Each year more than 40,000 babies born in Connecticut are screened for hearing loss and over forty genetic or metabolic disorders. The screenings are conducted within days of birth, before the baby goes home. About 2,100 of the babies screened, or 5 percent, will have a positive lab screen result that needs more testing.
"Public health officials in Connecticut have kept abreast of the rapid expansion of genetic metabolic and hearing newborn screenings," stated DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, M.D., M.P.H. "This new Web-based training serves as a great resource for pediatricians, family physicians, physician assistants, and other health care providers who care for children." Galvin added that, "DPH is committed to the health and well-being of the newborns in the state of Connecticut. Because of newborn screening tests, the department is able to provide parents and caregivers' information that may be instrumental to the health of their newborn child. Newborn screening leads to early diagnosis and early treatment, which could help to prevent later complications."
The Newborn Screening in Connecticut Web-based training includes the state's experts on newborn screening disorders from the University of Connecticut Health Center, the Yale School of Medicine and the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The training sessions include information on:
- Latest newborn screening technologies
- Categories of disorders for which babies are screened
- Actions required when a baby has a positive screen
- Communication between the medical home, DPH and clinical specialists
- Appropriate medical care for children with a diagnosed condition
