Help Prevent Brain Damage in Newborns.
With a simple blood test, doctors can check for genetic, hormone-related, and metabolic conditions that can cause serious health problems. Newborn screening lets doctors diagnose babies quickly and start treatment as soon as possible.
Some of the conditions that can be detected by newborn bloodspot screening include:
- phenylketonuria (PKU) – a condition where the body cannot break down phenylalanine (found in food proteins). If untreated, PKU can lead to intellectual disability
- hypothyroidism – a condition where the thyroid gland does not make enough hormones. This can cause severe intellectual disability and growth problems. Early detection and treatment helps children to be healthy
- cystic fibrosis – a condition where organs such as the lungs and pancreas make abnormal mucus that clogs the organs and stops them working properly.
Sale Hospital’s Special Care Unit needs one of these hand held blood analysers to obtain blood chemistry results in minutes as opposed to the current need to send blood away for over-night analysis. We need to raise $10,000 to buy this machine. Will you help.
Go to DONATE to make a tax deductible donation. Please put ‘Screening’ in your deposit description so that we can identify where your donation must go.