Major milestone for WA-led child development study

A special play-based assessment at Midland over the weekend has signalled a significant milestone for the Early Moves Project.

It marked the completion of data collection for the major WA-led child development study, which conducted more than 1,850 such assessments.

Between 2019 and 2024, the study recruited 3,000 newborns from Joondalup Health Campus and St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals for the project which is investigating whether an infant’s earliest movement patterns can predict learning difficulties later in childhood.

Participating families each completed 2 assessments. For the first, parents recorded a short video of their baby within the first 14 weeks of life, which was then reviewed by expert clinicians to assess early movement patterns.

An in-person assessment at 2 years of age followed, examining the toddlers’ cognitive, language and motor development.

Families described their involvement in the study as both enjoyable and insightful.

Reflecting on their participation, one parent said: ‘Both my daughter and I got a lot from the 2-year-old assessment. She had lots of fun and I saw that she was capable of doing much more than I thought.’

With data collection now complete, the research team will begin analysing the study findings.

Study co-lead, Professor Jane Valentine from the Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) said the earliest months of a child’s life presented a remarkable opportunity to understand how their brain was developing.

‘By identifying potential developmental challenges early, we can connect families with the right support sooner and help children thrive,’ she said.

Jane expressed her appreciation of the many families who had generously participated in the project, such as Paige and her mum, Carys.

Early Moves is led by Perth Children’s Hospital and Curtin University, and is possible due to the support of the National Health and Medical Research Council, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, Cerebral Palsy Alliance, WA Child Research Fund, Channel 7 Telethon Trust, Mineral Resources Limited, The ORIGINS Project (a collaboration between Telethon Kids Institute and Joondalup Health Campus), and St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals.