Can those heel prick tests show if your kid has congenital hypothyroidism?

Yes: Heal stick tests on newborns are used to detect a number of treatable problems that might otherwise go unnoticed until damage has started. Congenital hypothyriidism is one of the earliest tests added to newborn screening programs due to the success in early detection and treatment. Check with your state to see for sure.

Yes: The tests are not 100% accurate, but are very likely to identify the disorder.

Yes: Usually, yes. Some errors happen, but they are rare.

Yes: All 50 states now screen for congenital hypothyroidism as part of the new born screen . In the US, the most common screening approach is measuring T4 (actual thyroid hormone) level with backup of TSH (the signal from the brain that controls thyroid hormone production). This approach has been shown to miss one case out of almost 90, 000 infants who are screened. So the answer is yes.

Yes: Thyroid testing is one of the several disorders for which newborns are screened. This newborn screening is typically done by heel stick.