An official State of Texas website.
Newborn Screening Awareness Month in September is an opportunity to spotlight the importance of early testing.
Every baby born in Texas gets two newborn screening blood tests: one at 24 to 48 hours after birth and a second when the baby is 1 to 2 weeks old. Newborns also receive screening tests for hearing and critical congenital heart disease. More than 1,000 of the approximately 400,000 babies born in Texas each year are diagnosed with one of the 55 screened conditions.
Finding these conditions early and starting treatment can help prevent serious complications, including developmental delays, illness or even death.
The Texas Newborn Screening Program follows the federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel in determining which conditions to screen for.
The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Laboratory receives an average of about 2,500 samples per day and performs testing six days per week, Monday through Saturday.
“Our team of dedicated staff work hard for the babies of Texas,” said Omar Ordonez, hemoglobinopathy manager at DSHS.
If there is an abnormal test result, the Newborn Screening Clinical Care Coordination staff work with families to help ensure the baby receives additional testing and treatment.
To learn more, visit the DSHS Newborn Screening Program website.