How is the heel prick performed?
- In the first week, between the 4th and 7th day after birth, some blood is taken from the baby. This is done with a special needle and the drops of blood are then collected on a sheet of paper with specially prepared rounds. The heel prick is done during the same visit as for the hearing test. An employee of the screening team of the GGD Brabant Zuidoost will come to your home for this.
- In a laboratory, they test the blood for some very rare but serious conditions. These include a disease of the thyroid gland, a disease of the adrenal gland, a form of anemia (sickle cell disease), a disease of the lungs (cystic fibrosis) and a number of metabolic diseases. Most of these conditions are hereditary and infrequent.
- The conditions cannot be cured, but with timely detection of these conditions, treatment can be started. For example, through medication or with the help of a certain diet. By which damage to the child’s development is reduced or can be prevented.
- If it turns out that your child has a rare disease, you will be referred to a pediatrician by the obstetrician.
The heel prick involves taking blood from your baby's heel. This blood is examined in a laboratory for a number of rare diseases.
In a laboratory, they test your baby's blood for some very rare but serious conditions. With timely detection of these disorders, treatment can (usually) be started that will limit or prevent damage to the child's development.
In the first week, between the 4th and 7th day after birth, blood is taken from the baby through the heel prick.