metabolic screening

[zak]

I'm just finding out this is done at 5 days (from a couple of sources, not necessarily GOOD sources tho)...

Our first son was born at a FSBC. This time we are HBing and I wondered...

1 - do you do the PKU/metabolic screening at all (what did you choose/why?) with your homebirthed child/ren? (I'm not really wanting to leave the house for a 40 minute drive *just* for this test, tho I would if it were something really necessary!)

2 - is there a "time frame" in which this "MUST" be done? (I'm seeing between 24 hours and 5 days, which makes me go : because my CNMs didn't tell me that at all (see next point).

With Reid... we did it at our 1 week check up at the FSBC... and he was clotting so quickly that the results came back inconclusive and we had to redo it at 4 weeks (at the FSBC). No way were we in the 5 day "window" with him... if something *were* really wrong, would we have just *known*?

Can someone give me some articles to read? Info? Advice?

We don't have a ped yet - tho I will be meeting one before the babe arrives.

Your thoughts?

[ckhagen]

I'm pretty sure metabolic testing can be done at any time, AFTER 24 hours. Well, more like, they have to have had 24 hours of digesting milk to get an accurate test.

I have no idea when they did it with my c-section baby, but we did it at a 3 day check with my FSBC baby. I do it because for me, metabolic issues are something that I can treat if I know about them, most of the time with diet. Heel pricks suck My dh's young cousin was suspected to have a Fatty Oxidation Disorder (turned out to be something else) which is a metabolic disorder. We learned quite a bit about it in the meantime and the consequences often come with no prior symptoms, which sealed the deal for me on the screening. You can read about FOD at www.fodsupport.com.

[jerawo]

My MW's assistant came back to my house after 24 hours to check on me and do the screening.

[Arwyn]

Because it's testing for many metabolic disorders, the "best" time depends on what you're most worried about. For hypothyroidism (the most common disorder, about 1/3000), the test is most accurate if done after 48 hours (useless if within 24 hours, usually). But for others, the longer you wait the more damage can be done.

We did a 3 day and a 2 week, because the tests can miss things, so multiple screenings are more accurate. If you're going to do it just once, I think between 3-7 days is probably best.

My son came back very strongly with congenital hypothyroidism, which if untreated causes severe brain development damage, but if caught and treated by 1 week appears to not affect longterm outcomes at all, so I'm glad we did it at 3 days.

The midwife did the heel prick and collection both times - if you order the testing cards, I don't see why your midwife couldn't do it. No need to leave the house!

[Midwife Kris]

Timing of the test is also dependent on the type of processing your state/regional lab uses.

[AugustLia23]

We did the newborn screen with my homebirthed baby, my midwife came over at day 3 and did it in the house. With this baby, we will likely do the test at the peds on day 3 since the plan is an unassisted birth.

[zak]

Thank you all I'm pretty sure the MW doesn't do any testing - I'm in one of "those" states in regards to homebirth... so I'll likely have to go to a ped to get the testing done. Not a biggie - hubby will be able to be off with me for as long as I need/want.

I guess I need to get on the horn and go to the ped that's been recommended. He homebirthed his kids... I'm sure he'll be the best "match" for our family. I sure hope!

Thanks again for the info! I am normally SO well researched about things, this is one area that I really had no idea about.