Preventing outbreaks of childhood infectious diseases, injuries and other health-related events

In this division we focus on investigative research to help medicine better understand infectious disease outbreaks and other conditions that occur rather suddenly in large numbers. In the 2000s, more American children than ever are suffering from diabetes, obesity, sleep problems and other conditions that can have lifelong negative effects on their health—and on the everyday lives of their families.

At any one time we may be operating ten or more large-scale projects funded by the National Institutes of Health. In fact, we work so closely and so often with the National Institutes of Health that we developed own website for them here

For example, in 2006 we are conducting extensive studies of children in the Cleveland area to learn more about why sleep apnea (awakening so frequently at night that the quality of sleep suffers) occurs. In a family study of sleep, we visit homes and record information on one or more of their children who are afflicted with sleep apnea. We also conduct multiple tests in the sleep laboratory that help us examine hereditary as well as environmental risk factors for sleep disorders, asthma, obesity, and other common conditions.

In another study, we discovered that two major risk factors – premature birth and being of African-American race – predispose people to developing sleep apnea in teenage (middle childhood). This kind of information is very important for helping us develop better preventive approaches.

Another area of focus here is training; we're constantly involved in educating residents, students, and fellows, allowing them to learn as they work within the projects we operate.