Paediatric care

Understanding, identifying and developing evidence-based best practice in the care of children and young people
A happy customer at a paediatric dental clinic run by Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry
In addition to our population-level research around improving children and young peoples’ health generally and addressing the risk factors of ill health, PIHR researchers also specialise in ways to improve the care of babies and children within healthcare settings. Much of this work is undertaken through our Future Generations Research Group. 

Care of children
We also have significant research expertise in paediatric nursing, streams including child and family centred care (International Network for Child and Family Centred Care, co-Chaired by Neill), patient and family witnessed resuscitation, end-of-life care, paediatric sepsis, patient and family reported outcome measures and clinical care improvement (Latour); and the presentation and management of acute childhood illness in children under five years of age, predominantly in the home and in first contact health services, such as primary care and urgent and emergency care (Neill).
PIHR hosts ASK SNIFF, a programme of research developing video based information resources to help families with young children understand signs and symptoms of acute illness so that they can spot when their child is sick.

Care during pregnancy
Factors such as maternal obesity, excess gestational weight gain, stress and smoking in pregnancy present risks to the developing foetus.
Our research includes an evaluation of eHealth tools in supporting women who have experienced Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the interconception and postpartum periods (Edwards, Shawe, Maslin, Andrade, Jones). 
We have investigated care and support of expectant women with asthma (Williamson) and diabetes (James, Redfern), maternity high dependency care in obstetric units remote from tertiary referral units (James, Endacott) and organisational interventions to reduce caesarean section (Kent).  
We are also involved in global research on maternal and child health, including interventions to reduce exposure to biomass smoke among pregnant women in Uganda (Callaghan) and to support neonatal life support in Cambodia (Westlake).  

Preconception care
The role that pre-conception life plays in shaping future health chances is increasingly recognised.
PREPARE, a programme of research and education in perinatal care run by Jill Shawe aims to improve outcomes for women planning pregnancy. This large programme of work ranges from preconception care for women with chronic health conditions (Maslin, Hopper) and infertile couples, sexual and reproductive healthcare for people experiencing homelessness (Paisi), men's preconception health knowledge and behaviour to research on how people use technologies when trying to conceive.

Related research

Colourful vector image of adults and children.  Future Generations Research Group
 Investing in the health and wellbeing of women, children and families