Your Newborn's Screening is Comprised of 3 Components.
Blood SpotSCREENING
A few drops of blood will be taken from the heel and collected on a special filter paper. The sample will be sent to the Bureau of Public Health Laboratory in Jacksonville. Results will take a few days to be released to your baby’s doctor.
Pulse OximetrySCREENING
A small sensor which measures oxygen in blood will be placed on your baby’s right hand and one of their feet. This test is painless and is completed very quickly.
HearingSCREENING
There are two types of hearing screening equipment, both of which place sensors on your baby’s head to measure response to sounds. This test is painless and is usually completed while your baby is sleeping.
For Parents
Newborn screening is a state public health program that reaches nearly 4 million babies born in the United States each year. Approximately, a quarter of a million of those babies are born in Florida. Newborns are screened for certain genetic, endocrine, hemoglobinopathy, immunology, and metabolic conditions. Screenings for hearing loss and critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) are completed prior to discharge from a hospital or birth facility. Florida screens for more than 55 conditions, including those recommended by the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP). If a baby’s newborn screen is abnormal, parents will be notified, and the Newborn Screening Follow-up Program will ensure access to diagnostic testing to confirm results.
For Health Care Providers
Health care providers are the most trusted resource for information about newborn screening and are often responsible for collecting specimens for testing. Samples should be collected correctly for accurate results. Get the best samples the first time by following these step-by-step instructions.
Conditions
Per section 383.14 Florida Statutes, the Genetics and Newborn Screening Advisory Council recommends conditions for testing under the Newborn Screening Program. Florida screens for 36 core conditions and may detect an additional 23 secondary conditions (a total of 59 conditions), most of which are included in the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel that is recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children.
About the Newborn Screening Program
Newborn screening identifies potentially debilitating and life-threatening conditions within the first weeks of an infant’s life, giving children in Florida the best possibility for early interventions and care. A few drops of blood are drawn from the newborn’s heel 24 to 48 hours after birth, and tests for hearing loss and critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) are conducted before the newborn leaves the hospital. The hospital sends the blood sample to the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories in Jacksonville, which screens more than 1,000 blood samples per day. All results are sent to the hospital and forwarded to the newborn’s physician. Patient results are also available to health care providers through the Florida Newborn Screening Results (FNSR) website. If screening results are abnormal, the Newborn Screening Follow-Up Program, which is a part of the Division of Children’s Medical Services, will contact the parents and/or the newborn’s physician to arrange for additional testing to rule out or confirm initial findings.
Interactive Map
Newborn screening is critical to the timely diagnosis and immediate treatment of potentially debilitating and life-threatening conditions in babies. See how Florida birthing centers are performing based on the most current screening data.
Testing for Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II)
The Florida Department of Health, Newborn Screening (NBS) Program, is pleased to announce that beginning July 1, 2024, all newborns screened will be tested for Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II). If you have any questions, please contact the Florida NBS …
Florida Guidelines for Newborn Hearing Screening Revised
The Florida Newborn Hearing Screening/Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program is pleased to announce that beginning December 9, 2021, the Florida Guidelines for Newborn Hearing Screening have been revised. For more information or questions about hearing screenings or the revised …