About Newborn Screening Program
The Nevada Newborn Screening Program ensures all babies are screened for certain disorders before they cause serious health problems. Many conditions are not easily recognizable at birth without proper testing. If left untreated, some disorders can cause mental retardation and even death. Newborn screening helps detect issues right after birth. When problems are found early, serious health conditions can be treated and prevented.
The newborn screening test is a simple, safe blood test performed shortly after the birth of your baby. A few drops of blood are taken from the baby's heel and put on special testing paper for analysis in our Nevada newborn screening lab located at the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory. The first test should be done between 24 to 48 hours of age or prior to discharge, whichever comes first. The second newborn screening should be done between 10 to 14 days of age, or at the baby's first doctor visit, whichever comes first.
The Nevada Newborn Screening Program screens infants for over 30 conditions, including metabolic disorders, endocrinal disorders, hematological disorders and cystic fibrosis.
Articles
- Newborn screening program comes home to Nevada (Nevada Silver & Blue story)
- Silver State Spotlight (from the Office of the Governor)
Online Resources
- Nevada State Public Health Laboratory
- National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center
- Baby's First Test