#pkuphotoaday #pkuawareness #raredisease #pku
May 11/ Day 11
Newborn screening – saves lives! #pku is the first disease detectable through newborn screening. Ever since the 1960s babies born in Canada and the USA are screened at birth for pku and other diseases. It is that heal poke test . The blood is placed on this for and sent for screening to bc children’s hospital. Even an as an adult I still take my blood myself from my finger and place it on this same card and mail it to be tested. Pku does not have a device to test blood like diabetics . There is one in development. I wait up to 10 days to get my results. Babies born prior to newborn screening who where not dianosed develop mental retardation by 6 months of age. The damage is permanent.