Screening for your baby
We do some tests to make sure babies have the best start in life. Learn how the tests are done, what to expect and how they help your baby.
Critical congenital heart disease
Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) happens when the heart or major blood vessels do not form correctly before birth. This means the heart may not work well.
A baby with CCHD may not have enough oxygen in their blood. The body needs oxygen to grow and be healthy.
Problems caused by CCHD
CCHD is different for each baby but needs urgent care. Babies with CCHD may not be getting enough oxygen in their blood, which they need to grow and be healthy. Some babies with CCHD may:
- have fast, hard breathing
- make grunting sounds with their breaths
- have bluish colouring in their lips
- eat poorly
- be very sleepy
- have a heart murmur
Screening
All babies are screened for CCHD between 24 and 36 hours of age or as close to when they leave the hospital as possible.
Pulse oximetry test
This test measures oxygen in the blood. A small sensor is placed on the baby’s right hand and one foot.
Other tests
If the pulse oximetry test shows low blood oxygen, your baby may have CCHD or other problems. We may order other tests for your baby, such as:
- a heart ultrasound (also called an echocardiogram or heart echo)
- blood tests
- a chest X-ray
- tests for infection
Treatment
Babies with CCHD should see their family doctor and a doctor who specializes in children with heart disease (a pediatric cardiologist). Your baby’s care team will talk with you about treatment, if needed.
Types of treatment
Treating CCHD right away helps most babies with CCHD live healthy lives.
Treatment can include:
- medicine
- medical procedures
- surgery
Early hearing detection and intervention
Permanent hearing loss is one of the most common conditions in newborns. Even if a baby responds to sounds, they may not hear well enough to develop speech and language. Having your baby’s hearing tested soon after birth is the best way to find hearing loss early and help your baby build speech, language and learning skills.
Babies are never too young to have their hearing checked. Alberta’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program is a service that identifies permanent hearing loss in children as early as possible. It is available for families across the province.
How it is done
While your baby is quiet or sleeping, soft sounds are played into their ears and a computer measures how they hear the sounds. The test is quick, safe and won’t hurt your baby.
When it is done
Your baby’s hearing will be tested soon after birth. It may happen before they go home from the hospital or at a site in the community.
You will get the test result as soon as the screening is done. The result will be either a “pass” or a “refer.” A pass means that your baby is hearing well on the day of the screening. It is a good idea to watch your baby’s hearing, even after getting a pass result.
Other tests
If the test result is a refer, your baby will need to go for a special hearing test for hearing loss. This test is done by a pediatric audiologist (a healthcare provider who specializes in children’s hearing).
Most babies who need further testing are found to have normal hearing, but some have hearing loss.
Adapted from Alberta Health Services Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (2018, November).
Jaundice
Jaundice is a condition that makes the skin yellow. Sometimes it also makes the whites of the eyes turn yellow.
Why it happens
After birth, babies have extra red blood cells they do not need. These cells break down and release a substance called bilirubin. Your baby gets rid of most of the bilirubin in the first few days through their poop. But if the bilirubin builds up in the body, it causes jaundice.
The most common type of jaundice happens on the second or third day after birth and affects about half of all newborns born before 37 weeks.
Babies are more likely to develop jaundice if they:
- are born before 37 weeks
- are not feeding well
- have a certain blood type
Jaundice usually starts to go away after your baby is four or five days old and is gone by 10-12 days. At low levels, jaundice will not harm your baby. In rare cases, very high levels can cause brain damage.
What you can do
If your baby has jaundice, you can:
- feed them often and for as long as they want
- make sure they are latching well and swallowing
- keep track of their pees and poops
Babies with jaundice may be sleepier and feed less. If you are worried:
- wake and feed your baby at least every two to three hours (eight to 12 feeds within 24 hours)
- talk to your healthcare provider or public health nurse
Do not place your baby in the sun to treat jaundice.
How your healthcare provider can help
Your healthcare provider will check your baby for jaundice by:
- looking at your baby’s feeds, pees and poops
- using a jaundice meter to tell how much bilirubin is in your baby’s body. The meter shines a flash of light on the forehead or chest and does not harm the baby.
- ordering a blood test if needed
If your baby needs treatment, they will be in the hospital for a few days under special lights.