- Price of the heel test
- When to do the heel prick
- What is the foot test for
- Basic heel test
- Extended foot test
The heel prick test is a mandatory test that is performed on all newborns from the 3rd day of life, usually at the maternity ward or hospital where the baby was born, where a few drops of blood are collected from the baby's heel and placed in a filter paper that is sent to a laboratory to check if the baby has phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism or another congenital disease.
After collecting the heel prick test, the test goes to the neonatal screening laboratory, along with the mother's identification data, address and contact phone number, as well as the identification of the collection post.
If the result of the heel prick test is altered, the family and the collection point are contacted by telephone by the laboratory and the baby must undergo further tests to confirm the disease diagnosed during the test.
Price of the heel test
The mandatory heel test, which is done by the hospital or maternity, is free. However, the extended foot test is not done by SUS and the price depends on the state where it is performed, the health plan and the number of diseases to be detected. In this case, the price of the expanded foot test can vary between 200 to 350 reais.
When to do the heel prick
The heel prick test should be done from the 3rd day of the baby's life and is usually done between the 3rd and 6th day, but can be performed until the first month of the baby's life.
What is the foot test for
The heel prick test is used to diagnose some serious diseases early, such as:
- Congenital hypothyroidism, in which the baby's thyroid produces less hormones than normal; Phenylketonuria, which is a disease of metabolism; Hemoglobinopathies, which are diseases that affect the blood, such as sickle cell anemia, which is a hereditary disease in which there is a change in the form of hemoglobin, a substance in the blood.
There is also the extended foot test, plus or master that detects more diseases besides these.
See a more complete list of diseases identified in the test at: Diseases detected by the heel prick test.
Basic heel test
The basic heel test mandatorily detects phenylketonuria and congenital hypothyroidism, but in some states in Brazil, the basic heel test detects other serious diseases such as:
- Cystic fibrosis which is an inherited genetic disease in which there is an accumulation of dense and sticky secretions in the lungs, digestive tract and other areas of the body; Biotinidase deficiency that causes a defect in the metabolism of the vitamin biotin; Congenital adrenal hyperplasia which is a genetic disease characterized by a deficiency in the adrenal glands, located just above the kidneys.
The basic heel test is done by SUS, but if parents want an extended heel test, plus or master, they must pay for the exam.
Extended foot test
The extended heel test, in addition to the diseases detected by the basic heel test, detects 30 more diseases, such as galactosemia and congenital rubella, for example. The extended version of the heel prick test can also be divided into the heel prick test and the heel prick test.
See other tests that the baby should do right after birth.
