Emeritus Professor Dawn Elder, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Our people, University of Otago, Wellington, University of Otago, New Zealand

photo-of-Dawn-Elder

MB ChB DCH FRACP PhD
Emeritus Professor, Department of Paediatrics

Dawn graduated from the University of Otago and did her paediatric training in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. During her paediatric training she was awarded the Lady King scholarship and undertook SIDS-related research with a piglet animal model of hyperthermia at the Dept of Paediatrics, University of Otago, Dunedin. Dawn has been a member of the department since 1995 following completion of advanced training in neonatal medicine in Perth, Western Australia. In addition to her University Work (6/10ths) she works 5/10ths for Capital Coast Health. Dawn has clinical paediatric specialist qualifications in neonatal medicine and paediatric sleep medicine. She worked as a neonatal medicine specialist until 2004 transferring then to retrain in paediatric sleep medicine. She also works clinically in the area of child protection and has particular expertise in the area of child sexual abuse.

As well as teaching roles with 5th years and Trainee Interns, Dawn is also involved in teaching child protection and sleep medicine topics in the DCH.

Research interests

Dawn’s main research focus has been in the area of sleep and breathing, starting initially in the preterm and neonatal age group but extending now to older children. Dawn’s PhD thesis addressed the topic of respiratory variability in infants and children. Further projects are planned along this theme and in particular in relation to the assessment of cardiorespiratory stability at neonatal discharge. Dawn’s research during specialty training related to SIDS and this is still an area of interest. She has also published on death review and the role of post mortem after preterm and term neonatal death. She has on-going research collaborations with colleagues in the Departments of Medicine and Surgery and Anaesthesia at the UOW, and with colleagues in the Dept of Women’s and Children’s Health at the UOD. She is also a co-investigator on the national SUDI case-control study based in Auckland and led by Prof Ed Mitchell. A PhD student Lucie Zwimpfer has just completed a thesis looking at the impact of empathic attunement on infant stress during painful procedures. A current PhD student Conway Niu is looking at intermittent hypoxia as measured by oximetry in term and preterm infants.

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Publications

Rawcliffe, N., Elder, D., & Dobinson, H. (2023). Time to first dose of antibiotics in febrile neonates. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/jpc.16375

Morrison, S., Jackson, R., Haszard, J. J., Galland, B. C., Meredith-Jones, K. A., Fleming, E. A., … Elder, D. E., … Taylor, R. W. (2023). The effect of modest changes in sleep on dietary intake and eating behavior in children: Secondary outcomes of a randomized crossover trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 117, 317-325. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2022.10.007

Elder, D., Miller, J., Douglas, B., Stanley, J., McDowall, P., & Campbell, A. (2023). Children talking about their sleep: A cross-sectional survey of differences by ethnicity and socioeconomic status in Aotearoa New Zealand primary schools. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 19(1), 119-133. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.10264

Galland, B., Haszard, J., Morrison, S., Jackson, R., Meredith-Jones, K., Elder, D., … Taylor, R. (2022). Actigraphy-derived sleep characteristics of healthy children who benefit the most from a sleep extension protocol. Sleep: Advances, 3(Suppl. 1), (pp. A39). doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac029.149

Morrison, S., Haszard, J. J., Galland, B. C., Jackson, R., Meredith-Jones, K. A., Elder, D. E., & Taylor, R. W. (2022). Where does the time go when children don't sleep? A randomized crossover study. Obesity. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/oby.23615

Morgan, J., Coughlan, E. P., Rowan, D., Robertson, A., Elder, D. E., Grimwood, K., … Fleming, P. (2002). New Zealand Herpes Foundation Guidelines for the Management of Genital Herpes in New Zealand (6th ed.). Professional Advisory Board of the New Zealand Herpes Foundation.

Authored Book - Other

Meech, R., Morgan, J., Coughlan, E., Say, J., . . ., Grimwood, K., Elder, D., & et al (Eds.). (2004). New Zealand Herpes Foundation: Guidelines for the management of genital herpes in New Zealand (7th ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: Viral Sexually Transmitted Infection Education Foundation, 42p.

Edited Book - Other

Elder, D. E., & Galland, B. C. (2021). Apnea of infancy, apparent life-threatening events, and sudden death in infancy. In D. Gozal & L. Kheirandish-Gozal (Eds.), Pediatric sleep medicine: Mechanisms and comprehensive guide to clinical evaluation and management. (pp. 341-351). Springer.

Chapter in Book - Research

Taylor, B., & Elder, D. (2012). Sudden unexpected death in infancy. In M. South & D. Isaacs (Eds.), Practical paediatrics. (7th ed.) (pp. 123-129). Edinburgh, UK: Churchill Livingstone.

Chapter in Book - Research

Elder, D. (2004). Neonatal burnout. In R. Fenwicke (Ed.), In practice: The lives of New Zealand women doctors in the 21st century. (pp. 89-100). Auckland: Random House New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Other

Journal - Research Article

Rawcliffe, N., Elder, D., & Dobinson, H. (2023). Time to first dose of antibiotics in febrile neonates. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/jpc.16375

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D., Gandhi, S., & Campbell, A. (2022). CPAP for paediatric patients in Aotearoa New Zealand: Audit of a developing service at Capital and Coast DHB 2005-2020. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1553), 62-71. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

MacFarlane, M. E., Thompson, J. M. D., Wilson, J., Lawton, B., Taylor, B., Elder, D. E., Baker, N., McDonald, G. K., … Mitchell, E. A. (2022). Infant sleep hazards and the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI). Journal of Pediatrics, 245, 56-64. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.01.044

Journal - Research Article

Zwimpfer, L., Elder, D., Lewis, J. G., Stanley, J., & Wiltshire, E. (2022). Salivary cortisol in late preterm infants. Acta Paediatrica, 111, 101-103. doi: 10.1111/apa.16086

Journal - Research Article

Campbell, A. J., Mather, S. J., & Elder, D. E. (2021). Obstructive sleep apnea risk factors and symptoms in children with a known parental obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis. Sleep Medicine, 78, 149-152. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2020.12.030

Journal - Research Article

Marsters, B., Shi, B., Wheeler, B. J., Boucher, S., Macaulay, G., Galland, B., Elder, D., Larsen, P., & Wiltshire, E. (2021). Advanced ECG analysis of cardiac function in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A pilot study. Acta Diabetologica, 58, 1119-1122. doi: 10.1007/s00592-021-01704-y

Journal - Research Article

Morrison, S., Galland, B. C., Haszard, J. J., Jackson, R., McIntosh, D. R., Beebe, D. W., Elder, D. E., Ward, A. L., Meredith-Jones, K., & Taylor, R. W. (2021). Eating in the absence of hunger in children with mild sleep loss: A randomized crossover trial with learning effects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 114, 1428-1437. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab203

Journal - Research Article

Zwimpfer, L., Wiltshire, E., & Elder, D. (2021). Nurse to infant vocalisation during nursing care: Does it vary between painful and non-painful procedures? Journal of Neonatal Nursing, 27, 459-462. doi: 10.1016/j.jnn.2021.06.006

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D., McDowall, P., Sim, D., & Campbell, A. (2020). Sleep in New Zealand children aged 7-9: Associations with ethnicity, socioeconomic status and achievement in reading and mathematics. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 16(6), 847-854. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.8342

Journal - Research Article

Macaulay, G. C., Galland, B. C., Boucher, S. E., Wiltshire, E. J., Haszard, J. J., Campbell, A. J., Black, S. M., Smith, C., Elder, D., & Wheeler, B. J. (2020). Impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus, glucose levels, and glycaemic control on sleep in children and adolescents: A case-control study. Sleep, 43(2), 1-11. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsz226

Journal - Research Article

Neels, A., Tuohy, P., Elder, D., on behalf of the Child Protection Clinical Network of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand. (2020). Training and confidence in undertaking child protection work as reported by New Zealand paediatricians. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health, 56, 107-113. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14504

Journal - Research Article

Wellington, G., Campbell, A. J., & Elder, D. E. (2019). Comparison of 12-hour and 24-hour oximetry recordings in preterm infants. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health, 55, 938-942. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14320

Journal - Research Article

Wellington, G., Campbell, A., & Elder, D. (2019). Intermittent hypoxia in preterm infants: Measurement using the desaturation index. Pediatric Pulmonology, 54, 865-872. doi: 10.1002/ppul.24276

Journal - Research Article

MacFarlane, M., Mitchell, E. A., Thompson, J. M. D., Lawton, B., Zuccollo, J., Elder, D., Taylor, B., McDonald, G., … Fleming, P. (2018). Smoking in pregnancy a key factor for sudden infant death among Māori. Acta Paediatrica, 107(11), 1924-1931. doi: 10.1111/apa.14431

Journal - Research Article

Wellington, G., Elder, D., & Campbell, A. (2018). 24-hour oxygen saturation recordings in preterm infants: Editing artefact. Acta Paediatrica, 107(8), 1362-1369. doi: 10.1111/apa.14293

Journal - Research Article

Berry, M. J., Saito-Benz, M., Gray, C., Dyson, R. M., Dellabarca, P., Ebmeier, S., … Elder, D. E., & Richardson, V. F. (2017). Outcomes of 23- and 24-weeks gestation infants in Wellington, New Zealand: A single centre experience. Scientific Reports, 7, 12769. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12911-5

Journal - Research Article

McDowall, P. S., Elder, D. E., & Campbell, A. J. (2017). Relationship between parent knowledge of child sleep, and child sleep practices and problems: A pilot study in a children's hospital cohort. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health, 53(8), 788-793. doi: 10.1111/jpc.13542

Journal - Research Article

McDowall, P. S., Galland, B. C., Campbell, A. J., & Elder, D. E. (2017). Parent knowledge of children’s sleep: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 31, 39-47. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2016.01.002

Journal - Research Article

Mitchell, E. A., Thompson, J. M. D., Zuccollo, J., MacFarlane, M., Taylor, B., Elder, D., … Baker, N., McDonald, G., Lawton, B., … Fleming, P. (2017). The combination of bed sharing and maternal smoking leads to a greatly increased risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy: The New Zealand SUDI Nationwide Case Control Study. New Zealand Medical Journal, 130(1456), 52-64. Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Muller, D., Signal, L., Elder, D., & Gander, P. (2017). Environmental and behavioural factors associated with school children's sleep in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health, 53(1), 68-74. doi: 10.1111/jpc.13268

Journal - Research Article

Roberts, T., Campbell, A., Larsen, P., & Elder, D. (2017). Preterm infants at discharge: Nap polysomnography versus 24-hour oximetry. Acta Paediatrica, 106(111), 1754-1759. doi: 10.1111/apa.13900

Journal - Research Article

D'Souza, A. J., Russell, M., Wood, B., Signal, L., & Elder, D. (2016). Attitudes to physical punishment of children are changing. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 101(8), 690-693. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-310119

Journal - Research Article

McDowall, P. S., Campbell, A., & Elder, D. (2016). Parent knowledge of child sleep: A pilot study in a children's hospital cohort. Sleep Medicine, 21, 57-62. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2016.01.014

Journal - Research Article

Wellington, G., Campbell, A. J., & Elder, D. E. (2016). Oximetry for preterm infants at neonatal discharge: What is current practice in New Zealand and Australia? Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health, 52(3), 333-337. doi: 10.1111/jpc.13079

Journal - Research Article

Galland, B., Spruyt, K., Dawes, P., McDowall, P. S., Elder, D., & Schaughency, E. (2015). Sleep disordered breathing and academic performance: A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 136(4), e934-e946. doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-1677

Journal - Research Article

Galland, B. C., & Elder, D. E. (2014). Sudden unexpected death in infancy: Biological mechanisms. Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 15(4), 287-292. doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2014.09.003

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E. (2013). Sleep position does not appear to influence the risk of extreme cardiorespiratory events in vulnerable infants [Commentary]. Evidence-Based Nursing, 16(2), 51-52. doi: 10.1136/eb-2012-101003

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E., Campbell, A. J., & Galletly, D. (2013). Current definitions for neonatal apnoea: Are they evidence based? Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health, 49(9), E388-E396. doi: 10.1111/jpc.12247

Journal - Research Article

Gibbs, S., Wiltshire, E., & Elder, D. (2013). Nocturnal sleep measured by actigraphy in children with Prader-Willi syndrome. Journal of Pediatrics, 162(4), 765-769. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.09.019

Journal - Research Article

Chiu, M., Elder, D., & Zuccollo, J. (2012). Gliosis in neonatal SUDI cases. Acta Paediatrica, 101(1), 30-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02413.x

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E., Larsen, P. D., Campbell, A. J., & Galletly, D. C. (2012). Cardioventilatory coupling and inter-breath variability in children referred for polysomnography. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology, 181(1), 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2012.01.006

Journal - Research Article

Galland, B. C., Elder, D. E., & Taylor, B. J. (2012). Interventions with a sleep outcome for children with cerebral palsy or a post-traumatic brain injury: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(6), 561-573. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2012.01.007

Journal - Research Article

Galland, B. C., Taylor, B. J., Elder, D. E., & Herbison, P. (2012). Normal sleep patterns in infants and children: A systematic review of observational studies. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(3), 213-222. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2011.06.001

Journal - Research Article

Gibson, R., Elder, D., & Gander, P. (2012). Actigraphic sleep and developmental progress of one-year-old infants. Sleep & Biological Rhythms, 10(2), 77-83. doi: 10.1111/j.1479-8425.2011.00525.x

Journal - Research Article

Gibson, R., Gander, P., & Elder, D. (2012). Factors differentiating infants identified by parents as problem sleepers, and those that are not. Sleep & Biological Rhythms, 10(1), 46-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1479-8425.2011.00517.x

Journal - Research Article

Zwimpfer, L., & Elder, D. (2012). Talking to and being with babies: The nurse-infant relationship as a pain management tool. Neonatal, Paediatric & Child Health Nursing, 15(3), 10-14.

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E., Campbell, A. J., & Galletly, D. (2011). Effect of position on oxygen saturation and requirement in convalescent preterm infants. Acta Paediatrica, 100(5), 661-665. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02157.x

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E., Campbell, A. J., Larsen, P. D., & Galletly, D. (2011). Respiratory variability in preterm and term infants: Effect of sleep state, position and age. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology, 175(2), 234-238. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2010.11.011

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E., Whale, J., Galletly, D., & Campbell, A. J. (2011). Respiratory events in preterm infants prior to discharge: With and without clinically concerning apnoea. Sleep & Breathing, 15, 867-873. doi: 10.1007/s11325-010-0457-x

Journal - Research Article

Carey, R., Healy, C., & Elder, D. E. (2010). Foreign body sexual assault complicated by rectovaginal fistula [Case report]. Journal of Forensic & Legal Medicine, 17(3), 161-163. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2009.09.009

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E., Larsen, P. D., Galletly, D. C., & Campbell, A. J. (2010). Cardioventilatory coupling in preterm and term infants: Effect of position and sleep state. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology, 174(1-2), 128-134. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2010.05.012

Journal - Research Article

Elder, D. E., Wong, A., & Zuccollo, J. M. (2009). Risk factors for and timing of death of extremely preterm infants. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 49(4), 407-410. doi: 10.1111/j.1479-828X.2009.01033.x

Journal - Research Article

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