When is newborn screening performed and what is tested?

• A. Typically within 24-48 hours after birth; metabolic and genetic conditions via heel-prick.
• B. At birth; hearing assessment only.
• C. At 2 weeks; metabolic panel.
• D. At 3 months; metabolic panel.

Answer: (A)

Newborn screening is a heel-prick blood test done after birth to look for metabolic and genetic disorders that can be treated early. It is typically performed within 24 to 48 hours after birth, using a small blood sample collected on filter paper. The test screens for conditions such as PKU, congenital hypothyroidism, galactosemia, and sickle cell disease, among others, so treatment can begin before symptoms develop. Hearing screening is separate and often done soon after birth, but the newborn screening panel itself targets metabolic and genetic disorders, not just hearing. Other timings or a general metabolic panel don’t reflect how this screening is typically conducted.