited with walking, talking, social and emotional interaction, learning, paying attention, and [...]
A Day in the Life of…
Wednesday 18 March 2020 Meet Triona - Research Psychologist at INFANT Please describe your job: What do you do? I work as a Research Psychologist with children from birth to 3 years of age. This means that I use lots of research methods to gain a better understanding of children’s development: across their cognition, language, movement, emotions, behaviour and social skills. I use lots of different ways to see this, whether using developmental assessment kits with different games and materials (Bayley, Griffiths), using clinical questionnaires, observing children’s play and interactions, talking to parents, or trialling new innovative assessment tools. Tell us about a typical working day… This can vary massively, which suits me! Some days will be spent conducting assessments with children, whether 4 month old babies or 2 year old toddlers. This can be lots of fun, but also requires lots of energy! I also spend a lot of time writing reports on assessments and discussing clinical cases with my supervising Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead Paediatrician. Other days will be spent looking at data that has already been collected, analysing this so that we can publish results. Currently, I am spending time tailoring a novel touchscreen assessment with the aim of using this with toddlers to screen for difficulties in a much quicker and easier way. What do you love about your [...]
Miscarriage Matters – new website launched
Monday 02 March 2020 The Pregnancy Loss Research Group and INFANT Research Centre at University College Cork today launched www.corkmiscarriage.com, a first-of-its-kind website in Ireland. One in four pregnancies end in first-trimester miscarriage. For many women and their partners, miscarriage is unexpected and can be an upsetting experience. The silence and stigma associated with pregnancy loss can be compounded by the lack of reliable, accessible online information. The new website provides medically accurate, sensitive and user-friendly information for those who experience first-trimester miscarriage. It is designed to guide users through what to expect when a miscarriage happens, what to do and how to access appropriate services while complementing the care and support women receive in maternity hospitals. The website will also be a helpful resource for clinical staff who care for bereaved parents through the difficult journey of miscarriage. The website has been developed by Clinical Bereavement Midwife Specialist Anna Maria Verling, Parent Advocate Rachel Rice, INFANT Public Engagement Manager Caoimhe Byrne in collaboration with Dr Sabina Tabirca and Dr Keelin O’Donoghue, Consultant Obstetrician at CUMH and Principal Investigator at INFANT. Anna Maria Verling, said: “We identified a particular gap in the information and support available to women and their partners who experience first trimester miscarriage. Couples need to have access to reliable, medically accurate information when healthcare professionals may not be available to answer their questions and [...]