New Health Check for Babies

NEWBORN babies will be screened for a rare inherited disease that could cause death if untreated.All babies in England will be tested for Medium Chain Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MCADD) within two weeks of birth, Health Minister Ivan Lewis said yesterday.The check will be carried out as part of the standard “heel-prick” test which screens for conditions such as sickle cell disorders and congenital hypothyroidism, which affects the thyroid gland.MCADD is a rare inherited metabolic disease which affects the body’s ability to control blood sugar when the body is under stress, such as during a fever.MCADD affects between one in 10,000 and one in 20,000 babies born in the UK If the disease is not identified early, a quarter will die and a third will suffer damage to the nerves.

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