Dr Fraser Mustard from the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and Head of the Early Years Taskforce in Ontario, Canada. There's been a lot of debate about treating children diagnosed with ADHD with amphetamines. The use of drugs like Ritalin has become very popular in the last few years, though there's not much evidence that their benefits last. Research from the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne has found that the early benefits of stimulants are sustained for at least 6 months. This Health Report programme focusses on hearing loss in children.
Early intervention is of vital importance in acquiring language skills.
Also, some children have what is called auditory processing problems. This means that while they may have normal hearing, they cannot process the content of what's being said to them. Also, there are calls to screen the hearing of all newborn babies in Australia. According to preliminary findings of a research study at the Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, young children with flat feet do not need orthotic shoe inserts to improve their physical skills or self esteem. A small trial was undertaken in Sydney to find out how best to educate children to prevent being bitten by a dog.