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Newborn Screening : A healthy start leads to a healthier life
Getting the best start
As a new or expecting parent, your baby's health is important to you. To ensure that your baby gets the best start in life and stays healthy, your newborn – and every other newborn in Ontario – will be screened for at least 27 rare disorders. Although most babies with these disorders look healthy at birth, they may be at risk of having serious health problems – including developmental disabilities, recurrent sickness and even death – if their disorder is not detected and treated. Early identification is the key to effective treatment.
Early detection leads to early treatment
Individually, these disorders are very rare. As a group, they will affect about 50 out of approximately 130,000 babies born each year in Ontario. By testing newborns within the first days of their lives, disorders can be treated early, reducing the chance of serious health problems later in life. This page will provide you with information about The Ontario Newborn Screening Program, which will be rolled out in 2006, and answer questions that you may have about the newborn screening test. A small test, producing big benefits
In order to perform the screening test, a small sample of blood is taken from your baby by pricking the heel. The blood is collected on a special paper card and then sent to the Newborn Screening Program Laboratory for testing. Blood samples can be taken anytime between one day (24 hours) and seven days after your baby is born. The best time to collect the blood sample is when your baby is between two days (48 hours) and three days (72 hours) old. If your baby is tested before one day (24 hours) of age, your baby's health care provider should repeat the test within five days, at the baby’s first checkup. Screening results : high risk and low risk
A screening test only shows whether there is a high or low risk that your baby has a disorder. It is important to understand that the test does not make a diagnosis of a disorder, but only identifies babies who need further testing. Once the Newborn Screening Program Laboratory has received and analyzed your baby's blood sample, one of the following will occur:
What does the testing look for?
The testing done for the Ontario Newborn Screening Program looks for at least 27 rare disorders that can cause health problems in babies and children. :
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