Routine tests for newborn babies in hospital. The Personal Health Record. If you're a parent expecting a new baby, you probably know a lot about health care in pregnancy and childbirth. But you may not be aware of the things that happen in hospital after the birth to protect the health of all newborn babies. Even though a baby looks healthy, there's a very small chance that he or she might have a health problem that can be detected by tests done three to five days after birth.
Early detection means any problem can be treated quickly before the baby becomes ill.
Shortly before a baby leaves hospital, a few drops of blood are taken from the baby's heel, put on to special paper and sent to a laboratory for testing. If you have a home birth, check with your midwife. This is a problem with the thryroid gland, occurring in one in 3,500 babies. If it's untreated it can affect a baby's brain development and growth, but early treatment means the baby will develop normally both physically and mentally. Again, early detection and treatment means the baby will develop normally.