Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research; Head, Autism Research Team
PhD
Andrew Whitehouse is the Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research at the Telethon Kids Institute and Professor of Autism Research at The University of Western Australia. He is also Chief Research Officer of the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) and Adjunct Professor at Curtin University and Edith Cowan University.
At the Telethon Kids Institute he leads a large team that use a wide range of methodologies to investigate the early identification and intervention of children with Autism Spectrum Conditions, including molecular genetics, neuroscience, endocrinology, behavioural experiments and clinical trials. Andrew has published over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and attracted over $35 million in competitive research grants. He currently presents an internationally syndicated video series called ’60 Second Science”, which has been viewed by over 1 million people. He is an advisor to State and Commonwealth Governments on policies relating to children with Autism Spectrum Conditions, and he chaired the committee that generated Australia’s first national guideline for autism diagnosis.
Andrew has published one edited book with his twin-brother (Ben), and a popular science book that examined the science behind some of the myths of pregnancy and child development (Will Mozart Make My Baby Smart?). He has also been awarded Australia’s most prestigious scientific award, the Eureka Prize. Prior to coming to the Telethon Kids Institute, Andrew was a Fellow at the University of Oxford.
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Projects
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Publications
September 2019
Pre-emptive intervention versus treatment as usual for infants showing early behavioural risk signs of autism spectrum disorder
A pre-emptive intervention for the autism spectrum disorder prodrome had no immediate treatment effect on early autism spectrum disorder symptoms
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchOctober 2019Content validation of the Quality of Life Inventory—Disability
Satisfactory content validity is reported, where ongoing consumer feedback shaped the dataset from which the final items were selected
Published research Academic Biostatistics Child Disability Autism ResearchMay 2019Developmental vitamin D deficiency produces behavioral phenotypes of relevance to Autism in an animal model
Here we investigate these features in an animal model related to autism spectrum disorder - the DVD-deficient rat
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2019The Brain Basis of Comorbidity in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
This review discusses early brain development and the etiological factors that may give rise to atypical developmental trajectories, along with neuroimaging insights
Published research Child Disability Autism Research Youth Mental HealthMarch 2019Brief social attention bias modification for children with autism spectrum disorder
Social attention can be acutely modified in children with ASD, with an increased tendency to orient attention toward faces after brief social attention training
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2019Psychometric properties of the Quality of Life Inventory-Disability (QI-Disability) measure
Initial evaluation suggests that QI-Disability is a reliable and valid measure of quality of life across the spectrum of intellectual disability
Published research Child Disability Autism ResearchJanuary 2019Characterizing the interplay between autism spectrum disorder and comorbid medical conditions: An integrative review
We review medical conditions that have been repeatedly highlighted as sharing the strongest associations with ASD-epilepsy, sleep, as well as gastrointestinal and immune functioning
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJanuary 2019Maternal pre-pregnancy weight and autistic-like traits among offspring in the general population
This study provides further evidence that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity is associated with autism-like behaviors in offspring
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJanuary 2019Parent-observed thematic data on quality of life in children with autism spectrum disorder
Parent observations provide an initial framework for understanding quality of life in autism spectrum disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Child Disability Autism ResearchDecember 2018Does perinatal exposure to exogenous oxytocin influence child behavioural problems and autistic-like behaviours to 20 years of age
This study is the first to investigate longitudinal mental health outcomes associated with the use of oxytocin-based medications during labour
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2018Study protocol for the Australian autism biobank: an international resource to advance autism discovery research
The Australian Autism Biobank was initiated to establish a large-scale repository of biological samples and detailed clinical information about children diagnosed with ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2018Predicting language difficulties in middle childhood from early developmental milestones: A comparison of traditional regression and machine learning techniques
The current study provides preliminary evidence that machine learning algorithms provide equivalent predictive accuracy to traditional methods for language difficulties in middle childhood
Published research Language Development Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Autism ResearchAugust 2018Social impairments in autism spectrum disorder are related to maternal immune history profile
this study is the first to show an association between immune activation history in the mother and increased ASD symptom severity in children with ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJuly 2018Does otitis media in early childhood affect later behavioural development? Results from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study
The relationship between early life episodes of otitis media and later behavioural development with adjustment for confounders.
Published research Ear Infections Autism Research Ear Health Genetics and HealthJune 2018No relationship between autistic traits and salivary testosterone concentrations in men from the general population
The current data add to the increasing evidence for the lack of relationship between autistic traits and postnatal levels of testosterone in men
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMay 2018Vitamin D is crucial for maternal care and offspring social behaviour in rats
These data highlight that early life levels of vitamin D are an important consideration for maternal behavioural adaptations as well as offspring neuropsychiatry
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism ResearchApril 2018A prospective study of fetal head growth, autistic traits and autism spectrum disorder
This large population-based study identified no consistent association across two cohorts between prenatal head growth and postnatal autistic traits
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJanuary 2018The prevalence of mental health disorders and symptoms in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Mental health conditions and problems are often reported in children and adolescents with CP. A systematic review was undertaken to describe their prevalence.
Published research Health Promotion & Education Child Disability Autism ResearchJanuary 2018A national guideline for the assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in Australia
The Guideline aims to create greater consistency in diagnostic practices across the country to ensure individuals on the autism spectrum can receive the optimal care
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchDecember 2017Cytokine levels and associations with symptom severity in male and female children with autism spectrum disorder
ASD's are complex, pervasive and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions with varying conditions, trajectories, significant male bias and unknown etiology.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2017Prenatal maternal stress events and phenotypic outcomes in Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASD, in the context of prenatal maternal stress exposure, may be associated with a more severe phenotype, particularly when there are multiple prenatal exposures
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2017Exploring quality of life of children with cerebral palsy and intellectual disability: What are the important domains of life?
An estimated half of all children with cerebral palsy also have comorbid intellectual disability, the domains of QOL for these children are not well understood
Cerebral Palsy Published research Intellectual Disability Autism ResearchSeptember 2017A randomised controlled trial of an iPad-based application to complement early behavioural intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Technology-based interventions may provide a relatively low-cost addition to existing therapist-delivered interventions for children with ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchSeptember 2017Duration of general anaesthetic exposure in early childhood and long-term language and cognitive ability
Anaesthetic dose causing toxicity in animals has been evaluated, but the relationship between duration of VA exposure and development in children remains vague.
Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2017Hypermasculinised facial morphology in boys and girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder and its association with symptomatology
This is the first study demonstrating facial hypermasculinisation in ASD and its relationship to social-communication difficulties in prepubescent children
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2017Investigating facial phenotype in autism spectrum conditions: The importance of a hypothesis driven approach
The identification of differences in the facial phenotype of individuals with ASC may contribute to efforts to promote early identification of the condition and help elucidate etiological pathways.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Child Disability Autism ResearchJuly 2017Acoustic Properties of Cries in 12-Month Old Infants at High-Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder
There is preliminary evidence that infant siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have an atypical pattern of crying
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJuly 2017Latent Class Analysis of Neurodevelopmental Deficit After Exposure to Anesthesia in Early Childhood
Some studies suggest an association between early exposure to anesthesia, surgery and long term developmental deficit, clinical phenotype of children is unknown
Published research Autism ResearchJune 2017Late talkers and later language outcomes: Predicting the different language trajectories
The aim of the current study was to investigate the risk factors present at 2 years for children who showed language difficulties that persisted
Published research Child Health, Development & Education Language DevelopmentJune 2017Relationship between early motor milestones and severity of restricted and repetitive behaviors in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
This study provides the first evidence for the association between restricted and repetitive behaviors and age of attainment of early motor milestones.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJune 2017Elizabeth Usher Memorial Lecture: Rethinking the clinical pathway for autism spectrum disorder and challenging the status quo
The aim of the paper is to outline the future of early identification and intervention of ASD and the research goals to be addressed to achieve this vision.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMay 2017A Relationship Between Early Language Skills and Adult Autistic-Like Traits: Evidence from a Longitudinal Population-Based Study
This is the first study to show an association between early language ability and autistic-like traits in adulthood
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMay 2017Brief Report: An Exploratory Study of the Diagnostic Reliability for Autism Spectrum Disorder
We conducted a study that examined the concordance of diagnoses between a multidisciplinary assessment team and a range of clinicians in Australia.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2017Umbilical cord androgens and estrogens in relation to verbal and nonverbal abilities at age 10 in the general population
These data suggest that late gestation sex steroids do not exert a major effect on nonverbal and verbal abilities in middle childhood.
Published research Autism ResearchFebruary 2017Protective benefit of predominant breastfeeding against otitis media may be limited to early childhood: results from a prospective birth cohort study
Our findings are in line with a number of epidemiological studies which show a positive association between breastfeeding and OM in early childhood
Published research Breastfeeding Ear Infections Autism Research Genetics and HealthFebruary 2017Qualitative Analysis of Parental Observations on Quality of Life in Australian Children with Down Syndrome
We investigated parental observations to identify QOL domains in children with Down Syndrome and determined whether domains differed between children and teens.
Published research Child DisabilityJanuary 2017Evidence of a reduction over time in the behavioral severity of autistic disorder diagnoses
This study provides the first clear evidence of a reduction over time in the behavioral severity of individuals diagnosed with Autistic Disorder during a period of stability in diagnostic criteria
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Academic Biostatistics Autism Research Youth Mental HealthJanuary 2017Evidence of a reduction over time in the behavioral severity of autistic disorder diagnoses
We examined whether there were changes over time in the qualitative and quantitative phenotype of individuals who received the diagnosis of Autistic Disorder.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJanuary 2017Beyond the hype and hope: Critical considerations for intranasal oxytocin research in autism spectrum disorder
In this review, we comprehensively evaluate the rationale for oxytocin as a therapeutic, evaluating evidence from various various sources.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchDecember 2016Commentary: Are we expecting too much from the extreme male brain theory of autism? A reflection on Kung et al. (2016)
This commentary highlights inconsistent findings that undermine the extreme male brain theory autism but data may not present an adequate test of the hypothesis
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2016Obesity and associated factors in youth with an autism spectrum disorder
Prevalence of overweight/obesity in children and youth with autism spectrum disorder, and associations between weight status and range of factors
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchOctober 2016Randomised controlled trial of an iPad based early intervention for autism: TOBY playpad study protocol
This trial will determine the effectiveness of the TOBY App as a therapeutic complement to other early interventions children with ASD receive
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchOctober 2016A Genome-Wide Association Meta-Analysis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Population-Based Pediatric Cohorts
The SNP-based heritability for ADHD symptom scores indicates a polygenic architecture, and genes involved in neurite outgrowth are possibly involved
Published research ADHD Autism ResearchSeptember 2016Diagnostic evaluation for autism spectrum disorder: A survey of health professionals in Australia
Reported practice of some professionals in Australia may not be consistent with international best practice guidelines for ASD diagnosis
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchSeptember 2016Mothers of Children with Autism have Different Rates of Cancer According to the Presence of Intellectual Disability in Their Child
Mothers of children with autism without ID had increased risk of cancer, which may relate to common genetic pathways
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Academic Biostatistics Child Disability Autism ResearchJuly 2016Autism Spectrum Disorder, Language Disorder, and Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder: Overlaps, Distinguishing Features, and Clinical Implications
Strictly defined cases of social (pragmatic) communication disorder and specific language impairment can be distinguished from autism spectrum disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJuly 2016CATALISE: A multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study. Identifying language impairments in children
Delayed or impaired language development is a common developmental concern, yet there is little agreement about the criteria used to identify and classify...
Published research Language Development Human Capability Autism ResearchJuly 2016A genome-wide approach to children's aggressive behavior: The EAGLE consortium
Common variants at 2p12 show suggestive evidence for association with childhood aggression
Published research Autism ResearchJune 2016Short report: Relationship between restricted and repetitive behaviours in children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents
Restricted and repetitive behaviours constitute a core symptom domain of autism spectrum disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2016Conceptualizing a quality of life framework for girls with Rett syndrome using qualitative methods
Existing quality of life scales for children in the general population or with other disabilities did not capture the QOL of children with Rett syndrome
Published research Rett Syndrome Child Disability Autism ResearchFebruary 2016A Prospective Ultrasound Study of Prenatal Growth in Infant Siblings of Children With Autism
Identified no significant differences between the high- and low-risk fetuses in the rate of prenatal head and body growth throughout the 2nd and 3rd-trimester
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchSeptember 2015Prenatal testosterone exposure is related to sexually dimorphic facial morphology in adulthood
Prenatal testosterone may have a powerful masculinizing effect on postnatal physical characteristics.
Published research Autism ResearchJuly 2015Evidence for shared deficits in identifying emotions from faces and from voices in autism spectrum disorders and specific language impairment
While autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and specific language impairment (SLI) have traditionally been conceptualized as distinct disorders, recent findings...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchJuly 2015Perceived gender ratings for high and low scorers on the autism-spectrum quotient consistent with the extreme male brain account of autism
This study tested the 'Extreme Male Brain' theory & androgyny accounts of Autism spectrum disorder.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJune 2015Impact of adolescent peer aggression on later educational and employment outcomes in an Australian cohort
This study used prospective birth cohort data to analyse the relationship between peer aggression at 14 years of age and educational and employment outcomes...
Published research Bullying Human Capability Autism Research Youth HealthJune 2015Maternal vitamin D deficiency alters fetal brain development in the BALB/c mouse.
Prenatal exposure to vitamin D is thought to be critical for optimal fetal neurodevelopment, yet vitamin D deficiency is apparent in a growing proportion of...
Published research Language Development Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism ResearchJune 2015The perinatal androgen to estrogen ratio and autistic-like traits in the general population: a longitudinal pregnancy cohort study.
While previous studies have found a link between testosterone levels in amniotic fluid and autistic-like traits, a similar relationship has not been found...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchApril 2015Prevalence and risk factors for parent-reported recurrent otitis media during early childhood
The prevalence of parent-reported rOM was 26.8% (611/2280) and 5.5% (125/2280) for severe rOM in the Study.
Published research Ear Infections Autism Research Genetics and HealthApril 2015Sexually dimorphic facial features vary according to level of autistic-like traits in the general population
The current data provide support for Bejerot et al.'s androgyny account since males and females with high levels of autistic-like traits generally showed...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2015Lack of replication for the myosin-18B association with mathematical ability in independent cohorts
Twin studies indicate that dyscalculia (or mathematical disability) is caused partly by a genetic component, which is yet to be understood at the molecular...
Published research Intellectual Disability Autism ResearchFebruary 2015Adult digit ratio (2D:4D) is not related to umbilical cord androgen or estrogen concentrations, their ratios or net bioactivity
Ratio of second digit length to fourth digit length (2D:4D) has been extensively used in human and experimental research as a marker of fetal sex steroid...
Published research Autism ResearchJanuary 2015TOBY play-pad application to teach children with ASD-A pilot trial.
To investigate use patterns and learning outcomes associated with the use of Therapy Outcomes By You (TOBY. Playpad, an early intervention iPad application.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Early Childhood Development Autism ResearchJanuary 2015Vitamin D in fetal development: Findings from a birth cohort study
Birth cohort studies provide an invaluable resource for studies of the influence of the fetal environment on health in later life.
Published research Academic Biostatistics Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism Research InflammationJanuary 2015A prospective ultrasound study of prenatal growth in infant siblings of children with autism
Numerous studies have observed that a proportion of infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience accelerated head growth...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchDecember 2014MACROD2 gene associated with autistic-like traits in a general population sample
The MACROD2 gene is a strong positional candidate risk factor for autistic-like traits in the general population
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchDecember 2014Are there differences in the behavioural phenotypes of Autism Spectrum Disorder probands from simplex and multiplex families?
Behavioural differences in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder from simplex and multiplex families
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2014The association between prenatal environment and children’s mental health trajectories from 2 to 14 years
This study aimed to elucidate how an adverse prenatal environment, as defined by the presence of a number of known prenatal risk factors, would influence...
Published research Human Capability Autism ResearchOctober 2014Prevalence and risk factors for parent-reported recurrent otitis media during early childhood
The objective was to describe the prevalence and risk factors of recurrent otitis media (rOM) in an urban Australian population at 3 years of age.
Published research Autism Research Genetics and HealthSeptember 2014Common variation near ROBO2 is associated with expressive vocabulary in infancy
In this paper we conduct a genome-wide screen and follow-up study of expressive vocabulary in toddlers of European descent from up to four studies of the...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchAugust 2014Is the broad autism phenotype in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder exacerbated by the challenges of caring for their children?
This qualitative study of parental interviews provided a preliminary examination of whether behaviours consistent with the BAP may have been exacerbated by...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Intellectual Disability Autism ResearchAugust 2014Prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal risk factors for specific language impairment: A prospective pregnancy cohort study
Although genetic factors are known to play a causal role in specific language impairment (SLI), environmental factors may also be important. This study...
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchAugust 2014No population bias to left-hemisphere language in 4-year-olds with language impairment
An apparent paradox in the field of neuropsychology is that people with atypical cerebral lateralization do not appear to suffer any cognitive disadvantage,...
Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2014Perinatal testosterone exposure and cerebral lateralisation in adult males: Evidence for the callosal hypothesis
Two competing theories address the influence of foetal testosterone on cerebral laterality: one proposing exposure to high foetal testosterone concentrations...
Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2014Re-analysis of the association between perinatal androgens and postnatal head circumference growth
This paper is a correction of an earlier report that identified a link between exposure to high levels of testosterone during pregnancy and reduced head...
Published research Autism ResearchJune 2014Comparative analysis of outcome measures used in examining neurodevelopmental effects of early childhood anesthesia exposure
This paper reports on data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study to examine whether exposure to anesthetics in children younger than 3...
Published research Autism ResearchJune 2014Towards a molecular characterization of autism spectrum disorders: An exome sequencing and systems approach
This paper profiles the functional pattern of DNA variants found at a higher rate in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), X-linked intellectual...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research ADHD Intellectual Disability Autism ResearchMay 2014Maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and bone mass in offspring at 20 years of age: A prospective cohort study
This longitudinal, prospective study investigated the association between maternal vitamin D status and peak bone mass of offspring in 341 mother and...
Published research Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism Research InflammationMay 2014Vitamin D deficiency at 16 to 20 weeks' gestation is associated with impaired lung function and asthma at 6 years of age
This paper examines whether a Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy affects the child's lung function predisposition towards lung disease such as asthma.
Published research Autism Research Inflammation Human Immunology Children's Lung HealthMay 2014Measurement of androgen and estrogen concentrations in cord blood: Accuracy, biological interpretation, and applications to understanding human behavioral development
This review examines the accuracy and biological interpretation of the measurement of androgens and estrogens in cord blood. The use of cord blood hormones...
Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2014Low maternal serum vitamin D during pregnancy and the risk for postpartum depression symptoms
Pregnancy is a time of vulnerability for vitamin D insufficiency, and there is an emerging literature associating low levels of 25(OH)-vitamin D with...
Published research Autism Research Inflammation Human Immunology Cardiometabolic SunhealthFebruary 2014Moving beyond behaviour-only assessment: Incorporating biomarkers to improve the early detection and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders
This paper presents a response to the Camarata (2014) lead article regarding the accuracy and effectiveness of early identification and early intervention...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchFebruary 2014A Genome-wide Association Meta-analysis of Preschool Internalizing Problems
In this study, the influence of genome-wide measured single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was investigated in 3 cohorts (total N = 4,596 children) in which...
Published research Autism ResearchJanuary 2014High use of complementary and alternative medication among children with autism is not associated with the severity of core symptoms
This study provided evidence for high rate of alternative medicine use in an Australian paediatric ASD population, similar to other countries.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2013Brief Report: Further Evidence for a Link Between Inner Speech Limitations and Executive Function in High-Functioning Children with Autism
This study investigated the involvement of inner speech limitations in the executive dysfunction associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Early Childhood Development Autism ResearchOctober 2013Genome-wide association study of autistic-like traits in a general population study of young adults
Research has proposed that autistic-like traits in the general population lie on a continuum, with clinical ASD representing the extreme end of this...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchSeptember 2013A "bottom-up" approach to aetiological research in autism spectrum disorders
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are currently diagnosed in the presence of impairments in social interaction and communication, and a restricted range of...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJuly 2013Autism spectrum disorder in children born preterm: Role of exposure to perinatal inflammation
This review aims to summarise and evaluate the potential mechanisms and evidence for the role of prenatal infection on the central nervous system, and how it...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Intellectual Disability Autism Research ORIGINSJuly 2013Diet in the early years of life influences cognitive outcomes at 10 years: A prospective cohort study
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between diet during the first 3 years of life and cognitive outcomes at 10 years of age.
Published research Nutrition Autism ResearchJune 2013Maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy and offspring eating disorder risk in adolescence
This is the first study to link low gestational vitamin D to increased eating disorder risk in female offspring of Caucasian mothers.
Published research Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism Research InflammationMay 2013Evidence for Distinct Cognitive Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Specific Language Impairment
This finding supports distinct cognitive profiles in ASD and SLI and may provide further evidence for distinct aetiological mechanisms in the two conditions.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchMay 2013Complementary and alternative medicine for autism spectrum disorders: Rationale, safety and efficacy
There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on the efficacy of modified diets, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, immune therapy, and vitamin and fatty acid...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Intellectual Disability Autism ResearchMay 2013Associations between Handedness and Cerebral Lateralisation for Language: A Comparison of Three Measures in Children
It has been suggested that quantitative measures of differential hand skill or reaching preference may provide more valid measures than traditional...
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchApril 2013Is autism one or multiple disorders?
Elucidating the underlying nature of the disorder(s) is a crucial step towards tailoring intervention to the biological and cognitive makeup of each individual.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Intellectual Disability Autism ResearchApril 2013Delivery at 37 weeks' gestation is associated with a higher risk for child behavioural problems
We suggest that 37 weeks' gestation may not be the optimal cutoff for defining perinatal risk as it applies to behavioural development.
Published research Academic Biostatistics Human Capability Autism ResearchApril 2013Hypertensive diseases of pregnancy predict parent-reported difficult temperament in infancy
These data suggest that the link between maternal hypertensive diseases of pregnancy and child behavioral development begins in the first year of life.
Published research Academic Biostatistics Human Capability Autism ResearchApril 2013Brief Report: Do the Nature of Communication Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorders Relate to the Broader Autism Phenotype in Parents?
This research explored the relationship between the broader autism phenotype (BAP) among parents, an index of genetic liability for ASD, and proband...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchFebruary 2013The association between perinatal testosterone concentration and early vocabulary development
Prenatal exposure to testosterone is known to affect fetal brain maturation and later neurocognitive function.
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchJanuary 2013Maternal Vitamin D Levels and the Autism Phenotype Among Offspring
We tested whether maternal vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy is related to the autism phenotype.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism Research Inflammation Human ImmunologyJanuary 2013Umbilical Cord Blood Testosterone and Childhood Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior: A Prospective Study
Antenatal testosterone exposure influences fetal neurodevelopment and gender-role behavior in postnatal life and may contribute to differences in...
Published research Academic Biostatistics Human Capability Autism ResearchJanuary 2013Adolescent peer aggression and its association with mental health and substance use in an Australian cohort
Prospective longitudinal birth cohort data was used to examine the association between peer aggression at 14yrs and mental health and substance use at 17yrs...
Published research Bullying Depression and Anxiety Human Capability Autism Research Youth HealthJanuary 2013Fetal Testosterone, Socio-Emotional Engagement and Language Development
The present study investigated the relations among fetal testosterone, child socio-emotional engagement and language development...
Published research Language Development Human Capability Autism ResearchOctober 2012Perinatal testosterone exposure and autistic-like traits in the general population: a longitudinal pregnancy-cohort study
Increased prenatal testosterone exposure has been hypothesized as a mechanism underlying autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2012Androgen concentrations in umbilical cord blood and their association with maternal, fetal and obstetric factors
The aim of this study was to measure umbilical blood androgen concentrations in a birth cohort using a highly specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass...
Published research Academic Biostatistics Autism ResearchJuly 2012Sex-specific associations between umbilical cord blood testosterone levels and language delay in early childhood
Preliminary evidence suggests that prenatal testosterone exposure may be associated with language delay.
Published research Academic Biostatistics Language Development Autism ResearchMarch 2012Are Prenatal Ultrasound Scans Associated with the Autism Phenotype? Follow-up of a Randomised Controlled Trial
An existing randomised controlled trial was used to investigate whether multiple ultrasound scans may be associated with the autism phenotype.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2012Do hypertensive diseases of pregnancy disrupt neurocognitive development in offspring?
The current study sought to determine whether gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia are associated with neurocognitive outcomes in middle childhood.
Published research Language Development Human Capability Autism ResearchMarch 2012Maternal serum vitamin D levels during pregnancy and offspring neurocognitive development
The objective was to determine the association between maternal serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentrations and behavioural, emotional and language outcomes...
Published research Language Development Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism Research Inflammation Human ImmunologyFebruary 2012Do Children with Specific Language Impairment have a Cognitive Profile Reminiscent of Autism? A Review of the Literature
This paper reviews relevant literature on whether individuals with SLI exhibit cognitive characteristics reminiscent of autism.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchFebruary 2012Maternal Serum Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy and Offspring Neurocognitive Development
New research links poor language to lack of Vitamin D in womb.
Published research Language Development Vitamin D and Sunlight Autism Research Inflammation Human ImmunologyJanuary 2012The Dyslexia Candidate Locus on 2p12 Is Associated with General Cognitive Ability and White Matter Structure
To further explore the effect of disorder-associated genes on cognitive functions, we investigated whether they play a role in broader cognitive traits.
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchJanuary 2012Fetal head circumference growth in children with specific language impairment
The aim was to characterise fetal brain growth in children with specific language impairment (SLI). A nested case-control study was set in Perth, WA.
Published research Language Development Human Capability Autism ResearchJanuary 2012Sex-specific associations between umbilical cord blood testosterone levels and language delay in early childhood
Preliminary evidence suggests that prenatal testosterone exposure may be associated with language delay. However, no study has examined a large sample of...
Published research Academic Biostatistics Language Development Autism ResearchDecember 2011Are autistic traits in the general population stable across development?
There is accumulating evidence that autistic traits (AT) are on a continuum in the general population.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2011Do hypertensive diseases of pregnancy disrupt neurocognitive development in offspring?
Do hypertensive diseases of pregnancy disrupt neurocognitive development in offspring?
Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2011Evaluating the twin testosterone transfer hypothesis: A review of the empirical evidence
In this paper we review the evidence that fetuses gestated with a male co-twin are masculinized in development, perhaps due to the influence of prenatal...
Published research Autism ResearchOctober 2011Where were those rabbits? A new paradigm to determine cerebral lateralisation of visuospatial memory function in children
In this study we devised a child-friendly version of a paradigm to assess lateralisation of visuospatial memory using functional transcranial Doppler...
Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2011Late-talking and risk for behavioral and emotional problems during childhood and adolescence
Although many toddlers with expressive vocabulary delay ("late talkers") present with age-appropriate language skills by the time they are of school age,...
Published research Depression and Anxiety Language Development Human Capability Autism ResearchAugust 2011Autistic-like traits in childhood predict later age at menarche in girls
We investigated the relationship between autistic-like traits in early childhood and age at menarche in typically developing girls.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2011Are autistic traits in the general population stable across development?
The current investigation measured AT in 360 males and 400 males from the general population close to two decades apart, using the Pervasive Developmental...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2011Where were those rabbits? A new paradigm to determine cerebral lateralisation of visuospatial memory function in children
In the majority of people, functional differences are observed between the two cerebral hemispheres: language production is typically subserved by the left...
Published research Autism ResearchJuly 2011Late-talking and risk for behavioural and emotional problems during childhood and adolescence
Although many toddlers with expressive vocabulary delay ("late talkers") present with age-appropriate language skills by the time they are of school age...
Published research Language Development Human Capability Autism ResearchJune 2011CNTNAP2 variants affect early language development in the general population
We tested the hypothesis that these CNTNAP2 variants affect communicative behavior, measured at 2 years of age in a large epidemiological sample...
Published research Autism ResearchMay 2011No association between early gastrointestinal problems and autistic-like traits in the general population
No association between early gastrointestinal problems and autistic-like traits in the general population, determine whether gastrointestinal problems, early...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2011Analysis of dyslexia candidate genes in the Raine cohort representing the general Australian population
We have conducted an association study in a novel sample derived from the Australian population to further investigate the role of dyslexia candidate genes.
Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2011Autism and intellectual disability are differentially related to sociodemographic background at birth
We used population data on Western Australian singletons born from 1984 to 1999 (n = 398,353) to examine the sociodemographic characteristics of children...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Academic Biostatistics Intellectual Disability Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Child Disability Autism ResearchJanuary 2011Prenatal maternal stress associated with ADHD and autistic traits in early childhood
Research suggests that offspring of mothers who experience high levels of stress during pregnancy are more likely to have problems in neurobehavioral...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research ADHD Autism ResearchJanuary 2011The effects of breast-feeding duration on language ability to middle childhood
Modern societies are challenged by "wicked problems" - by definition, those that are difficult to define, multi-casual and hard to treat.
Published research Breastfeeding Language Development Autism ResearchJanuary 2011A preliminary study of fetal head circumference growth in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Fetal head circumference (HC) growth was examined prospectively in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchJanuary 2011Breastfeeding duration and academic achievement at ten years
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between duration of breastfeeding and educational outcomes.
Published research Breastfeeding Human Capability Autism ResearchJanuary 2011Duration of breast-feeding and language ability to middle childhood
There is controversy over whether increased breast-feeding duration has long-term benefits for language development.
Published research Breastfeeding Language Development Autism ResearchNovember 2010Narrowing the broader autism phenotype: A study using the Communication Checklist
This study investigated whether the Communication Checklist - Adult (CC-A) could identify subtypes of social and communication dysfunction in autism probands an
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2010Maternal life events during pregnancy and offspring language ability in middle childhood
There is accumulating evidence for a link between maternal stress during pregnancy and later behavioural and emotional problems in children.
Published research Language Development Human Capability Autism ResearchAugust 2010Is there a sex ratio difference in the familial aggregation of specific language impairment? A meta analysis
This meta-analysis examined whether there is a sex ratio difference in the risk for impairment among family members of an SLI proband
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchApril 2010Cell phone use by adolescents with Asperger Syndrome
While young people have generally been at the forefront of the adoption and use of new communications technologies, little is known of uses by exceptional youth
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2010Free testosterone levels in umbilical-cord blood predict infant head circumference in females
Fetal androgens influence fetal growth as well as postnatal neurocognitive ability
Published research Autism ResearchMarch 2010Free testosterone levels in umbilical cord blood predict infant head circumference in girls
Fetal androgens influence fetal growth as well as postnatal neurocognitive ability.
Published research Autism ResearchFebruary 2010Unpacking the complex nature of the autism epidemic
This paper discusses changes in diagnostic criteria, decreasing age at diagnosis, improved case ascertainment, diagnostic substitution, and social influences.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Child Disability Autism ResearchNovember 2009No clear genetic influences on the association between dyslexia and anxiety in a population-based sample of female twins
Individuals with dyslexia are at an increased risk for anxiety disorders (e.g. generalized anxiety disorder, stress disorders, panic disorder).
Published research Depression and Anxiety Autism ResearchNovember 2009Reliability of a novel paradigm for determining hemispheric lateralization of visuospatial function
In most individuals, language production and visuospatial skills are subserved predominantly by the left and right hemispheres, respectively.
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchAugust 2009Inner speech impairment in children with autism is associated with greater nonverbal than verbal skills
We present a new analysis of Whitehouse, Maybery, and Durkin's (2006, Experiment 3) data on inner speech in children with autism (CWA).
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchJuly 2009Hemispheric division of function is the result of independent probabilistic biases
Causal theories propose that functional asymmetry is an obligatory pattern of organisation, while statistical theories maintain this is a reflection...
Published research Autism ResearchJuly 2009Qualitative aspects of developmental language impairment relate to language and literacy outcome in adulthood
Developmental language disorder is a heterogeneous diagnostic category. Little research has compared the long-term outcomes of children with different...
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchJuly 2009Adult psychosocial outcomes of children with specific language impairment, pragmatic language impairment and autism
Evidence that some children also develop autistic symptomatology over time has raised suggestions that developmental language disorder...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchApril 2009Friendship, loneliness and depression in adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome
This study investigated the relation between friendship, loneliness and depressive symptoms in adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome (AS).
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Depression and Anxiety Autism ResearchJanuary 2009Differentiating between childhood communication disorders: Implications for language and psychosocial outcomes
Differentiating between childhood communication disorders: Implications for language and psychosocial outcomes
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchDecember 2008Cerebral dominance for language function in adults with specific language impairment or autism
A link between developmental language disorders and atypical cerebral lateralization has been postulated since the 1920s, but evidence has been indirect and...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchJuly 2008Do children with autism 'switch off' to speech sounds? An investigation using event-related potentials
Autism is a disorder characterized by a core impairment in social behaviour. A prominent component of this social deficit is poor orienting to speech.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchMay 2008Autism and diagnostic substitution: Evidence from a study of adults with a history of developmental language disorder
Rates of diagnosis of autism have risen since 1980, raising the question of whether some children who previously had other diagnoses are now being diagnosed...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchSeptember 2007The recruitment and retention of Speech and Language Therapists: What do university students find important?
The increasing need for speech and language therapy (SLT) services, coupled with poor employment retention rates, poses serious cost-benefit considerations.
Published research Language Development Autism ResearchAugust 2007The broader language phenotype of Autism: A comparison with Specific Language Impairment
Some individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience linguistic difficulties similar to those found in individuals with specific language...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism ResearchMay 2007Evidence against poor semantic encoding in individuals with autism
This article tests the hypothesis that individuals with autism poorly encode verbal information to the semantic level of processing, instead paying greater...
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Autism ResearchNovember 2006The development of the picture superiority effect
When pictures and words are presented serially in an explicit memory task, recall of the pictures is superior.
Published research Autism ResearchAugust 2006Inner speech impairments in autism
Three experiments investigated the role of inner speech deficit in cognitive performances of children with autism.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Language Development Autism Research