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How to Save 12,000 Babies With Newborn Screening
Newborn Screening Awareness month. Parvo on the rise. Save $72.01 on Tylenol. Baby formula recall. Itchy eyes. Socially vs. sexually active.
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What's Inside
Why We Do Newborn Screening
Imagine running a couple of quick tests that could save the lives of 12,000 babies each year.
Every September, we celebrate Newborn Screening Awareness month. Itās a reminder that simple screenings at birth can have massive positive effects for thousands of kids and their families. Most of the conditions tested, can be improved or helped if caught early. This is why the screening is done.
Interesting Background
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, a physician by the name of Robert Guthrie created a blood test that allowed healthcare providers to screen for PKU (phenylketonuria)āa disorder where the body canāt break down proteins. Itās one of those disorders that you didnāt know you had until major problems started to developā¦often when major damage has already been done.
But, with Guthrieās screening test, parents could immediately take steps to prevent long-term damage. Over time, the healthcare community became more and more aware of the benefits of newborn screening for PKU and a host of other conditions.
Of the 4 million babies screened each year, about 12,000 catch problems that may go unnoticed.
Whatās Tested?
Iāll put a link to the full recommended list of screenings below, but for brevity, testing usually focuses on the following (this is taken directly from the American Academy of Pediatrics):
Hearing
Heart function
Metabolism (the way the body converts food and drink into the energy your baby needs to move, think and grow)
Hormones (chemicals made by the body that guide essential processes such as growth and development)
Hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your child's body)
Hereās that link:
This is a great resource where you can search by state or find more information about conditions. Of note, each state tests for different conditions (while many conditions overlap, there are a few differences)
(Note: Testing is mandated by law in all 50 states.)