New Born Screening
New-born Screening allows these conditions to be detected at birth, allowing the child to potentially lead a normal and healthy life. The test simply requires a few drops of blood, which is collected on a special filter paper by pricking the heel of the baby.
After allowing the paper to dry, it is sent to the laboratory, where numerous different newborn screening tests are performed. The technology used for performing these tests is known as Tandem Mass Spectrometry. There is no harm done to the baby due to the heel prick. A specialized needle known as lancet is available in every collection kit and a fresh lancet is used for each baby. Hence, there is no risk of any infection.
Parents who have previously had healthy babies or have no family history of any disorder of such type may still have babies born with these disorders. As a matter of fact, most children having these disorders do not have any previous history of the condition in their family.
In most cases, the babies born with the disorder appear and behave completely normal and appear to be totally healthy. With the newborn screening test, your doctor can catch a problem with your baby before it causes any major concern. In general, a baby that is diagnosed early and treated accordingly leads a healthy life. The chances of a good prognosis are higher if the disorder is detected earlier.
