Communications

(Jan. 3, 2025) – Some conditions on the newborn screening panel can cause permanent disability or even death in as little as five days. Timely collection and shipping of a satisfactory specimen is critical for early identification and intervention, possibly preventing the condition's progression. Seventeen conditions screened are considered time-critical. For healthy babies, blood spot collection should occur between 24 and 48 hours of birth. Results of a newborn screen collected before 24 hours of birth are considered invalid because the analytes in the baby's blood are not independent of the mother's blood. An invalid result means another blood spot collection must complete the screening process. A NICU baby will have a blood spot collection taken based on hospital policy for admission. A blood spot screening should be conducted again for NICU babies between 48 and 72 hours of birth. The Kansas Newborn Screening Program strives to meet national standards by reporting time-critical results within five days of birth and all other results within seven days. Please visit the Kansas Newborn Screening Program for more information regarding timeliness and quality assurance for blood spot collection.
--Karen Braman