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Topic Links |
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder
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Disability
and Health
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Early
Hearing Detection and Intervention
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Improving
the Lives of People with Limb Loss
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Improving
the Lives of People with Paralysis
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Legacy for
Children™
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Long-term
Follow-up of Newborn Screening
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Muscular
Dystrophy
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National
Center on Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder
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Using
Developmental Screening to Improve Children's Health
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Each year in the United States, 1 in 33 babies is born with a birth
defect, amounting to 150,000 births. Another 3,000 babies are born with
severe disorders that may not be obvious, but that can be detected—and
treated—as early as possible, thanks to screening of dried blood spots
collected at birth. In both arenas—prevention and early intervention—CDC
has provided scientific leadership to laboratories, intervention programs,
and media and education campaigns.
In about 25% of the cases, the causes of birth defects and developmental
disabilities are known. For example, insufficient folic acid (a B vitamin)
in pregnant women can lead to spina bifida (spine defects) and anencephaly
(brain defects) in their infants; alcohol consumed during pregnancy can
lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Because many women do not know they are
pregnant until several weeks after conception, education about prevention
measures (such as taking folic acid to prevent these defects, or avoiding
alcohol) needs to reach women before they become pregnant. CDC is working
to raise awareness of these and other prevention measures through media
campaigns and specific education targeting physicians who provide routine
medical care.
For the 75% of cases for which causes are still unknown, CDC supports
national, regional, and local research efforts designed to discover the
maternal, nutritional, genetic, and other risk factors that contribute to
these conditions. Newborn screening is another detection and research tool
that helps identify severe but hidden conditions as early as possible, when
treatment can help make a difference. To help ensure a link between
screening and follow-up, CDC is conducting a study of early detection and
interventions related to hearing loss, which has potential application not
only for other states but also for other conditions revealed by newborn
screening. CDC also monitors the quality of newborn screening services
across the country and is recognized as the worldwide expert in the most
important tool for newborn screening: dried blood spot technologies.
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