KiTE CP: Early identification of infants with cerebral palsy: implementation of evidence-based guidelines into practice

January 2019December 2023
National Health and Medical Research Council

The aim of KiTE CP is early identification and diagnosis of infants who have cerebral palsy (CP) or who are at high-risk of CP by six months-of-age. Infants  born extremely preterm (gestational age <28 weeks), extremely low birthweight (birth weight <1000 g), or have neonatal encephalopathy or neurological risk factors (e.g. congenital disabilities, seizures, stroke) are being recruited from Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Infants are assessed at the time of study entry and then again at 2-years corrected age. Families complete the 2-year assessment with researchers over the phone, which has avoided the necessity of a clinic or home visit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Queensland, recruitment commenced in June 2020 at Queensland Children’s Hospital and Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital) using the ‘Early detection of infants at risk or with cerebral palsy: QLD Clinical network (QEDIN-CP)’ to help identify eligible infants. Since June 2020, recruitment in Queensland has expanded to Townsville and Cairns, with 194 infants have been enrolled in the KiTE-CP study in Queensland (597 recruited Australia-wide). The first 2 year follow at in Qld commenced in July 2022). The last of the 2 year follow-up interviews should be completed in July 2023. It is anticipated that KiTE CP may assist in identifying CP earlier than is currently possible. Children at-risk could then receive targeted early intervention programs during critical periods of brain development, potentially improving long- term developmental outcomes. 

Contact Details: Dr Morgan Charlton QEDIN Clinical Coordinator, QCPRRC@uq.edu.au.

This project is funded by NHMRC partnership grant (APP158200)

Chief Investigators: Prof. Alicia Spittle, Prof. Iona Novak, Prof. Roslyn Boyd, Dr Cathy Morgan, Prof. Paul Scuffham, Prof. Russell Dale, Prof. Paul Colditz, Prof. Michael Fahey, Prof. Rodney Hunt, Dr Kerstin Pannek.