Completed Training Fellowship: Jane Galvin
Host Organisation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
TAC Funding: $61,200
Mentor: Professor Vicki Anderson
Fellowship Project:
An investigation of the relationship between upper limb motor performance &
participation following paediatric TBI
Aims:
This project aimed to measure and describe recovery and development of fine motor
skills and arm use following paediatric brain injury. The project also aimed to
understand the impact of fine motor skills on children’s participation in daily
activities such as dressing, and school based tasks such as writing and cutting.
Methods:
Children were recruited to participate in this study during their inpatient stay
following traumatic brain injury. Children were aged between 6 and 16 years. Fine
motor skills were assessed, along with children’s abilities in self care, school tasks
and participation in the community based activities. Assessments were completed at
3, 6 and 12 months post injury.
Results:
This study is ongoing, however preliminary results suggest that children who have
sustained severe TBI’s demonstrate difficulties with hand and arm movement that
have a significant impact on their ability to participate in all daily activities. Cognitive
difficulties in the most severely injured group impact on their ability to complete
formalised assessments in the first 6 months of recovery, making it difficult to
quantify their movement abilities. Children who sustained moderate TBI’s
demonstrate difficulties with speed and dexterity of movement which impacts on their
ability to complete handwriting and other tasks at the same speed as their peers.
Conclusions:
Children who sustain moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries demonstrate
difficulties with coordination of their hands and arms that impact on their ability to
complete daily activities. Further study is required to confirm the preliminary results
of this study. This information provides baseline data to assist with benchmarking
outcomes and measuring the impact of new interventions.
Career Development
Jane participated in the following activities funded during the course of her TAC
Fellowship:
Short Courses:

Epidemiology and Analytic Methods 1 & 2

Media Training for Scientists

Science Writing
International Exchange:

She was selected to be part of a TAC delegation who visited Canada as part of
an international research exchange with the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.
The delegation travelled to Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa in Canada during
May 2009.
Mentorship:

She supervised three honours students who completed their degrees.

She mentored two Research Australia Youth Ambassadors for a half day each
in November 2008 and December 2009 as part of Research Australia’s public
awareness ‘Thank You’ Day campaign.
Knowledge Translation:

She has been involved in writing clinical guidelines around the assessment of
upper limb function following paediatric brain injury.
Post Fellowship Career Development:
Jane is currently enrolled in a PhD and her focus over the next two years will be on
completing it. She will continue to be involved in development of other projects
related to neurotrauma, and establishing a research program within the rehabilitation
service at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
The projects that have developed during the time of the fellowship and that will be
continuing include:

Measuring participation following paediatric brain injury

Evaluation of a parent information management package in paediatric rehab

Measuring motor skills of children diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic
leukaemia (ALL)

Benchmarking of inpatient paediatric rehabilitation services in Australasia

Benchmarking of ambulatory and community based services for paediatric
rehabilitation in Australia and Canada
Feedback on the Fellowship from Jane Galvin:
“The Fellowship has been an amazing opportunity to expand my skills and networks
in research. The opportunities for additional learning through sponsorship of media
training, professional writing and seminar sessions have improved both my
confidence and skills at presenting. The research exchange to ONF in Toronto
provided an invaluable experience of networking with international leaders in the
area of paediatric rehabilitation, but also with Australian colleagues.
Everyone at TAC has been extremely helpful and supportive throughout the
Fellowship. The ability to dedicate time to research as a result of the Fellowship has
been invaluable, and has provided an opportunity to begin to develop research skills
and expertise, and to demonstrate this through publications and presentation.”
Publications:
GALVIN J, FROUDE E, IMMS C. Sensory processing abilities of children who have sustained
traumatic brain injuries. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2009;63(6):701-709.
GALVIN J, MANDALIS, A. Executive skills and their functional implications: Approaches to
rehabilitation after childhood TBI, Developmental Neurorehabilitation. 2009;12(5):352-360.
GALVIN J, FROUDE EH, MCALEER J. Participation in home, school and community life following
paediatric ABI. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 2010;57(2):118-126.
CHEVIGNARD MP, CATROPPA C, GALVIN J, ANDERSON V. Development of an open ended
ecological task to assess executive functioning in children post TBI: A cooking task. Brain Impairment.
2010;11(2):125-143.
DAVIS E, GALVIN J, SOO C. Reliability of the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) for children and
youth with ABI. Brain Impairment. 2010;11(2):113-124.
GALVIN J, RANDALL, M, HEWISH S, RICE J, & MACKAY MT. Family-centred outcome
measurement following paediatric stroke. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 2010;57(3):152158.
GALVIN J, LIM J, STEER K, EDWARDS J, LEE K. Predictors of functional ability of Australian
children with Acquired Brain Injury following inpatient rehabilitation. Brain Injury. 2010; 24(7-8):
1008-1016.
STEWART J, GALVIN J, FROUDE EH, LENTON P. Evaluation of an Australian adaptation of The
Keeping It Together (KIT) information resource for parents of children with additional needs.
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 2010; 57(4): 268-275.
LEVAC E, GALVIN J. Facilitating clinical decision-making about the use of virtual reality within
paediatric motor rehabilitation: Application of a classification framework. Developmental
Neurorehabilitation. 2011;14(3):177-184.
GALVIN J, HEWISH S, RICE J, MACKAY MT. Functional outcome following paediatric stroke.
Developmental Neurorehabilitation. 2011:14(2):67-71.
Presentations:
GALVIN J, FROUDE E, MCALEER J. Participation following paediatric brain injury. Australian
Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI) Conference; 2009 May 7-9, Sydney, Australia.
GALVIN J, LIM J, STEER K, EDWARDS J. Functional outcomes after inpatient rehabilitation
following paediatric brain injury. Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI)
Conference; 2009 May 7-9, Sydney, Australia.
GALVIN J, RANDALL M, RICE J, HEWISH S, MACKAY M. Functional outcomes and parent /
child concerns following paediatric stroke. Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment
(ASSBI) Conference; 2009 May 7-9, Sydney, Australia.
HICKEY L, GALVIN J, CLARK M, WALLEY K, STEER K, EDWARDS J. Family goal planning
and the rehabilitation process: What is important to families? Australian Society for the Study of Brain
Impairment (ASSBI) Conference; 2009 May 7-9, Sydney, Australia.
LEVAC DE, GALVIN J. A comparative analysis of virtual reality systems within motor rehabilitation
for children and youth with acquired brain injury: Development of a treatment model. IBIA
Conference; 2010 March 10-14, Washington DC, USA.
GALVIN J, ANDERSON V, MCDONALD R, CATROPPA C. Virtual reality and children with TBI:
Pilot and possibilities. International Neuropscyhological Society, 6th Satellite Symposium on
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. 2009 August 3-4, Tallinn, Estonia.