#THUNDERBIRD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL HOW TO#

This information tells whose blood is on the card and how to reach you and your baby’s health care provider. The other part of the card has information about your baby.The part of the card with the circles contains a type of paper called filter paper.The health care provider will collect a few small drops of blood from your baby’s heel, then drop them onto small circles on a special card.Your baby may feel the prick and start to cry, but it will be over very quickly and will not leave a mark.

The health care provider will then make a quick pinprick on your baby’s heel.

To make the process easier, the health care provider will gently warm your baby’s foot to increase blood flow.

Your baby can stay swaddled during blood spot screening.

Between 24 and 48 hours after birth, a health care provider will tell you that it is time for your newborn’s blood spot screening.

Even though some health care providers still refer to blood spot screening as the “ PKU test,” this term is no longer accurate because NBS now checks for many conditions.įollowing is a step-by-step guide explaining how blood spot screening happens:

Hearing screening, which determines if a newborn might be deaf or hard of hearingīlood spot screening (sometimes called the “heel stick” or “24-hour test”) uses a few drops of blood from your baby’s heel to determine if your baby might have one of many serious conditions.

Pulse oximetry screening, which determines if a newborn might have certain heart conditions.Blood spot screening, which determines if a baby might have one of many serious conditions.Newborn screening has three different parts: It is important that you make a plan so your baby completes screening near the recommended age. Your baby’s health care provider can help arrange screening by another midwife, a hospital, clinic, or local health department. If your midwife cannot perform NBS, make other arrangements. If you are planning an out-of-hospital birth, talk to your midwife about NBS before your baby is born. Many midwives are trained to complete NBS. If your baby has an out-of-hospital birth, screening can happen outside of the hospital like at your birth center or home. Usually, a health care provider performs NBS in your room or a newborn/nursery area. If your baby is born at a hospital, screening will happen before you take your baby home. Where Does NBS Happen?Īll babies need NBS, regardless of where they are born. To learn more about the differences in NBS across different states, visit the State pages. Whether you live in a one-screen or two-screen state, your baby may need additional screening and follow up based on their newborn screening results.In either model, all babies are screened for all of the conditions that their state requires. These factors can include historical practice in the state or the testing cut-offs (guidelines to decide if a baby needs follow up) the state uses. States choose the one-screen model or the two-screen model based on many factors.The second screen usually happens in a health care provider’s office as part of a well baby visit. In this model, all babies are screened at 24 to 48 hours old and screened again at 1 to 2 weeks old. Thirteen states use the two-screen model.This one screen looks for all conditions on the state’s newborn screening panel. In this model, babies are screened only once when they are 24 to 48 hours old. There are two models that states use to screen all newborns: the one-screen model or the two-screen model. In addition, babies who are born too early, or who receive nutrients or medicines before screening, may need further testing. Some babies who have had treatments such as transfusions or dialysis may be tested later or may need further testing after their blood has returned to normal. If a baby is tested before 24 hours, they may need to be retested. NBS happens after birth, usually when your baby is between 24 and 48 hours (1 and 2 days) old. Babies need screening during the first few days of life, because some of the conditions found by screening require treatment or intervention right away. The timing of newborn screening (NBS) is very important.

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