Newborn Screening Tests
State law requires that all babies born in Texas have a blood test called the “newborn screening test.” This test identifies disorders in the baby which if not found and treated early can cause mental retardation or result in serious illness. The law gives parents the right to refuse the screening test for their baby if having the test conflicts with their religious beliefs or practices. If this is true for you, be sure to tell the hospital staff. In Texas the screening test is used for five disorders: Phenylketonuria, Congenital Hypothyroidism, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Sickle Cell Disease and other hemoglobin disorders and Galactosemia. The blood sample is collected on a special absorbent paper from a small prick on your baby’s heel. The first test is done while you are in the hospital. A second sample is collected when your baby is 7 to 14 days old during your first check-up in our office. The second sample is collected because, in a few infants, a disorder may not have been detected with the first test. In the event that either test detects an abnormality, we will be notified promptly by the State of Texas Lab in Austin and we will contact you immediately.
There is now an optional Supplementary Metabolic Disease Screening Test available from Baylor Hospital, Dallas. This test screens for some 30 additional rare metabolic abnormalities. If you wish this test to be done, you must contact the Baylor Laboratory (214-820-4533) and request a test packet be sent to you. We will order that the blood be drawn when the State of Texas test is done. You then will mail the test card along with the $25 fee to the Baylor lab and the results will be sent to our office. We will notify you promptly of any abnormality as soon as we receive the results from Baylor
