Doctor’s Blog
So Whats The Deal With Homework?
There is much debate about homework. Is it useful, is it effective? The opinions on it broadly fall into two camps: those who support it, who argue that ‘repetition is the mother of all learning’, that the setting of homework reinforces the lessons learned in the...
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
THE DIAGNOSIS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER The diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is complex. In this outline, I hope to make it easier to understand. First, for all intents and purposes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder...
The Real Story Behind The Headlines
From time to time, parents of my young patients ask me about news reports they have seen when searching for my name on the internet. The headlines of the reports give the impression that I am an advocate for corporal punishment as a way of disciplining children....
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Autism
I am a strong supporter of the NDIS. It will bring much needed help and support to many families. However, I also have concerns about the way some people are manipulating the NDIS which could threaten the integrity of the scheme in the longer term. This is...
Support
In education and development in children, the term support is now widely used, but it has a specific meaning which is not understood by many who use it. In everyday language, the word ‘support’ means to give assistance, to help bear the load. It means something...
Not Listening
In describing behavioural problems in children, the term not listening has become common in recent years. Its meaning is becoming clearer, it is used to refer to two different things: Hyperfocus Ignoring Hyperfocus is a state of deep and...