Research summary
Adversity in early life, such as premature birth or congenital heart disease, can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders, including learning disabilities, ADHD and language or motor delays. Detecting these difficulties while children are still infants could lead to better outcomes. But it is virtually impossible to do because these issues often do not become apparent until children start school.
As Canada Research Chair in Child Neuropsychology and Brain Imaging, Dr. Anne Gallagher is looking for ways to identify infants who are at higher risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities. She and her research team are focusing on children with congenital heart disease and infants born prematurely—two groups that often have neurodevelopmental disabilities. Gallagher’s team is characterizing these children’s developmental trajectories, studying the underlying brain mechanisms behind their developmental impairments, and identifying predictive markers of neurodevelopmental disabilities. They hope to develop clinical tools to optimize and individualize pediatric health services.