1. Hearing Screening
Why will my baby's hearing be tested?
Hearing loss is one of the commonest problems that a baby
can be born with, and the risk is increased in preterm babies.
About 840 babies are born each year in the UK with some
degree of hearing loss and, currently, the majority are
not identified until two years of age.
Between birth and three years, speech develops at an astonishing
rate and babies begin to talk at around 18 to 24 months.
If hearing loss is not identified early and help is not
given early enough (preferably by six months of age), then
there can be delays in speech, reading, social and emotional
development.
Currently, hearing screening is provided for all babies
that are at a greater risk of having a hearing loss, for
example the very preterm, sick babies or those who have
a family history of hearing loss. Because this is considered
nationally to be an important health screen, we will soon
be providing universal hearing screening to all babies
born in the Rosie. They will have a hearing test within
the first few weeks of life.
2. Metabolic Screening
Don't all new babies get a special blood test a few days
after birth?
Newborn metabolic screening, coupled with rapid diagnosis
and treatment, prevents serious illness in newborn babies.
In the UK, all newborn babies (at 5-10 days old) are screened
for both phenylketonuria (PKU) and congenital hypothyroidism
using what is known as the Guthrie test. This involves
obtaining a small sample of blood from a heel prick and
placing the droplets of blood on a collection card. The
card is then sent to the laboratory for testing.
If blood samples are being taken for other reasons, the
doctors will aim to take this Guthrie test at the same time
to reduce the stress to your baby. If your baby is unwell
on the neonatal unit at this time and is, therefore, unable
to take full nourishment from milk feeds, this test will
be delayed until he/she has improved and is able to feed
fully.
What is phenylketonuria?
Phenyketonuria is an inherited disorder of the way your
body handles phenylalanine (an amino acid, which is a bulding
block in proteins in the diet and your body). This condition
can lead to severe mental retardation unless its effects
are prevented by three weeks of age by giving the baby a
diet that has restricted phenylalamine.
if you are concerned about this, please ask your doctor
or midwife/neonatal nurse.
What is congenital hypothyroidism?
Babies who have congenital hypothyroidism are born with
only low levels of thyroid hormone. If the levels remain
low, it can cause mental retardation. This condition is
treatable by giving the baby thyroxine, which prevents damage
if the treatment is started shortly after birth. The Guthrie
test measures the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone
(TSH), which is a measure of the function of the thyroid
gland.
What other tests are routinely carried out on my baby?
In this Region, we also screen babies for cystic fibrosis
(CF). This test is carried out on all babies admitted to
the Neonatal Unit and is performed as part of the Guthrie
Test.
What is cystic fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is the most common serious inherited metabolic
disorder in the UK. It causes both severe lung disease and
also pancreatic insufficiency (which can lead to digestive
problems). The test we use measures immuno-reactive trypsin
(IRT). It is not a perfect test, but can lead to further
investigation and hopefully earlier diagnosis of the disease
itself. The benefits of an early diagnosis are that we might
reduce the number of chest infections in the baby/child
and prevent a failure to thrive (lack of weight gain). It
can also help us identify parents who are at risk of having
another child with cystic fibrosis. We work closely with
Genetics Services to provide genetic counselling for all
couples thought ot be at risk.
3. Screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
Why are my baby's eyes being tested in the NICU?
Sometimes, when a baby is born preterm (too early) or of
low birth weight, the tiny blood vessels in the retina (at
the back of the eye) do not develop normally. The retinopathy
of prematurity (ROP) examination can identify these problems,
and help us give early treatment for this condition.
The test is not a measure of what your baby can see, such
tests can only be carried out at a later stage of development.
Do all babies have their eyes screened?
If your baby was born at or below 32 weeks' of gestation
and/or weighed 1.5 kg or less, the ROP test will be performed
at six weeks of age.
The ROP test is carried out in the NICU while your baby
remains in his/her cot or incubator and:
-
The nurses will put some eye drops in your baby's eyes
to dilate the pupils of the eye before the ophthalmologist
(eye doctor) looks into each eye.
-
This examination involves shining a light into the baby's
eyes, similar to the sort of examination you might experience
at an opticians.
-
If your baby is born very early they might need to have
more than one eye examination.
-
If babies need to undergo this test, further information
is given to the parents at the time.
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