The American Academy of Pediatrics Newborn Screening Task Force considers health professionals as stakeholders within any newborn screening system. It states that: “Those who provide medical homes for children must understand the newborn screening system, apply appropriate professional standards to their practice and assume responsibility for their role in that newborn screening system” (1).
An integral part of the newborn screening process is professional education. This includes knowledge about:
- The goals of your state’s newborn screening program
- The newborn screening laws, rules and regulations for your state
- Disorders screened by your state’s newborn screening program
- The vital importance of early diagnosis and treatment of “at risk” infants
- The importance of obtaining and handling a valid specimen suitable for testing purposes
Resources for Professionals
National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center (NNSGRC)
- State and regional NBS program links
- State NBS contact information
- National NBS Information Reports (1996–2000)
- U.S. National Screening Status Report (table listing the disorders in each state’s panel)
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
March of Dimes Newborn Screening Recommendations
Mountain States Genetic Network (MoSt GeNe)
Newborn Screening Practitioner's Manual
