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nbms navbar To help protect newborn infants from mental retardation and other severe health problems, West Virginia state law requires that all infants be screened for certain disorders that when detected and treated early can prevent the harmful and developmental effects of those diseases. Prior to leaving the hospital (or after a home birth) babies will receive screening for the newborn disorder. The test requires a few drops of blood obtained from a heel stick.
The tests done in the hospital (or with the home birth kit) are "screening" tests. If a baby needs repeat testing, it is important that the baby return to the hospital, doctor, or clinic right away. Testing may need to be repeated because the initial test results were questionable. This does not automatically mean the child has a metabolic disorder.
Before leaving the hospital or birth center, parents are asked for the name and address of the doctor or clinic that will be caring for the baby. That doctor or clinic will receive a report of the baby's test results. Parents are encouraged to check with the child’s doctor to find out the results and ask whether a repeat test is needed.
The 78th West Virginia Legislature passed in this session, H. B. 2583 which mandates the expansion of newborn screening to include 29 disorders.
The West Virginia Newborn Screening Program, housed within the Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health within the Bureau for Public Health, will expand newborn screening to include twenty-nine (29) disorders in order to adhere to national standards recommended by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders and Genetic Diseases. Of the twenty-nine (29) recommended disorders, West Virginia currently screens for seven (7): three (3) hemoglobinopathies, phenylketonuria (PKU), galactosemia, congenital hypothyroidism, and hearing. Newborn hearing screening is a separate WV Program that began universally screening all newborns in West Virginia in 2000 before discharge from the hospital. The cost of newborn hearing screening is captured under the hospital's maternity DRG charge that is paid for by the insurance companies.
The newborn screening expansion plan includes two (2) phases: the first phase, beginning July 1, 2007 will be screening for biotinidase deficiency. On or before November, 1 2007 - two additional tests will be added to the panel enabling us to screen for congenital adrenal hyperplasia and cystic fibrosis.
Phase II, which is to begin July 1, 2008 increases screening for the remainder of the 29 recommended newborn disorders. This involves leasing the tandem mass spectrometry; adding courier service that will deliver the specimen from the birthing facilities to the State laboratory where newborn screening lab analysis is performed; improving genetic services capacity i.e. counseling, medical expertise and nutritional services; increasing the availability of medically necessary supplements; completion of the WV Newborn Screening Program web site to reflect specialty medical expertise available within our borders and across the country; explore the use of telemedicine to eliminate geographical barriers to care for and assure linkage between specialists and the primary care provider; and improve capacity for tracking and follow-up within the Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health for all children diagnosed with a disorder.
The site last updated: February 28, 2008
This site has hadhits since September 14, 2006
