1. SAVE YOUR BABY
from
Mental Retardation
Aries Glenn B. Galao, BSN, RN

2. What is newborn screening?

3. Newborn Screening
• A simple procedure to find out if your
baby has a congenital metabolic
disorder that may lead to mental
retardation or even death if left
untreated.

4. Why in newborn screening
done?

5. • Most babies with metabolic disorders
look “normal” at birth.
• By doing NBS, metabolic disorders may
be detected even before clinical signs
and symptoms are present.
• Treatment can be given to prevent
consequences of untreated conditions.

6. When is newborn screening
done?

7. • NBS is usually done on the 48th – 72nd
hour of life.
• It may also be done 24 hours from
birth.
• Some disorders are not detected if the
test is done earlier than 24 hours.

8. How is newborn screening
done?

9. • Using the heel prick method, a few
drops of blood are taken from the
baby’s heel and blotted on a special
absorbent filter card.
• The blood is dried for 4 hours and sent
to Newborn Screening Center (NSC).

10. Who will collect the sample for
newborn screening?

11. • The blood sample for NBS may be
collected by a trained:
 Physician
 Nurse
 Midwife
 Medical technologist

12. Where is newborn screening
available?

13. • NBS is available in participating
Newborn Screening Facilities:
 Hospitals
 Lying-ins
 Rural Health Unit
 Health Canters
• If babies are delivered at home, they
may be brought to the nearest Newborn
Screening Facility.

14. When are newborn screening
results availabale?

15. • Normal NBS results are available 7-14
working days from the time NBS
samples are received at the Newborn
Screening Centers.
• Positive NBS results are relayed from
the NSC to the NSF immediately.
• Parents should claim the NBS reults
from their physician or health
practitioner.

16. What is the meaning of the
newborn screening result?

17. • A negative screen means that NBS
result is normal.
• A positive screen means that the
newborn must be brought back to
his/her health practitioner for further
testing.

18. What should be done when a
baby has a positive NBS result?

19. • Babies with positive results should be
referred at once to a specialist for
confirmatory testing and further
management.
• Consult http://www.nsrc-nih.org.ph
for the list of specialists.

20. Effect if
Disorder Effect if NOT
SCREENED and
Screened SCREENED
Treated
CH (Congenital Severe Mental
Normal
Hypothyroidism) Retardation
CAH (Congenital
Death Alive and Normal
Adrenal Hyperplasia)
GAL (Galactosemia) Death or Cataracts Alive and Normal
PKU Severe Mental
Normal
(Phenylketonuria) Retardation
Severe Anemia,
G6PD Deficiency Normal
Kernicterus

21. 16:59
Help us save
the 33,000
babies
affected by
any of these
disorders.