09/05/2025
What is the NEWBORN METABOLIC SCREEN and why does it matter?
In the last month, we’ve had two babies in our community screen positive for metabolic conditions. How crazy is that?! Thankfully, these conditions were caught early—before symptoms showed—because their parents said yes to the newborn screen.
So- what is it? This simple heel-prick test, usually done at 24hours old, then again at around 2 weeks of life, checks for dozens of rare but serious conditions that can affect your baby’s ability to grow, thrive, and develop. Conditions like: congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria (PKU), and cyctic fibrosis, just to name a few. Many of these conditions aren’t obvious at birth, but with early detection and treatment, babies can go on to live healthy lives.
Saying yes to the newborn metabolic screen is one of the most important ways you can protect your baby’s long-term health.
A tiny heel prick, 7 drops of blood, a lifetime of difference. Plus a cute bandaid makes it all better. 🦙 (It's science.)