What Is The Newborn Screening (NBS) Test?
This test is often referred to as the PKU or heel-stick test. It tests babies for serious disorders and is usually performed when your baby is 24-48 hours old. WHY IS THE TEST DONE? The test is done to find out if your baby has a disease or condition for which early treatment can prevent death, mental retardation, or a physical disability. HOW IS THE TEST PERFORMED? The test is performed by pricking your baby’s heel and putting a few drops of blood on a special filter paper. The paper is allowed to dry and then it’s sent to the newborn screening laboratory where several different tests will be performed. BUT WE HAVE NO FAMILY HISTORY OF THESE DISORDERS… Parents who have no family history of problems and/or who have already had healthy children can still have children with these disorders. In fact, most children with these disorders come from families with no previous history of the condition. BUT MY BABY LOOKS HEALTHY…
