Heel prick test

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helpusfindacure4cf

New member
Hi to all, can you tell me if the heel prick test is automatically tested now for CF, i thought i heard that it was, i'm from the UK, but a friend of mine has just had a baby and CF wasnt tested for, in the heel prick test, so i was just curious. Thanks

Mom to Chelsie 5 w/cf
 
J

JazzysMom

New member
In the US they are implimenting it. I dont know about the UK tho. I just know the American Pediatric Association & the American OB Association are trying to get it standardrized testings in all states thus lessening misdiagnoses later on and providing early treatment.
 
A

anonymous

New member
I thought the heel prick test was for testing the biliruben (sp) count in infants?
Do they test other things from this as well?
 
H

helpusfindacure4cf

New member
Thanks, to the poster above, they use the heel prick test to test for quite afew things here in the UK, and i thought one of them was CF it wasnt done when my daughter was diagnosed, but has been brought in since, but just wondered why my friend's baby hadnt been tested in the heel prick test.

Mom to Chelsie 5 w/cf
 
A

anonymous

New member
The heel prick test is done at birth in Australia (Guthrie test) and it is to test for CF and another disease I'm not sure of. I spoke to the CF foundation in Western Australia and apparently it is about 95% accurate.
 
L

lflatford

New member
How does the heel prick test work? Does it take the blood and then test it for the mutations? I am a little confused if you cant tell. But I do think an automatic testing at birth would be wonderful!!!
 
A

anonymous

New member
The heel prick test works by searching for the 10 most common mutations in Cystic Fibrosis.
I live in New Zealand and it also tests for 5 other serious illnesses as well.
My son was referred for further tests thanks to the heel prick at birth.
However my daughter was a carrier of a more rare mutation that I carry and we knew this before she was born but this was not picked up from the heel prick.
Rebekah
Mother to Matt 2 w/CF and Ella CF carrier
 
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