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ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
New research shows bullying a main factor behind self-harm thoughts for people with Tourette syndrome
WARNING: This story contains content about bullying and suicidal ideation. When Nita Ryan's son Anzac was just 10 years old, she heard him say the words every parent dreads — and a nation-first study has found the experience is alarmingly common. "Anzac came to his teacher and us and told us at one point that he did not want to be here anymore," Ms Ryan said. "He just wanted his tics to stop." Anzac, 11, lives with Tourette syndrome, a neurological condition which causes involuntary movements and vocalisations, known as tics. A new report by the Kids Research Institute Australia and the University of New South Wales found one in two children with a tic-related disorder have thought about ending their life. The rates of attempted suicide in children and adults with the condition are five times the national average. The Impact for Tourette's research project found bullying, discrimination and a lack of understanding were some of the main contributing factors to emotional distress. Anzac lives with at least 20 different tics and recently had to move schools after "severe" bullying led him to an overwhelming sense of helplessness. "[It was] horrific. A 10-year-old should never have to feel that. A 10-year-old shouldn't know what that is," his mum Ms Ryan said. "We had a few incidents where he was actually followed to our car to get picked up and he was pushed and hit." The move was the best decision the family made, but now in grade six, Anzac is worried about the future. "I don't feel teased at my school right now … I feel like when I go to high school I might be left out or in a lot of trouble," Anzac said. "Staying with my family makes me feel safe and nothing can happen to me. "[At school] it's hard to feel safe and it's hard to learn sometimes. "It's like a curse and it's a severe condition that isn't fixable." About 1 per cent of children live with Tourette syndrome in Australia and along with the social stigma, the healthcare sector is also lagging. The report evaluated systemic issues across the healthcare, education, employment and mental health sectors and found challenges across the board. It made seven recommendations to the industries to improve the treatment and management of Tourette syndrome. Senior research fellow and report co-author, Dr Melissa Licari , said one of the key recommendations was to establish a national clinical guideline for diagnosis and treatment. "After they're diagnosed, there's no services available in terms of providing the therapies and treatments that they need and also the support that they might need in the community as well," Dr Licari said. "There also needs to be training and resources available for healthcare professions, for educators and also employees." Despite being severe and common, Tourette syndrome has not garnered the same attention as other disorders. Ms Ryan said Anzac also has an autism spectrum disorder and said the difference in response to the diagnosis was astounding. "When he was diagnosed with autism, we were given all of this information … here is all of the specialists that can help you, here's all of the therapies that can help you," she said. The research also found only one in 20 people have access to NDIS funding and on his third attempt of medication, Anzac's medical bills have added up. "Everything we do, we have to do privately and pay," Ms Ryan said. "It's extremely hard, especially if he's crying in pain. You can't do anything. There's nothing anyone can do."
The Herald Scotland
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Herald Scotland
Surprise humpback whale calf sightings off Australia prompt worries
That pattern raises new issues, including the need to increase awareness to protect newborn whales throughout their winter journeys, the authors wrote in the study published May 21 in the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science. "Hundreds of humpback calves were born well outside the established breeding grounds," said Tracey Rogers of the University of New South Wales, a senior author. "Giving birth along the 'humpback highway' means these vulnerable calves, who are not yet strong swimmers, are required to swim long distances much earlier in life than if they were born in the breeding grounds." Newborn humpbacks aren't as strong as adult whales, and "mums with newborns swim much more slowly," Rogers said. "Newborns are like Great Dane puppies. They have those long, enormous fins that they need to grow into, and they're not very strong swimmers. So they rest a lot of the time on their mum's back." Once near extinction, humpback whales have rebounded thanks to conservation programs. Today the population is estimated at roughly 50,000. Sightings for the study were collected across an area extending from Queensland down to Tasmania and across to New Zealand's South Island. "Historically, we believed that humpback whales migrating north from the nutrient-rich Southern Ocean were travelling to warmer, tropical waters such as the Great Barrier Reef to calve," says lead author Jane McPhee-Frew, a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales Sydney and whale watching skipper. "The pattern we're seeing is mother whales with calves travelling through some of the busiest shipping lanes and urbanised regions," said McPhee-Frew. Her first calf sighting in Newcastle in 2023, home of the largest coal export port in the world, was within a busy shipping lane. "This means these vulnerable animals are exposed to risks like boat strikes, entanglements, pollution - and just general public unawareness," she said. Questions remain about the whales' migration, including how the humpback mothers use different marine environments along their migration route and why they continue to travel north after giving birth, even though there's really no food for them in the tropics. Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers climate change, wildlife and the environment. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Surprise baby whale sightings along a busy 'humpback highway' prompt new worries
Whale researchers combined modern-day sightings with 19th century records and are revealing new information about when and where humpback whales give birth along a busy 'humpback highway' off Australia. Humpback calves are being born not just in a calving zone at the end of the migration route, but along the way and even farther south than previously understood, according to a study led by researchers at the University of New South Wales. That pattern raises new issues, including the need to increase awareness to protect newborn whales throughout their winter journeys, the authors wrote in the study published May 21 in the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science. 'Hundreds of humpback calves were born well outside the established breeding grounds,' said Tracey Rogers of the University of New South Wales, a senior author. 'Giving birth along the 'humpback highway' means these vulnerable calves, who are not yet strong swimmers, are required to swim long distances much earlier in life than if they were born in the breeding grounds.' Newborn humpbacks aren't as strong as adult whales, and 'mums with newborns swim much more slowly,' Rogers said. 'Newborns are like Great Dane puppies. They have those long, enormous fins that they need to grow into, and they're not very strong swimmers. So they rest a lot of the time on their mum's back.' Once near extinction, humpback whales have rebounded thanks to conservation programs. Today the population is estimated at roughly 50,000. Sightings for the study were collected across an area extending from Queensland down to Tasmania and across to New Zealand's South Island. 'Historically, we believed that humpback whales migrating north from the nutrient-rich Southern Ocean were travelling to warmer, tropical waters such as the Great Barrier Reef to calve,' says lead author Jane McPhee-Frew, a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales Sydney and whale watching skipper. 'The pattern we're seeing is mother whales with calves travelling through some of the busiest shipping lanes and urbanised regions," said McPhee-Frew. Her first calf sighting in Newcastle in 2023, home of the largest coal export port in the world, was within a busy shipping lane. 'This means these vulnerable animals are exposed to risks like boat strikes, entanglements, pollution – and just general public unawareness,' she said. Questions remain about the whales' migration, including how the humpback mothers use different marine environments along their migration route and why they continue to travel north after giving birth, even though there's really no food for them in the tropics. Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers climate change, wildlife and the environment. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Surprise humpback whale calf sightings off Australia prompt worries
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Surprise baby whale sightings along a busy 'humpback highway' prompt new worries
Surprise baby whale sightings along a busy 'humpback highway' prompt new worries Whale researchers have new data about humpback whales giving birth along a busy 'humpback highway' off Australia. Show Caption Hide Caption Humpback whale almost swipes diver swimming with orcas A diver, who was freediving with orcas, narrowly avoided being hit by the humpback's tail in Norway. Whale researchers combined modern-day sightings with 19th century records and are revealing new information about when and where humpback whales give birth along a busy 'humpback highway' off Australia. Humpback calves are being born not just in a calving zone at the end of the migration route, but along the way and even farther south than previously understood, according to a study led by researchers at the University of New South Wales. That pattern raises new issues, including the need to increase awareness to protect newborn whales throughout their winter journeys, the authors wrote in the study published May 21 in the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science. 'Hundreds of humpback calves were born well outside the established breeding grounds,' said Tracey Rogers of the University of New South Wales, a senior author. 'Giving birth along the 'humpback highway' means these vulnerable calves, who are not yet strong swimmers, are required to swim long distances much earlier in life than if they were born in the breeding grounds.' Newborn humpbacks aren't as strong as adult whales, and 'mums with newborns swim much more slowly,' Rogers said. 'Newborns are like Great Dane puppies. They have those long, enormous fins that they need to grow into, and they're not very strong swimmers. So they rest a lot of the time on their mum's back.' Once near extinction, humpback whales have rebounded thanks to conservation programs. Today the population is estimated at roughly 50,000. Sightings for the study were collected across an area extending from Queensland down to Tasmania and across to New Zealand's South Island. 'Historically, we believed that humpback whales migrating north from the nutrient-rich Southern Ocean were travelling to warmer, tropical waters such as the Great Barrier Reef to calve,' says lead author Jane McPhee-Frew, a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales Sydney and whale watching skipper. 'The pattern we're seeing is mother whales with calves travelling through some of the busiest shipping lanes and urbanised regions," said McPhee-Frew. Her first calf sighting in Newcastle in 2023, home of the largest coal export port in the world, was within a busy shipping lane. 'This means these vulnerable animals are exposed to risks like boat strikes, entanglements, pollution – and just general public unawareness,' she said. Questions remain about the whales' migration, including how the humpback mothers use different marine environments along their migration route and why they continue to travel north after giving birth, even though there's really no food for them in the tropics. Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers climate change, wildlife and the environment. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Science
- RNZ News
Scientists discover humpback whales are giving birth in New Zealand waters
Until now, researchers believed humpback whales gave birth in warmer waters. Photo: Humpback whale calves are being born much further south than scientists thought. Until now, researchers believed the whales gave birth in warmer waters. But a new study from the University of New South Wales - no pun intended - shows humpback calves have been spotted as far south as Kaikōura, and near Port Arthur in Tasmania. That's 1500km further south than usual. University of Auckland marine ecology Professor Dr Rochelle Constantine told Morning Report the finding shows humpback whales, which were once on the verge of extinction, are making a recovery. "That means we start to see these extraordinary events... with some calves being born on their migration north, rather then on their typical breeding grounds," Dr Constantine said. From April, humpback whales begin their northern migration, travelling up the eastern and western sides of Australia. They then return south between August and November. They were generally thought to give birth no further south then the Gold Coast, on the east coast, and near Exmouth, on the west coast. However, the study found over 200 new-born calves were recorded further south. The reason behind this may be due to a combination of things, Dr Constantine said. She said with more whales you get more of these unusual events, and in photos she has seen of whales further south, the calves are smaller and may be born prematurely. She also noted climate change warming the water could also play a role. Dr Constantine said the study shows the importance of keeping whales safe during their migration so their numbers can continue to stay healthy. "We came very close to extinction of these whales in our waters." The researchers compiled records of humpback whale calves from several sources including government agencies, annual migration surveys and opportunistic citizen science observations, primarily from tourism vessels.
