code: public static Element getChild( Element root, String name )
      {
          if( null == root )
          {
              return null;
          }
          NodeList list = root.getElementsByTagName( name );
          int n = list.getLength();
          if( n < 1 )
          {
              return null;
          }
          return (Element) list.item( 0 );
      }
docs: Return a named child relative to a supplied element.
  
  @param root the parent DOM element
  @param name the name of a child element
  
  @return the child element of null if the child does not exist