The National Premmie Foundation are working with MCRI to attract funding for research into effects of prematurity. One of the key areas we are helping to seek funding in is The Victorian Infant Brain Study (VIBeS).

The number of babies born premature in Australia is increasing. Due to recent advances in medical care more than 85 per cent of very premature babies now survive, but 10 per cent will have a serious handicap such as cerebral palsy, blindness or deafness and an additional 50 per cent will develop less severe but important thinking, learning and behavioural problems.An internationally recognised study led by Murdoch Childrens Research Institute revealed that scanning the brains of premature babies’ using high tech magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides vital clues as to how those babies will grow up, as brain abnormalities seen shortly after birth strongly predicted developmental problems at age two (see media coverage from The Australian - LINK). To translate the research findings into tangible benefits, MCRI is urgently seeking funding for a new early intervention program, which will see their specially trained team visit the homes of families (already recruited to take part in the study) to deliver a program to improve development and reduce the number and severity of problems that these babies tend to develop with age. Follow up MRI scans will be conducted to substantiate the benefits of the program on brain development.

MCRI urgently needs to raise $275,000 in order to collect evidence to prove that this program is beneficial to children, families and society. The results will be used to lobby national and state governments to provide adequate funding for all very premature babies born in Australia. The institute believes their approach is the most economically feasible and effective early intervention program available internationally and will be promoting that it is employed worldwide. However, funding is first needed to gather the data and hard evidence.

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute discovers ways to help children live happier, healthier lives. It is the largest child health research institute in Australia with 1,100 researchers who are dedicated to finding innovative ways to prevent and treat conditions affecting children’s health including allergy, cancer, cerebral palsy, obesity, heart disease, genetic conditions & premature birth.

To donate, please fill out the donation form or visit www.mcri.edu.au

To read more about Murdoch Childrens Research Institute’s premature baby research, click here