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Newborn Screening Program
The goal of the Newborn Screening Program is to identify those babies who have a treatable disorder detectable through newborn screening. Without newborn screening, these affected infants may not otherwise be diagnosed soon enough to prevent serious health problems, including mental retardation, blindness, liver problems, or even death. Early diagnosis and treatment can make the difference between lifelong impairment and healthy development. Most likely, your baby will not have one of these disorders and you will never have to think twice about this test. But for the small number of babies who DO have one of these disorders, newborn screening can make a lifetime of difference.
Which disorders are included in the Newborn Screening Test?
In British Columbia and the Yukon, all babies are tested for Hypothyroidism, Phenylketonuria (PKU), Galactosemia, Medium Chain Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCAD), Long Chain 3 Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (LCHAD) and Glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I).
The Newborn Screening Program will soon be screening for more disorders. To learn more please download the following document, "Newborn screening test panel update"
The Newborn Screening Program is grateful for the generous gifts made to the Program by the following individuals:
Vic W. Griffin
The late Phyllis Olive Alberta Griffin
Please learn more about the importance of newborn screening in “A simple blood test could save your baby’s life” (PDF)
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