Neurokids Research Laboratory

About

We bring together a team of health experts to conduct a range of clinical research into medical paediatric speech pathology, with the aim of improving the quality of life and communication of children surviving major childhood cancer and acquired brain injury.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Communication and Swallowing in Children diagnosed with Childhood Brain Tumour or Leukaemia (CBTL).

Child survivors of brain cancer and leukaemia – the top two most common childhood cancers in Australia and developed countries worldwide - often face a new challenge during and after their cancer treatment is completed.

The Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Communication and Swallowing in Children diagnosed with Childhood Brain Tumour or Leukaemia (pdf, 6.4mb) has been developed to assist health professionals and patient consumers (parents of children with CBTL, survivors of CBTL) to provide and advocate for evidence-based care and management of communication and swallowing in children diagnosed with CBTL.

These guidelines were supported and funded by the Cancer Institute NSW, and approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in November 2020. The development of the final recommendations has not been influenced by the views or interests of the funding bodies.

Guideline documents

• Clinical Practice Guideline (pdf, 6.4MB)
  
• Guideline Summary (pdf, 2MB)

In the media

• New guidelines to improve quality of life for kids following cancer, as covered in: 
  University of Sydney News & Opinion (1 April 2021) 
  Nine News Australia (Video and article, 31 March 2021) 

• Brain trauma and leukaemia in children (Speech Pathology Australia Speak Up Podcast, January 2021)
  
• Backpacks, shoes, and bedtimes: our experts’ back to school tips (University of Sydney News & Opinion, 23 January 2018) 
• Many survivors of childhood brain cancer have cognitive difficulties, but these can be treated (The Conversation, 13 April 2016)