Newborn blood spot screening, also known as a heel prick test, is performed within 5 days!

Important: Newborn screening appointments and vaccinations heel prick test for the coronavirus (covid-19) update continue as normal, including.

Newborn blood spot test

Newborn hearing screening test

Newborn physical exams

Be sure to make an appointment unless you or your baby has symptoms of neonatal pneumonia.

What is a blood spot test?

Newborn blood spot screening involves taking a blood sample to determine if your baby has one of nine rare but serious health conditions.

Most babies do not have these conditions, but for the few who do, the benefits of screening are enormous.

Early treatment can prevent severe disability or even death by improving their health.

What is included in the blood spot test?

When your baby is 5 days old, a health care professional will collect 4 drops of blood on a special card at their heel.

You can relieve any pain and make sure your baby is warm and comfortable to hold and feed.

Sometimes you may need to collect a sample when your baby is 6,7,8 days old.

Sometimes a second blood spot sample is needed. I will explain to you why. This does not necessarily mean that there is a problem with your baby.

The test does not pose a known risk to your baby's company.