ORCID Profile
0009-0004-9102-0804
Current Organisation
Bureau of Meteorology
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Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-11-2020
DOI: 10.5694/MJA2.50427
Abstract: To investigate blood lead levels in an Australian birth cohort of children to identify factors associated with higher lead levels. Cross-sectional study within the Barwon Infant Study, a population birth cohort study in the Barwon region of Victoria (1074 infants, recruited June 2010 - June 2013). Data were adjusted for non-participation and attrition by propensity weighting. Blood lead was measured in 523 of 708 children appraised in the Barwon Infant Study pre-school review (mean age, 4.2 years SD, 0.3 years). Blood lead concentration in whole blood (μg/dL). The median blood lead level was 0.8 μg/dL (range, 0.2-3.7 μg/dL) the geometric mean blood lead level after propensity weighting was 0.97 μg/dL (95% CI, 0.92-1.02 μg/dL). Children in houses 50 or more years old had higher blood lead levels (adjusted mean difference [AMD], 0.13 natural log units 95% CI, 0.02-0.24 natural log units P = 0.020), as did children of families with lower household income (per $10 000, AMD, -0.035 natural log units 95% CI, -0.056 to -0.013 natural log units P = 0.002) and those living closer to Point Henry (inverse square distance relationship P = 0.002). Associations between hygiene factors and lead levels were evident only for children living in older homes. Blood lead levels in our pre-school children were lower than in previous Australian surveys and recent surveys in areas at risk of higher exposure, and no children had levels above 5 μg/dL. Our findings support advice to manage risks related to exposure to historical lead, especially in older houses.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-2018
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 03-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-041984
Abstract: Larger sibships are associated with poorer cognitive and language outcomes but have different impacts on child emotional development. Previous studies have not taken into account sibling age, nor have impacts across multiple neurodevelopmental domains been considered in the same participant group. This study investigated the influence of family size indicators on early childhood cognitive, language and emotional-behavioural development. The effect of sibling age was considered by evaluating these relationships separately for different sibling age categories. Prospective birth cohort study. Participants in the Barwon Infant Study were recruited from two major hospitals in the Barwon region of Victoria, Australia, between 2010 and 2013 (n=1074 children). The 755 children with any neurodevelopmental data at age 2–3 years excluding twins and those with an acquired neurodisability. Cognitive and language development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition, and emotional-behavioural development was measured with the Child Behaviour Checklist for Ages 1½−5. Greater household size was associated with a reduced cognitive development score (adjusted mean difference (AMD) −0.66 per extra household member 95% CI −0.96 to –0.37 p .001) without age-specific differences. However, poorer expressive language was only observed for exposure to siblings between 2–6 and 6–10 years older. Having siblings 2–6 years older was associated with less internalising behaviour (AMD −2.1 per sibling 95% CI −3.1 to –1.0 p .001). These associations persisted after multiple comparison adjustment. The influence of siblings on early childhood development varies substantially by sibling age and the neurodevelopmental outcome under study. Although family size alone appears important for cognitive development, age-specific findings emphasise the importance of sibling interaction in early childhood expressive language development and emotional behaviour.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
No related grants have been discovered for Nicole Wardrop.