The following information is excerpted from the California Department of Health Services brochure Important Information for Parents about the Newborn Screening Test.

Optional Supplemental Screening

The Newborn Screening Program screens for the most common treatable diseases. The Program is always evaluating new diseases as testing techniques and treatments become available. However, there is a period of time between the availability of a test technique and it being included in the Statewide program.

Parents should be aware that tests for other conditions are available from private laboratories for a fee. Some of these conditions are common enough and have effective treatment options to ultimately justify their inclusion in the State program. These include Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Biotinidase Deficiency, Medium Chain Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MCADD), and some other diseases detected by tandem mass spectrometry technology.

Parents should discuss supplemental testing with their prenatal and/or pediatric physicians who can arrange for testing by a private laboratory. The NBS Program will not pay for the supplemental screening.

Information on these diseases is available also at these websites:

CARES: Cares Foundation
Alliance for Genetic Disorders: Genetic Alliance
Star G Project: Newborn Screening Information

Information on tests and costs can be also obtained by contacting the following laboratories directly:

Baylor University: 1-800-4BAYLOR
Mayo Clinic: 1-800-533-1710
Pediatrix: 1-866-463-6436