Neurodevelopmental disorders are a diverse group of conditions that affect the brain from early development. writes Alison Poulton. They include attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. These conditions usually become more evident over time. This is because delays in the skills...
Marlena Katene, a recent Year 12 student living with cerebral palsy, believes that every young person deserves more than just a plan — they deserve a dream. In this powerful first-person piece, she shares how a future shaped by inclusion, support and belief can change...
Introducing solid food is a key milestone for babies, usually around six months of age, writes WA paediatric dentist Dr Anna Buckeridge Solid Starts The texture of food typically progresses from purees to mashed, then minced and chopped foods by eight months, and finger foods by 12...
Joanne Fedler finds the fiction of the tooth fairy hard to sustain. The First Tooth: Easy Magic The thing about lies is that they are very difficult to keep under control. They are very difficult to keep under control. They say that the best thing to do when...
Mattel has recently released a Barbie with Type 1 diabetes to support representation, raise awareness, and promote understanding among children, report Lynne Chepulis and Anna Serlachius Barbie has done many things since she first appeared in 1959. She’s been an astronaut, a doctor, a president and...
The news isn’t good – and the problems are worse for girls, report Scarlett Smout and Katrina Champion We know young people in Australia and worldwide are experiencing growing mental health challenges. The most recent national survey from the Australian Bureau of Statistics found nearly two in...
When he happens upon a cemetery of children who died in the Irish famine of the 1840s, Professor Brendan Gleeson is prompted to reflect upon the poverty of our thinking in relation to the youth of today. Have We Designed Cities That Work Against Children? I’m an...
Australian kids BYO lunches to school. Researchers Liesel Spencer, Katherine Kent and Miriam Williams ask What would it take to introduce at-school meals? Australian parents will be familiar with this school morning routine: hastily making sandwiches or squeezing leftovers into containers, grabbing a snack from the...
A new ADA survey reveals many Aussie parents delay their child’s first dental visit, skip flossing, and still serve sugary drinks—despite knowing the risks. Most children’s first dental visits come too late Most parents take their young child for their first dental visit years later than recommended,...
With a government review underway, report Marilyn Campbell and Shannon O'Brien, we have to ask why children bully other kids. The federal government has launched a “rapid review” to examine what works in preventing bullying in schools. Led by mental health experts, the review will inform a...
