Speak Out August 2021

Association NEWS

New Researcher Grant

Marleen Westerveld Inferential narrative comprehension in young school-age children on the autism spectrum Inferential narrative comprehension skills are fundamental to successful social interactions and show significant predictive and concurrent correlations with reading comprehension. This study builds on our pilot work and will investigate the structural language and cognitive skills (i.e., theory of mind [ToM]) underpinning inferential narrative comprehension in young school-age children on the autism spectrum, who as a group are known to struggle with social interactions, and are at increased risk of significant and persistent reading comprehension difficulties. We will recruit 60 children (40 diagnosed with ASD, and 20 typically developing peers, matched for age and gender) who are in their first year of schooling. Children in the autism group will be divided into below normal limits (SS<85) or within normal limits (SS≥85) on a standardised broad-spectrum language test. All children will participate in tasks measuring structural language skills, ToM, and narrative comprehension (comprising literal and inferential questions). The results from this study will provide a significant research contribution. The main clinical deliverable will consist of a research-informed tool for assessing inferential comprehension skills in young school-age children to help guide detailed goal setting and assist in targeted intervention planning. Jennifer Kefford Understanding the nature and prevalence of feeding disorders in young children with IgE-mediated food allergies In the past decade there has been a global increase in the diagnosis of food allergies, with Australia recognised as having one of the highest rates of food allergy in the world. In clinical situations, it has been observed that many children with feeding disorders present with current or previous food allergies. However, the prevalence and characteristics of feeding disorders in children with food allergies have not been thoroughly explored in the literature. The main objective of this project is to establish the prevalence and characteristics of feeding disorders in young children with IgE-mediated food allergies, the associated degree of parental stress and impact on quality of life. Data will be collected from three allergy clinics regarding children between the ages of 6 months and 4;11 years. Multi-site ethics approval is in place. The results of this study will provide clinicians with insight into the nature and extent of feeding disorders in children with food allergies to improve clinical awareness of this population and its presentation. More importantly, the findings will lay the foundations for further research into early intervention and education designed to address the evolution and impact of feeding disorders on these children and their families.

Jennifer Kefford

Nadia Verrall Memorial Research Grant

Marlene Westerveld

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August 2021 | Speak Out