Newborn Screening Additions in MN Offer Earlier Intervention
Soon after birth, newborns in Minnesota are tested for 60 disorders that they may be at risk for. These are often rare or hidden disorders, and early detection can have a great impact on the prognosis and care plan for the infant. And thanks to a recent conversation in Minnesota about the benefit of including additional conditions in the screening, three diagnoses have been added to the list.
A Benefit for MN Children
The three conditions now being screened in Minnesota newborns are Mucopolysaccaridosis Type 1 (MPS-1), Pompe Disease, and X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) – diagnoses that, if detected early, have much better outcomes for the children. Health officials expect about 5-15 children a year to benefit from the addition of these conditions.
By being screened within days of birth, newborns across the state who may not have been diagnosed with these conditions for months or longer will have the opportunity to begin receiving what is sometimes lifesaving treatment and therapy.
In a press release from the Minnesota Department of Health, the goal of the newborn screening is ‘to extend and improve the lives of children born with serious but treatable disorders.’ They also added that with the addition of these three conditions, Minnesota has one of the most comprehensive newborn screening programs in the country.
Providing Care Throughout the State
When a patient is diagnosed with a condition requiring medical care, Pediatric Home Service is there to walk through every step of the journey with the family. Whether they require respiratory therapy, infusion therapy, or home care nursing, treatment can begin immediately with comprehensive care from PHS.
Interested in learning more about what the newborn screening process looks like? Watch this 2 minute video from Baby’s First Test about what to expect.
Originally published: March 31, 2017