Stay Up To Date

News & Updates

Find out about program updates, news features, and families helped by newborn screening.

 

Is there a standardized period when hearing screening should be performed?

According to the Florida Newborn Hearing Screening Guidelines and the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing 2019 Position Statement, a hearing screen should be completed as close to hospital discharge as possible while allowing enough time for a single repeat screen if the infant does not pass the first screen.

For some infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (e.g., infants on ventilators) it may not be reasonable to complete a hearing screening prior to 21 days of age. Facilities should establish a hearing and cCMV screening procedure that contemplates infants with prolonged NICU stays.

Testing for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

The Florida Department of Health, Newborn Screening (NBS) Program, is pleased to announce that beginning April 27, 2020, all newborns screened will be tested for a new condition, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). If you have any questions, please contact the