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Professor Daynia Ballot

Qualifications

MBBCH; FCPaeds SA; PhD
Current posts

Paediatrician
Registered Neonatologist
Head of the School, Neonatal unit, CMJAH
Associate Professor University of the Witwatersrand
Portfolios

Paeds Department Research Coordinator
Member of the SOCM graduate studies committee
Councillor of the College of Paediatricians
Regular convenor/ moderator. Examiner FCP
APLS Instructor
Instructor on Neonatal Resuscitation course
Chair Wits Paediatric Fund
Biosketch

I have worked in the neonatal unit and neonatal / paediatric ICU at CMJAH since 1991, having been the neonatal research registrar in 1991  I have a strong interest in research and am the head of PRINCE (Project to improve Neonatal Care) which has been accredited as a research programme within the FOHS. PRINCE has been awarded a grant from the Fuchs Foundation for 2016-2020.  I am an NRF C2 rated researcher
I supervise many postgraduate degrees including MMED, MSC and PhD. I am a regular internal and external examiner for postgraduate degrees at all levels.  I am a regular reviewer for various local and international journals, including British Medical Journal,   
My current research interests include a neonatal / paediatric ICU database which is kept for quality improvement purposes.  We submit data on the very low birth weight babies to the Vermont Oxford Network.  I am also doing a long term developmental study on high risk babies discharged from our unit.
I am involved in emergency medicine and resuscitation and train regularly on both the APLS and neonatal resuscitation courses.

I also have an interest in medical education and am currently serving on the Council of the College of paediatricians.  I have been involved in the FCP exam for the past 12 years – as examiner, convenor and moderator.
Professional interests
Neonatology
  • infections, including antimicrobial resistance, biomarkers of infection, diagnosis of neonatal sepsis
  • outcome of very low birth weight infants
  • developmental outcome of high risk newborns
  • quality improvement  of neonatal care – particularly perinatal asphyxia, extremely low birth weight infants and infection
Phone number
Email address/es

Daynia.ballot@wits.ac.za
Outreach

As chair of the Wits Paediatric Fund, I am also very involved in fundraising for the Department.  The fundraising is mostly events based and over the years  has moved from a charity ball and fundraising breakfasts to the annual  UP TO SPAED and GP Update, which are organised by WPF.
I have also coordinated outreach programmes for Helpmekaar college, where I am a parent.  In both 2013 and 2015 the paediatric department was supported by Helpmekaar with fundraising, children’s parties and weekly visits to the hospitals.  The school children collected various items (blankets, prem clothes, magazines, toys) which were distributed to the children and their mothers on the weekly visits.

WPF has been the recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Academic Citizen award and I have received a Wits Volunteer award.
Publications
Research output

JOURNAL ARTICLES

  1. de Franca Martins A, Graubard Z, Ballot DE. Percutaneous nephrostomy for bilateral obstruction in carcinoma of the cervix.
  2. Meyer TE, Ballot DE, Bothwell TH et al The HLA linked iron loading gene in an Afrikaner population.  J Med Genetics 1987; 24: 348 – 56.
  3. Ballot DE, Baynes RD, Bothwell TH et al.  The effects of fruit and fruit juices on the absorption of iron from a rice meal.  Br J Nutr 1987; 57: 331 – 43.
  4. Derman DP, Ballot DE, Bothwell TH et al. Factors influencing the absorption of iron from soya bean protein products.  Br J Nutr 1987; 57 345 – 53.
  5. Ballot DE, Meyer TE, Bothwell TH et al. Idiopathic haemachromatosis – family studies and results of a pilot prevalence study.  S Afr Med J. 1987; 71: 639 – 42.
  6. Lamperelli RD, MacPhail AP, Bothwell TH, Ballot DE et al Curry Powder as a vehicle for iron fortification: effects on iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr 1987; 46: 335 – 40.
  7. Cotton MF, Darby C, Ballot DE.  Neonatal apnoea due to proprietary medicines – still a problem.  S Afr Med J 1988; 73(2); 134.
  8. Idiopathic haemochromatosis in an Afrikaner population   Meyer TE, Baynes RD, Bothwell TH, Ballot DE, Jenkins T.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1988; 526: 328 – 330
  9. Ballot DE, MacPhail AP, Bothwell TH, Gillooly M, Mayet FG. Fortification of curry powder with Na Fe (111) EDTA in an iron deficient population: initial survey of iron status.  Am L Clin Nutr 1989; 49: 156 – 61.
  10. Ballot DE, MacPhail AP, Bothwell TH, Gillooly M, Mayet FG. Fortification of curry powder with Na Fe (111) EDTA in an iron deficient population: report of a controlled iron fortification trial. Am J Clin Nutr 1989; 49: 162-9. 
  11. Ballot DE, Rothberg AD, Katz BJ. Speech and hearing problems in a high-risk population.  S Afr Med J 1992; 82: 23-6.
  12. Ballot DE, Rothberg AD, Gottlich E, Harnekar A, Cooper PA, Davies VA, De Vos G. early dexamethasone therapy in hyaline membrane disease: effects on the cytopathological changes of bronchial epithelium and ventilatory requirements.  Paed Rev Comm 1992; 6: 221 – 29.
  13. Schoub BD, Johnson S, McAnerney J, Blackburn NK, Guidozzi F, Ballot DE, Rothberg AD.  Is antenatal screening for rubella and cytomegalovirus justified? S Afr Med J 1993; 83: 108-10. 
  14. Ballot DE, Rothberg AD, Davies VA, Smith J, Kirsten G.  Does hypoxaemia prevent brain damage in birth asphyxia? Medical Hypotheses 1993; 41: 344 –347.
  15. Ballot DE, Rothberg AD. Congenital syphilis as a notifiable disease. S Afr Med J.  1993; 83: 721 –23.
  16. Ballot DE, Rothberg AD.  Some reasons for failure to notifiy congenital syphilis.  Editorial S Afr Med J 1993; 83 : 711 –12.
  17. Ballot DE, Rothberg AD, Davies VA.  The late administration of surfactant.  S Afr Med J. 1995; 85: 644 –46.
  18. Smith RE, Ballot DE, Rothberg AD.  Maternal booking status as a criterion for admission for neonatal intensive care.  S Afr Med J 1995; 85: 430 –1.
  19. Davies VA, Ballot DE, Rothberg AD.  The cost and effectiveness of surfactant replacement therapy at Johannesburg Hospital, November 1991 to December 1992. S Afr Med J 1995; 85: 6476 – 49.
  20. Guidozzi F, Ballot DE, Rothberg AD. Human B19 parvovirus infection in an obstetric population. A prospective study determining foetal outcome. J Reproductive Med 194; 39: 36 –38.
  21. Davies VA, Rothberg AD, Ballot DE. The introduction of surfactant replacement therapy into South Africa S Afr Med J 1995; 85: 637-640.
  22. Ballot DE, Rothberg AD, Davies VA. The selection of infants for surfactant replacement therapy under conditions of limited financial resources.
  23. Ballot DE, Ballot NS, Rothberg AD.  Reasons for failure to administer antenatal corticosteroids in preterm labour.  S Afr Med J 1995; 85: 1005-7.
  24. Ballot DE, Davies VA, Rothberg AD, Ginsberg N. Selection of paediatric patients for intensive care.  S Afr Med J 1995; 85: 1221 – 6.
  25. Ballot DE, Cooper PA, Saloojee H.  Neonatal and maternity services in Gauteng. S Afr Med J 1996 (letter to the Editor); 86: 851-2.
  26. Ballot DE, Mohanlal P, Davies VA, Cooper PA Factors associated with poor prognosis in very low birthweight infants.  S Afr Med J 1996; 86: 1457-60.
  27. Gregersen NE, Ballot DE, Guidozzi F, Cooper PA.  Birth asphyxia – presenting the case for a stitch in time” S Afr Med J 1999; 89: 326-332.
  28. Magudumana MO, Ballot DE, Cooper PA, Trusler J, Cory BJ, Viljoen E, Carter AC.  Serial interleukin 6 measurements in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.  J Trop Paed 2000; 46: 267-71.
  29. Bomela HN, Ballot DE, Cory BJ, Cooper PA.  Use of C reactive protein to guide duration of empiric antibiotic therapy in suspected early neonatal sepsis.  Pediatr Infect Dis J 2000; 19: 531-35.
  30. Bomela HN, Ballot DE, Cooper PA. Is prophylaxis of early onset Group B streptococcal disease appropriate for South Africa?  S Afr Med J 2001; 91: 858-60.
  31. Avent M, Cory BJ, Galpin J, Ballot DE, Cooper PA, Sherman G, Davies VA.  A comparison of high versus low dose recombinant human erythropoeitin versus blood transfusion in the management of anaemia of prematurity in a developing country.  J Tropical Paediatrics 2002; 48: 1-7.
  32. Stancheva VP, Sherman GG, Avent M, Cory BJ, Ballot DE , Cooper PA. Haematological reference ranges in black very low birth weight infants. Pediatric Haematology and Oncology.  2002: 19,2: 91 – 94.
  33. Ballot DE, Perovic O, Galpin J, Cooper PA. Serum procalcitonin as an early marker of neonatal sepsis. S Afr Med J 2004; 94: 851-854
  34. Ranchod TM, Ballot DE, Martinez A, Cory BJ, Davies VA, Partridge JC. Parental perception of neonatal intensive care in public sector hospitals in South Africa. S Afr Med J 2004; 94: 913 -6.
  35. Partridge JC, Ranchod TM, Ballot DE, Martinez AM, Cory BJ, Davies VA. Intensive care for very low birth weight infants in South Africa: a survey of physician attitudes, parent counseling and resuscitation practices.J Trop Pediatr. 2005 Feb;51(1):11-6.
  36. Motara F, Ballot DE, Perovic O.  Epidemiology of neonatal sepsis at Johannesburg Hospital.  S Afr J Epidemiology 2005; 20 (3): 90-93.
  37. White D, Ballot DE, Cooper PA, Perovic O, Galpin J.  Can a negative procalcitonin level guide antibiotic therapy in early onset neonatal sepsis?  SAJCH 2007; 1: 146 - 150
  38. Ballot DE, Cooper PA, Cry BJ, Velaphi S, Beckh Arnold E, Mlandu J, Palmer C. A pilot study to determine whether external stabilization of the chest wall reduces the need for mechanical ventilation in preterm infants.  SAJCH 2008; 2: 146 – 150.
  39. Ballot DE, Chirwa TF, Cooper PA. Determinants of survival in Very Low birth weight neonates in a public sector hospital in Johannesburg.  BMC Paediatrics 2010 10:30 http://www.biomedicalcentral.com/1471-2431/10/30
  40. Kanji A, Khoza-Shangase K, Ballot D. Hearing screening follow-up return rate in a very low birth weight project:  A retrospective record review. SAJCH 2010; 4: 95-99
  41. Ballot DE. Cooling for newborns with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy: RHL commentary (last revised: 1 October 2010). The WHO Reproductive Health Library; Geneva: World Health Organization.
  42. Mackay CA, Ballot DE, Cooper PA. Growth of a cohort of very low birth weight infants in Johannesburg, South Africa
    BMC Pediatrics 2011, 11:50
  43. Mackay CA, Ballot DE, Perovic O.  Serum 1,3 – BD – Glucan assay in the diagnosis of fungal disease in neonates.  Paediatric Reports 2011; 3:e14doi:10.4081/pr.2011.e14
  44. Ballot DE, Potterton J, Chirwa t, Hilburn N, Cooper PA.  Developmental outcome of very low birthweight infants in a developing country. BMC Pediatrics 2012; 12: 11 doi:10.1186/1471-2431-12-11
  45. Ballot DE, Nana T, Sriruttan C, Cooper PA.  Bacterial bloodstream infections in neonates in a developing country.  ISRN Pediatrics Volume 2012, Article ID 508512, 6 pages doi:10.5402/2012/508512 ISRN Pediatrics  
  46. Kalimba E., Ballot DE.  Survival of extremely low birthweight infants.  SAJCH 2013; 7(1): 13 - 16
  47. Dhlamini MB, Suchard MS, Wiggill TM, Fadahun OO, Ballot DE.  CD64 has high negative predictive value for neonatal sepsis   SAJCH 2013; 7 (1): 22 – 24.
  48. Padayachee N, Ballot DE.  Outcomes of neonates with perinatal asphyxia at a tertiary academic hospital in Johannesburg S Afr J CH 2013;7(3):89-94. DOI:10.7196/SAJCH.574
  49. Ballot DE, Bosman N, Nana T, Ramdin T, Cooper PA.  Changing patterns of neonatal fungal sepsis in a developing country.  J Trop Paed (advance access published 26 June 2013) doi:10.1093/tropej/fmt053
  50. M K Bassingthwaighte, MB ChB, MPH, DCH (SA); D E Ballot, MB ChB, FCPaed (SA), PhDOutcomes of babies born before arrival at a tertiary hospital in Johannesburg S Afr J CH 2013;7(4):139-145. DOI:10.7196/SAJCH.671
  51. BI Garba, MBBS(ABU), FMCPaed(Nig), DipAllergy(SA), MSc Med(Wits),DE Ballot, MBChB, FCPaed(SA), PhD,  DA White, MBBCh(Wits), FCPaed(SA), MMed(Paed), DipAllergy(SA), Home Circumstances and asthma control in Johannesburg children.  Cert Pulm(Paed)(SA) Current Allergy & Clinical Immunology 2014 September Vol 27 No.3
  52. JC Mudahemuka MBChB, DE Ballot MBChB FCPaed (SA), PhD  Birth weight recovery among very low birth weight infants surviving to discharge from Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Neonatal unit. S Afr J CH2014;8(4):149-153. DOI:10.7196/SAJCH.709
  53. C Jardine   MBBCH, DE Ballot MBBCH, FCPaed (SA), PhD.  The use of nasal CPAP at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.  S Afr J CH 2015;9(2):45-48. DOI:10.7196/SAJCH.859
  54. Daynia E. Ballot, Tobias Chirwa, Tanusha Ramdin, Lea Chirwa, Irma Mare, Victor A. Davies, Peter A. Cooper A Comparison of Morbidity and Mortality of Very Low Birthweight Infants in a Central Hospital in Johannesburg between two time periods..  BMC Pediatrics 2015:20 doi:10.1186/s12887-015-0337-4.H 
  55. L. Sepeng, DE Ballot . An audit of feeding practices in the neonatal wards at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital          S Afr. J Child Health 2015;9(4):133-136.  OI:10.7196/SAJCH.2015.v9i4.895.9 (4):133-136.
  56. Z Dadoo, DE Ballot An Evaluation of the Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity in very low birth weight babies at a tertiary hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.   S Afr J Child Health 2016;10(1):79-82. DOI:10.7196/SAJCH.2016.v10i1.1099
  57.  Ziyaad Dangor, Gaurav Kwatra, Alane Izu, Peter Adrian, Clare L. Cutland, Sithembiso Velaphi, Daynia Ballot, Gary Reubenson, Elizabeth R. Zell, Sanjay G. Lala, Shabir Madhi Correlates of protection of serotype- specific capsular antibody and invasive Group B Streptococcus disease in South African infants  (Vaccine, Volume 33, Issue 48, Pages 6793-6799)
  58. A.V.  Mphaphuli, DE Ballot Review of chronic lung disease in neonates at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014.  (S Afr J Child Health – In Press)
  59. DE Ballot, G Rugamba.  Exchange transfusion for neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in    Johannesburg, South Africa from 2006 to 2011.   ISRN (Pediatrics) 2016, pages 1-5,      http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1268149 
  60. DE Ballot, VA Davies, PA Cooper, T Chirwa, A Argent, M Mer. A Retrospective Cross Sectional Review of Survival Rates in Critically Ill Children Admitted to a Combined Paediatric /Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Johannesburg, South Africa, 2013 – 2015. BMJ Open 2016;6:e010850. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010850 1
  61. A Ghoor, DE Ballot, G Scher. Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Cranial Ultrasound abnormalities in Very Low Birth Weight Infants at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, Johannesburg.  Submitted to SAJCH
  62. T. Dorofaeff, RM.Bandini, J Lipman, DE Ballot, J A Roberts, SL Parker. Uncertainty in Antibiotic Dosing in Critically Ill Neonate and Pediatric Patients: Can Microsampling Provide the Answers? Clinical Therapeutics/Volume ], Number ], 2016
  63. K Mopeli, DE Ballot, DA White. An audit of primary medical conditions in children admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.  S Afr J Child Health  (In Press)

 

Chapters in Books
  • Screening of the newborn.  DE Ballot IN Topics in Paediatrics Eds J Basin, N Ginsberg.  1st Edition.  Julmar communications.  Johannesburg 1996
  • Neonatal sepsis. DE Ballot In Congenital and perinatal infections: prevention, diagnosis and treatment.  Eds ML Newell, J McIntyre  Cambridge University Press 2000.  pp 321-336.
  • Compiled “South African Handbook of Neonatal Resuscitation” South African Paediatric Association. Published 2004. Revised 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014.
  • Factors Associated with Survival to Discharge of Newborns in a Middle Income Country.  Daynia E. Ballot, Tobias Chirwa Epidemiology (INTECH open) (In Press)

 

 

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