|
•
Disorders
•
Health
Professionals' Page
•
Parents' Page
• Reports
& Publications
•
Related Links
•
NBS News
•
NBS Privacy Policy
•
Statistics
•
Contact NBS
|
|
| What should I know about newborn screening? |
Below are some frequently asked
questions. If the information contained on this page does not answer all
of your questions or you would just simply like more information, please check
out the Related Links page or contact us with your specific question.
|
|
|
| What is Newborn Screening? |
| Our state law requires that all babies born in Washington be tested for congenital disorders before they are discharged from the hospital of birth. Babies born at home must be tested within the first week of life. |
| Before your baby leaves the hospital, the baby's heel is pricked. Several drops of blood are collected on a
filter paper card, dried and sent for testing to the Washington State Newborn Screening Laboratory in Shoreline, WA. |
| Why is my baby tested? |
| The NBS program detects inherited problems in newborn babies. If left untreated, these problems can lead to slow growth, blindness, brain damage and possibly death. A newborn baby may look perfectly healthy, but still have an inherited disease. Finding these problems early and treating them promptly prevents many serious complications. |
| Why should my baby have a second screen? |
| The first test finds most of the babies with conditions on our panel, but it takes a while for some conditions to show up. That is why a second screen at about 7 to 14 days is very important for your baby.
|
| As a parent, may I refuse to have the test done? |
| You may refuse the test only if your religious beliefs and practices do not allow them. If you refuse to have the tests done, you must sign the back of the Newborn Screening Card which states that you refused to have your baby tested for the inherited problems. You have the right to ask your doctor or certified nurse midwife to discuss the screening process and to provide the screening result to you. |
| My baby has a negative test. What does that mean? |
| A negative test means that your baby probably does not have one of the inherited disorders tested for by newborn screening. No test is 100 % accurate. There is a slight chance that a test will show a negative
result when there is a problem. |
|
| My baby has a positive test. What does that mean? |
| If one of your baby's tests is positive, the doctor may repeat the Newborn Screening test or request another type of blood test. If an inherited problem is found, your baby's doctor will discuss the next steps with you; this may include genetic counseling. |
|
| Test results show my baby is a carrier of the gene for an inherited
disease. What does that mean? |
| A carrier is someone who does not have the disease itself, but can pass it to their children. A baby who has sickle cell trait is a carrier of a gene for sickle cell disease. These babies tend to be as healthy as babies who are not carriers |
| The parents should discuss the meaning of being a carrier with their doctor or genetic counselor. |
| PLEASE NOTE: Washington law prohibits health insurers from discriminating against anyone based on positive results on a genetic test. In addition Washington law does not allow the use of genetic testing results in employment. |
|
