diff --git a/src/lib/diff/record.hpp b/src/lib/diff/record.hpp
index 764ce2cd1..180312db8 100644
--- a/src/lib/diff/record.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/diff/record.hpp
@@ -230,6 +230,17 @@ namespace diff{
             return extractVal (*found);
         }
       
+      Access
+      child (size_t idx)  const
+        {
+          if (children_.size() <= idx)
+            throw error::Invalid ("Child index "       +util::toString(idx)
+                                 +" out of bounds [0.."+util::toString(children_.size())
+                                 +"[");
+          return children_[idx];
+        }
+      
+      
       /**
        * While otherwise immutable,
        * a Record object can be remoulded
diff --git a/tests/library/diff/generic-record-representation-test.cpp b/tests/library/diff/generic-record-representation-test.cpp
index a065d49fe..cbe258b0f 100644
--- a/tests/library/diff/generic-record-representation-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/library/diff/generic-record-representation-test.cpp
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ namespace test{
           
           CHECK (enterprise.getType() == "starship");
           CHECK (enterprise.get("Registry") == "NCC-1701-D");
+          CHECK (enterprise.child(0) == "Picard");
+          CHECK (enterprise.child(2) == "Data");
           
           CHECK (enterprise.hasAttribute("Owner"));
           CHECK (!enterprise.hasAttribute("owner"));
@@ -160,6 +162,7 @@ namespace test{
           CHECK (util::contains (enterprise, "Worf"));
           
           VERIFY_ERROR (INVALID, enterprise.get("warp10"));
+          VERIFY_ERROR (INVALID, enterprise.child(12));
           
           cout << "enterprise = "
                << enterprise <<endl;