Two English neuroscientists, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and Suparna Choudhury, point to a remarkable occurrence during infancy that might have echoes in adolescence. Similar to adolescence, during the first 18 months of life there is a surge and then pruning of the brain’s neural connections. Curiously, this sculpting process...
Does the government’s new draft do enough to help those in crisis? Asks Andrew Whitehouse The Australian government released its draft National Autism Strategy yesterday. It aims to power a “coordinated national approach, supporting Autistic people at each stage of life”. The strategy is the fulfilment of...
"Research suggests early intervention is linked with better outcomes for children later in life,” said Kirrilie Smout, clinical child psychologist and founder of Calm Kid Central. Recent research commissioned by HCF, Australia's largest not-for-profit health fund, sheds light on the mental health struggles encountered by Australian...
With many families travelling around Australia over Easter and the school holidays, the NSW Health Department is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being originally notified in early February of a woman with the illness in Sydney. Since measles has...
These pull-aparts are simply scone dough rolled up with a savoury filling, so the trick is not to handle the dough any more than necessary. You can use any filling you fancy, such as chopped herbs, nduja, cheese, anchovies, or tapenade, and serve them as a...
Tamara Heath wonders if liberation equals hyphenation – or is it just more complication? For want of a better solution, my daughters have a hyphenated surname. And I am the first to admit the ‘double banger’ name can be more than a little annoying. It takes careful...
It's great that so many of our books for small children have won Awards for their authors and their illustrators. Most authors will tell you it's hard to keep writing fresh books for kids that keep them interested and thinking about their world. Happy All Over by...
Many Australians are struggling to pay for everyday essentials. Researcher Dr Ana Gamarra Rondinel reports but some of us are feeling the pinch more than others As we head into the Easter period, many Australians are facing a long-term cost-of-living crisis. Thanks to inflation and incremental interest...
What ‘psychological warfare’ tactics do scammers use, and can you protect yourself? by Mike Johnstone and Georgia Psaroulis Not a day goes by without a headline about a victim being scammed and losing money. We are constantly warned about new scams and staying safe from cybercriminals....
Parents say the mental load is crushing, report researchers Kimberley Baxter and Rebecca Byrne. Feeding babies and toddlers can be challenging at the best of times. But when families can’t afford enough food, let alone the recommended range of different coloured vegetables or iron-rich meats, it’s...
