Monday's news in under 5 minutes

1. Stillbirth breakthrough

Melbourne researchers have developed a blood test that could help prevent stillbirth.

In a world first Mercy Health researchers have discovered a way to accurately measure a baby’s oxygen levels inside the womb.

This has long troubled clinicians who say it can be difficult to diagnose and measure the extent of oxygen and nutrition deprivation in foetuses, a condition that leads to about half of the 2000 stillbirths in Australia each year.

The breakthrough has taken three years of work. Clare Whitehead, a scientist and clinician who works with Professor Tong, has found that when oxygen levels are low, fragments of genetic material called RNA leak out of the placenta and into the mother’s blood. This is detectable with a simple blood test.

The finding will be published in the prestigious medical journal BMC Medicine today.

2. Mum’s video goes viral

A special needs teenager from Sydney who was not invited to her school formal has been making headlines around the world after her Mum made a video condemning the school that left her out. For more see this post here. “Josie Webster can do anything”

3. Childcare eating up our income

A new Productivity Commission issues paper says families are devoting about 9 per cent of their disposable incomes to childcare fees. The issues paper says many families have difficulty paying for childcare despite recent increases in direct subsidies to parents. The paper highlights concerns about excessive regulation of childcare.

However, childcare experts have warned that any push to reduce regulation, especially the level of staff training or educator-to-child ratios, could seriously compromise the quality of childcare services.

4. Swimming Pool drowning

A two-year-old girl has drowned in Griffith in NSW in a backyard pool. She was found in her families pool at 6pm last night. It is the second drowning in the area in a month.

In Sydney’s north-west  a toddler was found also in a pool by family members just after 4pm  yesterday. The boy was unconscious for a couple of minutes.

The Careflight doctor and paramedics treated the toddler as he was taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

5. Cabin Crew links to Parkinson’s

Long-haul flight attendants who have been forced to spray insecticide through aircraft cabins every time they landed in Australia fear the chemicals may have given them Parkinson’s disease, which can leave victims immobile, speechless or with tremors.

According to News Limited former Qantas steward Brett Vollus is preparing to launch a legal action against the Commonwealth government, which enforces the need for spraying to prevent disease.

6. Newborn joy

Melbourne Zoo is celebrating the birth of a new baby elephant just days after the death of his half brother. On Sunday Asian elephant Dokkoon gave birth to her second calf – 131kg boisterous baby boy! For more see this post here.

7. Susan Boyle

Scottish singer Susan Boyle has revealed that she has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism.

Boyle, a 52-year-old church volunteer who became a global singing sensation, told Britain’s Observer newspaper she had been diagnosed a year ago and spoke of her relief after years of bullying for her learning difficulties.

“It was the wrong diagnosis when I was a kid. I was told I had brain damage.”

8. Painkiller to have warning label

Nurofen Plus packets will soon be plastered with warning labels in an attempt to stop customers accidentally getting hooked on the tablets. Experts have labelled ibuprofen-codeine pill addiction a “hidden epidemic”, with reports of people gorging up to 100 tablets every day.

 9. Mum driving drunk

A woman in Melbourne has been caught driving her six-year-old son to a birthday party drunk. She recorded a reading of 0.099 at a local police station and was issued with a penalty notice for $433, which also carries a loss of licence for six months.

10. Child restraints

In the latest round of safety testing just one child seat of 17 inspected has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating. The top marks given to the Ezy Boost (Babylove) model for crash protection brings to four the total of five-star restraints.

Of the 139 tested, none have been given the highest rating for ease of use, which experts said was vital to ensure it was used correctly.

11. Five-year-old taken into care

A five-year-old girl in the UK has been taken into care due to her concerning weight. The girl who is 66 kilos is at least three times the weight of what is expected of a healthy girl and is one of the heaviest five-year-olds recorded in the UK.

She was taken into care in August last year and is understood to have been tested for a rare genetic condition which causes constant hunger.

Child protection experts have labelled the case ‘a tragedy’ and expressed disbelief that action was not taken sooner by the local council.

In Brief:

In the UK a primary school has banned Enid Blyton children’s stories so it could win a race equality award.

A new study has shown that only 26 per cent of Australians will receive a gift they actually want this Christmas.

England has survived day four in Adelaide, but Australia needs only four wickets to wrap up the second Test today.