Newborn Screening

What is a newborn screen?

The Texas newborn screening program tests for five disorders which, if not treated very early in life, can cause severe mental retardation, illness or death.

These tests are:

1. Phenylketonuria
2. Galactosemia
3. sickling hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease
4. congenital adrenal hyperplasia
5. Hypothyroidism

The two inborn errors of metabolism, phenylketonuria (PKU) and galactosemia, are treated by diet; congenital hypothyroidism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), are treated by medication; and sickle cell disease complications may be prevented through a program of medical supervision and prophylactic antibiotics administered at an early age.

Supplemental newborn screening:

• Test for additional 25-30 other diseases
• Can be done at around $40.
• Needs to be arranged for from Baylor Health System

For more information, go to the following website: http://baylorhealth.com/SpecialtiesServices/MetabolicDiseases/NewbornScreening/Pages/NewbornScreeningRequest.aspx or call 1-800 4BAYLOR