‘Newborn Screening’ for various disorders such as cystic fibrosis is routine (but optional) in B.C., and is funded by MSP. When your baby is one or two days old, your caregiver (hospital nurse, midwife or physician) will take blood samples from your baby’s heel using a special blotting card (<–pictured in the image to the left). The card is sent to the Newborn Screening Lab at Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, where your baby’s blood will be analysed for a variety of blood, metabolic and endocrine disorders, and for cystic fibrosis. Results are available within about 3 weeks. Disorders are rare, but when detected early, serious effects on your child’s health can be prevented.
For more information on the blood collection procedure, and the benefits of testing, see Newborn Screening at Children’s Hospital. For descriptions of the disorders tested for, see Disorders Screened at Children’s Hospital.