What is The Newborn Screening Test?
Screening newborn babies for health problems (congenital disorders) is an established worldwide public health practice. The Newborn Screening Test is done using a small sample of blood collected when the baby is about 2 days of age. From this sample, several tests are performed to detect rare, but serious health problems, often before there is any sign that the problem exists. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can greatly reduce, and often prevent, the effects of the problem for the rest of the individual s life. The Newborn Screening Test blood-spot sample is collected by a midwife in the hospital where your baby is born. If your baby is not born in a hospital or if you and your baby are discharged earlier, the blood-spot sample may be collected at home. To collect the blood, the baby s heel is pricked, and a small piece of special filter paper is soaked with four small spots of blood and allowed to dry. The blood-spot is sent to the Women s and Children s Hospital where it is
The Newborn Screening Test is an analysis of the baby’s blood to look for evidence of certain genetic diseases or inborn errors of metabolism. The test is performed by taking a blood sample from the baby’s heel by means of a heelstick. This is a procedure in which a small blade is jabbed into the baby’s heel so that drops of blood will collect and drip onto the test paper. The test paper usually has five one-inch circles which must be filled with blood; this can take 30 minutes in a dehydrated baby at 24 or 36 hours, or it may take just a minute or two in a well-hydrated baby at day 5 or 6. Risks Since nothing is injected into the baby, the primary direct physical risk is the very small risk of infection caused by breaking the baby’s skin. This risk can be minimized by: Observing clean technique during the procedure – It is not possible to observe sterile technique as the special paper provided by the state is not sterile. Disinfecting the puncture site before the procedure and applyin
