Anxiety can look different in children. Report researchers Elizabeth Westrupp and Jade Sheen Throughout the pandemic, many families have struggled with fears about COVID, employment and lock-downs – all while experiencing disruption to things like school, childcare, social support services and beloved activities. It has been...
Suicidal behaviour is evident in children, with some as young as 10 presenting to hospitals and emergency departments following a self-harm episode – some on multiple occasions. “Anecdotally, we’ve been finding that teachers are overhearing self-harm and suicide being discussed in the playground from the primary...
These ways to ‘hack’ your psychology can help, reports Adrian R. Camilleri It’s late November, which means the holiday sales period has well and truly begun. If you haven’t already seen your spending go up, the possibility is looming. And you probably have some concerns about spending...
Here’s what the science says, writes Mary Steen Soon after a baby is born, it’s getting more common these days for the father or non-birthing parent to be encouraged to put the newborn directly on their chest. This skin-to-skin contact is often termed “kangaroo care”, as...
A new online tool has been launched to support expectant parents in their choices around prenatal testing for chromosome conditions in their unborn baby. It’s YourChoice, created by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and James Cook University, aims to guide pregnant women through the prenatal testing...
Whether it’s debilitating periods or depression during menopause, reports Jayashri Kulkarni, women with mental health problems are told to grin and bear it as their crushing emotions are “simply nature taking its course”. But what we now know, and science has told us, is that many...
Susan Hazel and Julia Henning dispel 3 myths about cat allergies Cats are great companions, but for some people their company comes at a cost. Up to 1 in 5 people have an allergic response to cats, and this figure is increasing. There are many myths about...
It’s hurting their mental health, report researchers Dr Tania King and Jennifer Ervin Billions of hours are spent in unpaid labour across the globe every day. It's a burden that is disproportionately shouldered by women. But in comparison to paid work, unpaid labour is an under-researched topic,...
How should parents and platforms react? Asks Tama Leaver Last week, London coroner Andrew Walker delivered his findings from the inquest into 14-year-old schoolgirl Molly Russell’s death, concluding she “died from an act of self-harm while suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content”. The...
After years of COVID, fires and floods, researcher Jess Harris writes, kids’ well-being now depends on better support Every student in every school in Australia has experienced unprecedented disruptions to their schooling over the past three years. On top of the disruptions and stress of COVID-19...
