anita brikman introduces us to a local children born to the disease whose victims usually don't live past the age of 2. >> reporter: in the midst of the campaign for the republican presidential nomination, a little known medical condition called trisomy 18 came into the national spotlight. rick santorum announced he was dropping out of the race, in part because of a medical crisis involving his child, bella. tonight we meet a local family that has lived with this almost- always fatal condition whose child has beat remarkable odds. his parents say a carefree smile and laughter are his most common expressions. when he plays with his sisters or helps feed the fish. he's 14 years old, one of the longest surviving children with trisome 18. >> i remember early on when the doctors would say you've got an appointment six months from now. i was like, we'll see. it was kind of hard to think six months from now, because we were given such a bleak outlook. >> reporter: in fact, only 10% of children born with this courtroom some mall -- chromosomel disorder. one of the biggest risks early on is p

anita brikman has more. >> reporter: this latest research looked at about 1,000 mothers in californiand their children. women who were obese during pregnancy were about 67% more likely to have autistic children than women of normal weight. they also had double the risk of having a child with another developmental disorder. >> there's a general feeling that some of the origins of autism are probably in the prenatal period when the brain is developing at a very rapid rate. >> reporter: diabetic mothers were more than twice as likely to have a child with developmental delays and their children also scored lower on language and communication tests. >> doctors stress the study doesn't prove maternal obesity or diabetes cause autism by researchers say it does raise serious concerns because more than a third of u.s. women of child bearing age are now seriously overweight. >> there are actions people can actually take and that's the point is we're trying to find modifiable factors which by and large genetics is not. >> reporter: anita brikman, 9news now. >> the centers for disease control now

we'll be back at 11:00 along with anita brikman. have a great evening. don't forget, log on any time you like to wusa9.com. we'll see you later. bye bye. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment news magazine in the world. >> jennifer hudson breaks down on the stand. will her fame affect the jury? >> "e.t." is on the ground as the trial for her murdered family members begins today. >> the oscar winner's emotional testimony facing the accused killer. >> brad and angelina, brad and justin. is the race to the alter on? is jen planning a big fat greek wedding at this resort? and who will design angelina's gown. >>> and katy perry getting cozy with a mystery man. and smooching a man on stage. >> and dick clark.

i'll be back at 11:00 along with anita brikman and all your election primary results. don't forget, log on any time to wusa9.com. we'll see you later. bye bye. >>> now, "entertainment tonight" the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> did urkel get into a nasty fight with his "dancing with the stars" partner? is his temper out of control? >> hopefully we can move past this week. >> what he told "e.t." backstage and the story behind his on-camera breakdown. >>> sarah palin comes to jessica simpson's defense for being called fat. the weight debate today. >> that hollywood image is full of itty-bitty people. >> then, a "mad men" beauty 40 pounds overweight. >> i put on a few pounds. >> january jones, how she went from this to this. as we look at stars' most sho shocking fat suit transformations. >>> primetime's leading ladies in lingerie. it's "vanity fair's" sexy

we'll see you again tonight at 11:00 along with anita brikman and topper shutt. we'll see you later. bye bye. tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> what really killed dick clark? new questions tonight. >> the two surgeries just before he died, was it too much to take? plus, his cremation, where his ashes will be spread, as close friend barry manilow opens up about dick clark's darkest days after his stroke. >> somehow he just would not give up. >>> and -- ♪ >> how dick took on the grammys with his american music awards. ♪ >> bringing the biggest stars in music all together. >> they told me to hurry up. >> and keeping it unpredictable. >> jenny, is there a problem? >>> then, "dancing with the stars" confidential. >> come on. >> at home. in the dressing room.

. >> i'll be back tonight at 11:00 along with anita brikman. it will just be me. log on any time to wusa9.com. we'll see you later. bye bye. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >> urkel beat his baby's mother? >> there was no physical abuse? there was no verbal abuse? >> jaleel white on the record with nancy o'dell about the abuse allegations made his ex. >> i had a very bitter custody battle for my daughter. a police report was filed. >>> plus, did he lose it with his "dancing with the stars" partner kym? >> would you say you have a temper? >>> terrifying texas tornadoes caught on camera. >> look at this. >> the frightening footage similar to the hollywood movie "twister." >>> jessica simpson's pregnancy. how much does she weigh? what doctors are saying about her new controversy? is her weight gain dangerous?

i'll be back here at 11:00 along with anita brikman and don't forget, log on any time to wusa9.com. we'll see you later. bye bye. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> the latest on the death of tv icon dick clark. >> there's no great secret to staying young. >> his legendary career. his time with "e.t.." and his last public appearance. >> happy new year! from the bottom of my heart. >>> is demi moore ready to be back in the public eye? new clues from her first appearance since leaving rehab. plus, her big step to move on from ashton. >>> then, robin gibb's coma. his wife's first interview outside his hospital room. >> sorry. >> can his beegee brother help him? >> he came and he was singing to him. >>> brad and angelina, the five things that you never knew about their past marriages. >> i had snakes in my flowers.

i'll be right back here at 11:00 along with anita brikman and topper. don't forget, log on any time you like to www.wusa9.com 6789 have a great evening. we'll see you a bit later. bye bye. >>> "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment news magazine in the world. pippa, the gun, the royal controversy. will kate middleton's sister be arrested? the fallout from the paparazzi face-off. and video of pippa partying in paris the night before. >> new wedding information and the construction at what could be the ceremony location. >> demi moore in bed. her first tweet since leaving rehab. and is ashton dating mila kunis? >> an katie partying with rihanna. >> and candice bergen. years after her stroke.

that is our broadcast, we'll see you back at 11:00 with anita brikman and topper shutt, log on any time. have a great evening. we'll see you later, bye bye. >>> now "entertainment tonight," the most watched news magazine in the world. >>> melissa versus maks. >> unbelievable. >> and after their dancing blowup. >> this is "dancing with the stars," soap opera version. >> son of a [ bleep ]. >> why they're fighting mad, but not at each other. >> we do look like [ bleep ]. >> steve jones is backstage with the stars and he's here co-hosting with me. i hear that one of the stars gave you her number. >> wow. >> way to put me on the spot, nancy. >> jennifer hudson, the latest from her family's murder trial as she's forced to hear the grisly crime scene details. >> i came here to tell the truth. >>> and when stars take the stand.

i'll be back at 11:00 along with anita brikman. log on any time to wusa9.com. have a great evening. we'll see you then. bye bye. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> pippa and the gun. was it a prank? could she be arrested anyway? >> new video of pippa inside a wild party the night before and what the "dancing with the stars" stars are saying about the scandal? >> oh, my goodness. >>> then -- new angelina. >> angelina, congratulations on your engagement! >> will the kids be a part of the wedding party? >>> vanessa willms >> the summer of going into fifth grade, so i was 10. >> the painful story that she's never told before and her secret abortion before becoming miss america.

i'm anita brikman. see you later, everybody.

i'll be back at 11:00 along with anita brikman. don't forget, log on any time to wusa9.com. we'll see you a little later on. bye bye. i style everyone. my family, my home... my boyfriend. i can't help it. i'm a fashion stylist! at t.j.maxx, i get designer clothes... all on trend. and, everyone and everything looks good. even my bank account! fashion direct from designers. savings direct to you. this nonstop fashionista is definitely a maxxinista. t.j.maxx. let us make a maxxinista out of you. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> why kevin costner didn't want to speak at whitney houston's funeral. >> the pressure began to mount and began to mount. >> the private letters he wrote to whitney during her darkest days. his fears for bobbi kristina and what you never knew about "the bodyguard." >> i kissed her once for myself and i kissed her once for everyone in america. >>> then, alec baldwin tweets about his accused of stalker. did they once have an affair? >>> "dancing with the stars'" melissa gilbert rushed to the hosp

. >>> i'm anita brikman with this health alert. scientists have uncovered yet another breast cancer gene, mutations found in the jean called abraxis. it interacts with the well known breast cancer gene brca1. >> this health alert is sponsored by cancer treatment centers of america, care that never quits. to learn more visit cancercenter.com. >>> now 9 sports with kristen berset, the best sports in town. >> tonight is all about uk and ku, the two winningest programs in ncaa history. between them kentucky and kansas have racked up 29 final four appearances and 10 national titles. kentucky is going for title no. 8. they have looked good all tournament long. kentucky starts two sophomores and three freshmen including anthony davis. if they're able to pull off the win, not only will they finally give john calipari his first career championship, the wildcats will be the youngest team to win a national championship. >> they're a great team, very capable of beating us. they have a great inside post presence. >> they have one of the best pl

. >>> i'm anita brikman with this health alert. labor is taking longer. compared to the '60s modern women spend two to three hours more giving birth. moms today tend to be older and they also get epidurals for pain relief which can slow down labor 40 to 90 minutes. >>> now 9 sports with kristen berset, the best sports in town. >> heavy into game want capitals find themselves in fame place -- the capitals find themselves in a familiar place, the underdogs, down one in the series with another to may on the road. we were here just a week ago when the caps were tied up in a double overtime win, but that sharp team didn't show up on saturday. we saw more of the regular season caps than those we've seen so far this postseason. several mental errors and mistakes allowed the rangers to score. there is no room for that tonight. >> margin for error gets smaller and the intensity level has got to go up to try and find those holes and make them make mistakes. >> we want to get on the board first and play with a lead and make them come out of their shell a little bit.

i'll be here at 11:00 along with anita brikman. we'll have the latest on the trayvon martin case. we'll see you then. bye bye. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> new video of alec baldwin hounded about his alleged stalker. >> are you worried at all? >> his young fiancee caught reading the headlines in the car. >>> now, why alec is sending out angry tweets about the "today" show and threatening to leave "30 rock." as the howard stern speak about celebrity stalkers. >> i think it's a huge mistake to engage that person. >>> are kim and kanye really a couple? >> i think they're cute together. >> or is their rumored romance a publicity stunt? >> you never know where my life will take me. >>> tv shows on the bubble. which of your primetime favorites will be back? which are about to be canceled? we have the inside scoop.

. >>> i'm ak anita brikman with this health alert. part of the reason is we eat larger quantities of bread every day. other sources, soup, pizza and processed meat. >> this health alert is sponsored by cancer treatment centers of america, care that never quits. to learn more, visit cancer center.com. >>> 20 years ago this month, los angeles erupted in rage and destruction after the jury acquitted police officers in the beating of rodney king. >> what if zimmerman is found not guilty. a whole lot of people, including me, have been calling for justice, accountability for the life of an innocent young man cut short. but what if that justice does not include a guilty verdict? it's hard to imagine anybody rioting, but i can imagine the potential outrage in some quarters. still our justice system does not come with guaranteed verdicts. instead we have something far better. a guaranteed process. was the judge fair. did the jury hear all of the evidence? was the defense attorney competent? those things don't happen, then the system has failed

i'm anita brikman. see you later tonight. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> j. lo on "idol." christina on "the voice." will britney be on "the x factor"? the battle of the pop diva judges is on. >> why are music's biggest stars doing tv talent shows. who's next? and who will come out on top? >>> "iron man." captain america shows me what it takes to be an avenger at their hollywood premiere. >>> plus, scarlett johansson channels katherine hepburn for "vogue." >>> new justin and jessica in italy. britney, halle, jessica, star summer weddings. who will be next to tie the knot?

i'll be right back here at 11:00 with anita brikman and don't forget log on any time you like to wusa9.com. we'll see you a bit later. bye bye. ♪ okay, so who ordered the cereal that can help lower cholesterol and who ordered the yummy cereal? yummy. that's yours. lower cholesterol. lower cholesterol. i'm yummy. lower cholesterol. i got that wrong didn't i? [ male announcer ] want great taste? honey nut cheerios. want whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol? honey nut cheerios. it's a win win. good? [ crunching, sipping ] be happy. be healthy. can i try yours? >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most-watched entertainment news magazine in the world. >> the jennifer hudson 911 call just released. >> somebody killed my mama, somebody killed my mama. please! >> the terror, the tragedy. >> my mama, my mama. where my brother at? >> how jennifer reacted. to the tape played in court. >> george clooney, sofia vergara and the president. what you haven't seen inside the president's white house correspondents dinner. >> the stars, the tour. the surprise reaction. >> finally, we see him

i'll be right back here at 11:00 with anita brikman and topper shutt and don't forget log on any time you like to www.wusa9.com. you have a great evening. we'll see you a bit later. bye bye. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> rihanna and ashton? is the singer's own mom fueling the dating rumor fire? our brand-new interview. >>> ashton on a weekend getaway with mila kunis. >>> then -- why the president is under attack for his rap with jimmy fallon. >>> new kim and kanye, holding hands in new york. >> he's australia most popular talk show host is here co-hosting with me. >> thank you, nancy. my first "e.t." assignment going backstage at "dancing with the stars." len said if he voted with his heart, he would have given you a ten. >>> plus, danc

that is our report, i'll be right back here along with anita -- anita brikman at 11:00. go to wusa9.com. it's always there for you. we'll see you a bit later. bye. i style everyone. my family, my home... my boyfriend. i can't help it. i'm a fashion stylist! at t.j.maxx, i get designer clothes... all on trend. and, everyone and everything looks good. even my bank account! fashion direct from designers. savings direct to you. this nonstop fashionista is definitely a maxxinista. t.j.maxx. let us make a maxxinista out of you. >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> new details on the death of dick clark. why there won't be a funeral. as hollywood remembers the legend. >> he taught me how to do television. >> he was the great one. >> he lived a beautiful life. >> welcome. are you ready to rock 'n roll? >> his "american bandstand" legacy. ♪ >> giving stars like michael, janet, whitney and bon jovi their big breaks. >>> and -- the man who sang the "american bandstand" theme, barry manilow, on the lifelong friend he loss. >

. >> reporter: anita brikman, 9news now. >> according to the trisomy foundation, it occurs when a baby has three number 18 chromosomes instead of the normal two. the onset of the disorder is not brought on in any way by parents' actions behavior before or during a pregnancy. >>> when it comes to type ii diabetes in young people, meta diss forum is the standard treatment but a new study finds it's not effective for many patients. it has a much higher failure rate among kids ages 10 to 17 compared to adults who are treated with the drug. results were much better when it was combined with other diabetes drugs. >>> a new study helps explain why some teenagers start experimenting with drugs while others do not. researchers in vermont discovered a number of brain networks which seem to make some teens more impulsive. teenagers who had low brain activity in certain networks were more likely to try alcohol, cigarettes and illegal drugs. >>> mothers who are under stress are more likely to overfeed their infants. according to a new study in journal pediatrics, researchers found 24% of low income

anita brikman, 9news now. >> doctors say if you have chronic migraines that you leave unchecked, they can continue to become more frequent till they're happening almost every day. at that point these headaches are even tougher to treat. >>> it's 4:53. time for the question of the morning. >> perhaps my favorite question of the morning ever. what is the most popular pizza topping in the united states? a, pepperoni, b, onion or c, chicken. >> i know my favorite. log on to the wusa9 facebook fan page and leave your response. we'll reveal the answer during the 6:00 hour. . >>> a chilly morning out there. we'll see a mix of sun and clouds. becoming mostly cloudy, especially north of town this afternoon. well warm up into the low 60s, about 10 degrees warmer than yesterday. we'll be even warmer tomorrow. details coming up during 9news now at 5:00. over to monika with time saver traffic. >>> the american legion bridge on the west side of town, no issues to report thankfully on that entire western stretch of 495 between tysons corner and 270. i'll have more on in -- on maryland roads coming u

. >>> i'm anita brikman with a health report. bread product count for as much sodium. part of the reason is throw we eat larger quantities of bread every day. other sources, soup, pizza and processed meat. >> this health alert is sponsored by cancer center treatments of america. wow. this is new. yep, i'm sending the dancing chicken to every store in the franchise to get the word out. that could work. or you could use every door direct mail from the postal service. it'll help you and all your franchisees find the customers that matter most -- the ones in the neighborhood. you print it or we'll help you find a local partner. great. keep it moving, honey. honey? that's my wife. wow. there you go. there you go. [ male announcer ] go online to reach every home, every address, every time with every door direct mail. >>> now 9 sports with kristen berset, the best sports in town. [ cheers and applause ] >> baseball fans got a special treat at national's park tuesday night. >> nice hit. >> the second annual celebrities versus warriors softball game. >> if we're not having fun,

i'll be right back here after basketball along with anita brikman and tonight giving student athletesouder voice, we will take a closer look at that lawsuit against the ncaa, what the ramifications might be and why they're doing it. don't forget log on any time to www.wusa9.com. it's always there for you. you have a great evening. we'll see you after the big game. bye bye. -dad, why are you getting that? -that's my cereal. is there a prize in there? oh, there's a prize, all right. is it a robot? no. is it a jet plane? nope. is it a dinosaur? [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] inside every box of heart healthy cheerios are those great tasting little o's made from carefully selected oats that can help lower cholesterol. stickers? uh-uh. a superhero? ♪ kinda. [ male announcer ] and we think that's the best prize of all. ♪ >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment news magazine in the world. katie couric on "gma." sarah palin hosting "today." meredith vieira returns. >> it was not my idea. >> the morning show wars. can katie take down matt lauer. >> we are thrilled to ha