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All states perform newborn screening of infants to test for hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria, and several other diseases. The newborn screen tests a small amount of blood, usually obtained from the baby’s heel when he or she is one day old. In many states, including Maryland, this testing is repeated when the baby is approximately two weeks old. The goal of newborn screening is to identify diseases before they cause symptoms for the baby. Newborn screening tests vary from state to state, but not all test for CF. Maryland added a test for CF to its newborn screening program in 2006. Infants with a “positive” newborn screening test for CF will be referred for a sweat test to confirm the diagnosis. Newborn screening does not detect all children with CF. Therefore, children with symptoms that could be caused by CF should have future diagnostic testing even if the newborn screening was “normal” or “negative.” 
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