scope:

This guideline addresses best practices for SCBU personnel, as well as primary health care providers, laboratory, and follow-up personnel to provide all preterm, LBW, and sick infants with valid newborn blood spot and hearing screening. Best practices are defined with consideration of the conditions screened for and timing of screening events. Special circumstances include the condition of the infant, treatments given, maternal conditions/therapies, and other factors. This document does not intend to dictate SCBU care practices.

Goals of this guideline are to

1) Ensure rapid, consistent, and complete blood spot and hearing screening, including appropriate follow-up to ensure early diagnosis and treatment for preterm, LBW, or sick newborns affected with a screened condition.

2) Minimize the risk of a missed or delayed diagnosis and treatment for all screened conditions.

3) Optimize the timing and minimize the number of blood spot specimen collections and hearing screening events.

4) Define essential elements of quality assurance relevant to this guideline.

5) Provide education on the effects of SCBU treatments on newborn blood spot and hearing screening.

6) Identify areas needing further research.