code: def getChildren(self, name=None, ns=None):
          
          if name is None:
              matched = self.__root
          else:
              matched = self.getChild(name, ns)
          if matched is None:
              return []
          else:
              return [matched,]
docs: Get a list of children by (optional) name and/or (optional) namespace.
          @param name: The name of a child element (may contain prefix).
          @type name: basestring
          @param ns: An optional namespace used to match the child.
          @type ns: (I{prefix}, I{name})
          @return: The list of matching children.
          @rtype: [L{Element},...]