Every parent will agree that most babies look healthy and normal at birth. But even the healthiest looking babies can have certain problems that are not evident on a visual analysis. Therefore, newborns are tested for various conditions including metabolic disorders. A metabolic disorder is one that intervenes in the normal process of breakdown and…
While diagnostic examinations have been an important component of medical care for centuries, screening programs have been much more recent. Diagnostic tests determines whether a condition is present with 100% accuracy whereas, a screening test looks at the risk of whether a condition is present. Among the several types of screening programs, newborn screening programs…
Newborn screening or neonatal screening encompasses a series of tests essential for early diagnosis and management to avert disability and death of a baby for number of disorders. These tests are performed after 48 hours of the birth of the baby. Various tests such as hearing screening, critical congenital heart disease tests and dry blood…
While developed nations have finalized their policies for Newborn screening (NBS) and have made NBS a nationwide public health program, the process has just started in India. India has made significant advancements in the field of Newborn screening and is going through a progressive phase of preventive control over infant mortality and morbidity due to…
According to the United Nations in July 2016, the population of India stood at 1,326,801,576. Today, it stands as the second most populated country in the world with a fertility rate of 2.43 births per woman. Catering the basic medical needs across the populated countries like India will be a difficult task. The growth of…
Newborn screening is a public health intervention done within 72 hours of birth. It involves three major tests to identify life-threatening genetic illnesses, even before the symptoms kick in. Statistically, it can be claimed that most of the newborn babies are healthy and won’t have any of the conditions the screening tests are looking for.…
Newborn screening, or NBS, is a simple procedure that establishes if a newborn has any congenital metabolic conditions that could lead to physical and mental retardation or could prove fatal if undetectedor untreated. This procedure, to be effective, should be done between 24 and 72 hours of birth. Few drops of blood is drawn from…
Newborn screening, commonly known as NBS, is a list of simple yet important tests given to newborn babies between24 – 72 hours of birth to screen for congenital metabolic disorders and conditions. Some of these conditions are not clinically evident until irreversible and permanent damage is already done. However, these simple screening tests done at…
For a newborn baby, the first and foremost gift every parent can give is a healthy future. In a developing nation like India, despite it being the healthcare capital for its neighbouring countries, still, the healthcare here has to evolve to cover wider aspects. One among them is definitely treating the diseases of the future,…
