Not every child is a bookworm, but research shows that developing a love of reading early in life can provide many benefits, writes Isang Awah, From a positive impact on academic achievement, increased general knowledge, vocabulary growth, improved writing ability, and helping children to develop empathy,...
It was heartbreaking to watch helplessly as my gregarious little girl, turned into a shy, introverted child in the space of a year, writes Emily Weight. When Daisy started to talk, she was the usual noisy toddler, making sounds and gurgling away. She was a very...
Coronavirus could make things worse for those with an intellectual disability report Susan Collings and Margaret Spencer The coronavirus pandemic is keeping us at home due to widespread unemployment, school closures and social distancing. This has already led to concerns about an upsurge in domestic and...
There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has changed the way we interact with each other, write Gloria Quinones and Megan Adams because right now, all of the family remain in one social space – our homes. We’ve moved from one extreme to the other. From helicopter...
Elisa Hill; Ashley Franks and Sonja McKeown report on their research and why it is important that we look at the Gut problems of children with autism Many people will associate autism with traits including atypical social interactions, repetitive behaviours, and difficulties with speech and communication....
Part of a child’s development is the process of beginning to understand, and grapple with, the complex concept of gender, reports Dr Tania KingWe all know that children are like little detectives. They are constantly seeking to classify and categorise the world around them in...
As schools resume for most Australian students, a new group of parents have emerged, write Rebecca English and Karleen Gribble. These parents have decided to give home education a longer-term try, finding their children have improved academically and benefited from the calmer home learning environment. This change...
Rod Howard decides to delete all expletives and become a sworn-again dad. While it shames me to say it, just occasionally in my brief apprenticeship as a father the stresses and strains of parenthood have resulted in the involuntary utterance of words, which in sober reflection...
Jo Lindsay, Claire Tanner and Deana Leahy report on their research with families with primary school-aged children last year, and they found that the ideal of the shared family meal around a table was a challenging ritual to put into practice. This was particularly the...
A new podcast series by child and adolescent health experts from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute will explore how to support children, adolescents and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first three episodes will discuss wellbeing concerns and a range of solutions across a range of...
