一本道

Young Survivor Unit (YoSU)

adult hand holding the hand of a prematurely born baby. Photographer: herjua
Our research aims to better understand the development of children who have been seriously ill early in life. 

The child's early years are critical for later development. Injuries to the child in connection with childbirth, birth long before the expected date or serious illness early in life affect the child's opportunities to develop. Our research aims to better understand the development of these children.

In the past, many of these children did not survive the first period. As healthcare has developed, more and more are surviving. These new and later young survivors are at great risk for brain damage, motor abnormalities and CP, autism, ADHD and learning disabilities.

A research group sits on a bench at Campus US in Link枚ping.Young Survivor Unit (YoSU). Photo credit John Karlsson Our research aims to better understand the development of children who have been seriously ill early in life. Furthermore, to develop and study interventions that, in the long term, increase the children's functioning in everyday life. We evaluate assessment instruments with the aim of improving diagnostics and enabling the right support interventions for the children and families we meet. We study interventions with a focus on strengthening children's cognitive, motor and social skills.

The aim

The aim of our research is generally to improve knowledge, diagnostics and interventions for children who have been seriously ill during the newborn period. Ultimately, our vision is to move from "wait and see" to early intervention.

News

Publications

Latest publications

2026

D. Tsamadou, K. Kallen, A. Hellstrom, G. Holmstrom, F. Pedrosa-Domellof, U. Kjellstrom, Abbas Al-Hawasi, L. Hellstrom-Westas, Thomas Abrahamsson, M. Nilsson, A. Ohlin, Ulrika 脜d茅n, K. Hellgren (2026) Acta Ophthalmologica (Article in journal)
Sofia Ekmark Sergel, Michael Lundberg, Cecilia Magnusson, Ulrika 脜d茅n, Gunnar Bergman, Veronica Siljehav (2026) Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease, Vol. 15, Article e049927 (Article in journal)
M. Ortqvist, A. Spittle, Ulrika 脜d茅n, K. E. Kraft, R. N. Boyd, C. Luke, A. F. Bos (2026) Early Human Development, Vol. 222, Article 106622 (Article in journal)
Noni Wadstr枚m, Anna Hallin Provenzano, Kristina L枚wing, Erika Zettby, Mara Westling Allodi, Ann-Charlotte Smedler, Maria 脰rtqvist, Ulrika 脜d茅n (2026) (Conference paper)
Erika Zettby, Noni Wadstr枚m, Ulrika 脜d茅n (2026) (Conference paper)

Projects

Research group

Organisation