Newborn Screening is more than PKU!
The scope of Newborn Screening (NBS) has grown significantly since its inception in the 1960s. The very first screening using a dried blood spot from a heel-stick shortly after birth was for Phenylketonuria (PKU), an inborn error of metabolism. It is just one of many disorders that are now screened for using the newborn's dried blood spot. Because Newborn Screening encompasses hearing, congenital heart defect (CHD) and bloodspot screening, it is important to refrain from using terms such as "PKU test" or "Metabolic screen" and refer to the different components as:
- Newborn Hearing Screen
- Newborn Heart Defect Screen
- Newborn Bloodspot Screen
In addition to newborn hearing and heart defect screens, CT screens for over 60 disorders through bloodspot testing. Click here for more information on the disorders that Connecticut screens for.
Click here for a useful tool that can help clinical staff remember why it is important to use the updated terminology when referring to Newborn Screening!