For our next edition of JMF Defined, we're sharing a detailed description of “NEWBORN SCREENING.” Newborn Screening Awareness month begins later this week!
“NEWBORN SCREENING” takes place when an infant is just 24-48 hours old. A blood sample is taken from the infant’s heel and sent on to a laboratory for testing. In the United States, each state has a specific list of disorders that are tested for, in addition to the national core panel of 31 congenital disorders. If Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) is included in the panel, it will be included in the results of the NEWBORN SCREENING tests.
Based on the results of NEWBORN SCREENING, parents and their baby may be referred to a specialist(s) for possible further testing or to coordinate the course of treatment.
You can learn more about the core panel here.