Newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy improves chances of walking and quality of life A study by the Sydney Children's Hospital Network (SCHN) and UNSW (Sydney) researchers shows that early diagnosis means early treatment. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a childhood-onset motor neuron disease. Left untreated, it...
Kim McDonnell challenges us to rethink our drive for perfection. Nobody ever really tells you just how hard motherhood can be. Sure, you hear about the physical demands, sleepless nights, unequivocal love you will feel and how “your life will never be the same”. All of...
Researchers Melissa Tham, Cynthia Leung and Peter Hurley report that 4 key challenges remain About 100 early childhood experts are meeting in Canberra today for a national summit on children who are five and under. This is part of the Albanese government’s work to develop an early...
Monica Wright struggled to find a diagnosis for her daughter’s unusual behaviours, but persistence paid off. I have a four-year-old daughter. When people first meet her, they usually describe her as lively, clever, outgoing, friendly, affectionate and talkative. As they get to know her better they’d...
Elizabeth Westrupp and Christiane Kehoe look at ways parents can help their children to share their feelings. Emotions are core to our human experience, but seeing “negative” emotions in our children – anger, fear, jealousy, envy, sadness, resentment – can make us uncomfortable. Strong emotions in our...
Leslie Loble looks at why we should all value the opportunities EdTech can provide and learn to understand it as a learning tool ChatGPT and its powerful capacity to generate original text has taken the education sector by surprise. Not only are universities hurrying to adapt...
Catherine Page Jeffery looks at the pros and the cons The surgeon general is the “nation’s doctor” in the United States. They are tasked with giving Americans the “best scientific information” about their health. Late last month, the current US surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, warned 13 is...
Kelly-Ann Allen looks at the special place schools have in the process of belonging. Every March, in every corner of Australia, schools, workplaces and communities gather in various ways to celebrate Harmony Week*, and whether it’s through shared food, music, songs or stories, this is a...
Early literacy doesn’t always equal an easy path at school, as Judith Ware’s son found to his detriment. No-one could have been prouder than I was when my son began to recognise his alphabet. I took it for granted, this being my first child, that this...
Learning grammar is just as important as it always was but the way we teach it has changed, writes John Munro Many students returning to school this year face a renewed focus on grammar. Just before Christmas, the NSW curriculum was overhauled to include the “explicit...
