Information for parents/guardians

This six-minute DVD explains how screening can indicate if your baby has an increased chance of rare disorders. If any problem is found, your baby can receive the best possible treatment.

Download and view the Heel Prick information for Parents DVD (.wmv / 8739kb)

Factsheets

Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme - your newborn baby's blood test 

Congenital Hypothyroidism and your baby

This resource is provided for parents whose baby has been diagnosed with Congenital Hypothyroidism.

Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency: a factsheet for parents/carers --*/    - 140Kb

Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme: Expanded Screening --*/    - 145Kb

Information for parents and carers about the new test for rare metabolic disorders --*/    - 134Kb

Return request form

Return of newborn metabolic screening samples (guthrie cards) to family --*/    - 45Kb

Parents and individuals can use this form to request the return of their blood spots after testing is complete.

Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Police

Memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Police relating to the disclosure of newborn blood spot cards and related information

The Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Police have signed a Memorandum of Understanding relating to the disclosure of newborn blood spot samples.  The Memorandum came into effect on 28 February 2006.

The Memorandum regulates requests from the Police to the Ministry for access to samples, and clarifies the circumstances in which such requests may be granted.  To date, blood spot cards have been used by police once or twice a year to identify dead or missing persons, mostly with parental consent - for instance when a child dies in a house fire.

Information for health practitioners

Best Practice for Health Practitioners DVD

This 17-minute DVD outlines the responsibilities of Lead Maternity Carers and provides best practice advice for the Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme.  

Download and view the Lead Maternity Carers DVD  (.wmv / 23193kb)

Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme Best Practice Key Messages --*/    - 458Kb

The key messages accompany the DVD and contain best practice reminders and list the metabolic disorders currently screened for by the Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme.

NSU directives

Blood spot cards – the impact of correct sample taking --*/    - 37Kb

Heel pricks – warming, pain relief and lancet use --*/    - 27Kb

Screening for Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders --*/    - 37Kb

Protocols

SCBU protocol - May 2008 --*/    - 116Kb

This protocol describes screening for specific metabolic disorders in newborns that are admitted to SCBU.

NICU protocol - May 2008 --*/    - 116Kb

This protocol describes screening for specific metabolic disorders in newborns that are admitted to NICU.

Recommended links

New Zealand Organisation for Rare Disorders

The New Zealand Organisation for Rare Disorders (NZORD) provides New Zealand's central starting point for information about rare disorders.

NZORD can refer parents/caregivers to support groups for specific metabolic disorders.

Cystic Fibrosis Association of New Zealand

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of New Zealand website provides information about Cystic Fibrosis.

March of Dimes

The March of Dimes website contains information about pregnancy, birth and the health of babies.  Because it is an overseas site, not all information will be relevant to New Zealand.  For example, the site mentions some disorders that are not currently screened for in New Zealand.

Newborn Screening Info

The Newborn Screening Info website provides fact sheets on the metabolic disorders screened in the New Zealand programme.  It includes descriptions of each disorder and how they can be detected and treated.