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PKU required in GA?Or just the test?  

post #1 of 10
9/4/08 at 3:21pm
Thread Starter 
I'm planning a UC but am pre-registering at hospital in case of transfer,(I've read too many horror stories here about bad treatment and threats to call cps.)One of the websites mentioned hearing test and pku ..."as required by Georgia law". But I wasn't sure if it meant the pku test and injection or just the test.Anybody know or know where I should look to find out?
post #2 of 10
9/4/08 at 5:49pm
The "PKU" is actually a metabolic test where they draw a little bit of a blood from the heel of the baby to test it for genetic diseases like, PKU, diabetes, etc. It's required by the state of GA and can be done in the peds office within 7 days of birth.
post #3 of 10
9/4/08 at 5:54pm
I had a UC in 2004 and we did not do the PKU when we brought ds to the doctor at 5 days old. Not saying you should make this choice, but it is the choice we made, and we were not required to do it. I don't remember signing a waiver but maybe we did.
post #4 of 10
9/5/08 at 12:35am
Yep, no injection, just a blood test. I don't think *you* are required to have it, but *they* are required to offer it and may make you sign a waiver if you don't get it (b/c if you don't get it and your child has a metabolic disorder, they can die or be seriously handicapped - so you have to sign that you are aware of those risks and accept them if you decline the test so you can't go back and sue the hospital that you didn't know your baby would be harmed if it had an unknown metabolic disorder).

the disorders are rare, and some people chose to not take the test. My personal opinion is that while the test is painful (poke the heel and drawing blood), it is temporary pain and not toxic or harmful in a significant way to the baby. However, a metabolic disorder can be fatal. I didn't think sparing 1-2 minutes of discomfort was worth the risk of not knowing about a metabolic disorder. and while they are rare, there are multiple moms here on MDC whose babies have one and they found out through the PKU test and were able to prevent serious problems by knowing quickly. Some people want to trust that their babies are healthy - but these are genetic conditions that aren't known until symptoms present and can be debilitating very quickly - serious handicaps can develop before parents get a diagnosis. But it's your choice, and I'm sure someone else could give you reasons to not do the test.

Of course, if you have HB or UC, you would have to go to a lab/hospital/ped's office and request to have one done. My ped. after my HB didn't do them in his office and didn't apply any pressure to me to have the test. I did want to have it done, and took DS to the lab at the hospital for the test (it was the only lab locally that my insurance covered).

If you *do* chose to have it done after your UC, I would recommend doing it at the hospital over your Ped office - they will have much more experience than the ped's (since it's done to most babies before they leave the hospital) and they can do it more quickly and with less pain.

Some HB m/w's will do the test at home (I think you have to order the test and mail it in to be analyzed, but they will do the test for you) - so maybe you can order the test card and do it yourself if you want.
post #5 of 10
9/5/08 at 8:30pm
The PKU test has undoubtedly been a lifesaver for those who have a metabolic disorder, and I'm glad it's available. I didn't explain our decision not to do it in my previous post, but I thought I'd mention that we weighed the risks and decided we were OK with taking the small chance. It's rare in the first place, as Yo Becca said, and 90% of those who have it are fair, blonde & blue-eyed. My daughter is fair with green eyes, and actually her dad and I did have the test done by my midwife.

My son is half Puerto Rican, so he's pretty well pigmented. Obviously 10% of people who have the disorder aren't fair, but again it's rare to have it at all. We also asked the doctor for his opinion and he rolled his eyes and said he felt it wasn't necessary. That was our feeling as well, so we chose not to. I don't think anyone should skip it without weighing those risks.
post #6 of 10
9/6/08 at 6:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dizzychik View Post
I'm planning a UC but am pre-registering at hospital in case of transfer,(I've read too many horror stories here about bad treatment and threats to call cps.)One of the websites mentioned hearing test and pku ..."as required by Georgia law". But I wasn't sure if it meant the pku test and injection or just the test.Anybody know or know where I should look to find out?
My understanding is that Georgia law requires the hospital to do the test prior to discharge; and does not speak of home born babies.

If you decide to do it, you may want to wait a week and then see if your doctor can find a vein with a butterfly needle rather than a heel stick. If you do the heel stick, make sure the heel is super warm first so it will bleed easily.
post #7 of 10
9/6/08 at 9:12am
Thread Starter 

Thanx,ladies

Thanx for the info.I actually had a brain fart and got the pku test mixed up with the vit k injection.(I've been cramming so much info in the last 5-6 months that obviously some is leaking out my ears.Lol!)I do plan on having the pku test within several days but definitely not the vit.kshot.
post #8 of 10
9/6/08 at 9:53am
Dizzychick, here's more information on the PKU, aka Newborn Screen. Phenylketonuria is one of 28 disorders that the test screens for.

http://health.state.ga.us/programs/nsmscd/

Here's more information about Newborn Vitamin K deficiency Bleeding:

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;112/1/191

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10102477

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUarticles/vitk.htm

Please read the information carefully before you make a decision.
post #9 of 10
9/7/08 at 11:39am
We decided not to do the vit K unless the birth was traumatic to the baby or would cause the baby to bleed (internally or externally) in any way that would necessitate the vit. K. My midwife only carried homoepathic K, not the injection, and fortunately we didn't need it at all. Vitamin K is one of those things that isn't necessary...unless it's necessary (in which case it can be essential). By the time we went to the ped. when DS was 3 days old, it was a non-issue. If you haven't checked out the UC forum here on MDC, I bet those ladies have lots of wisdom to share for your situation. Best of luck!
post #10 of 10
9/10/08 at 3:16pm
I had a homebirth-friendly pediatrician do the PKU test on my UC baby. I didn't get any newborn procedures (including vitamin K) for either of my babies, the first of whom was born at the hospital.
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