In the United States, almost every child is screened for certain medical conditions shortly after birth. Commonly known as newborn screening, this public health program helps identify babies who may be at an increased risk for serious, but treatable, conditions in childhood.
Most babies who are born with these conditions appear healthy at first. Without early screening, a condition may not be discovered until symptoms appear. This may be too late to prevent serious health consequences. Proactive screening can help parents and pediatricians identify conditions early in life, so that treatment can be started immediately.
Each state determines which conditions babies will be screened for, so different states may test for different conditions. In general, most states screen for 34 conditions that are recommended by the federal government. This is also known as the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel. You can learn more about newborn screening and which conditions your state screens for at babysfirsttest.org.
If you would like more comprehensive insight into your child’s health, tests like Sema4 Natalis screen for conditions that are not covered by state newborn screening.