What are the special considerations for newborn capillary collection?
They can be prevented by using the recommended puncture areas, avoiding the tip of the heel and with the use of proper antiseptic techniques, using a sterile lancet for each puncture and by selecting a new site for each puncture.
What are the most common methods of neonatal and infant blood collection?
The neonatal heel prick, also known as a dermal puncture, is by far the most popular way to collect blood from newborns and infants up to about six months of age. Dermal punctures are preferable because, when done correctly, they are guaranteed to produce blood, removing the uncertainty of needle sticks.
When will you perform venipuncture in newborns?
The blood test is generally performed when a baby is 24 to 48 hours old. This timing is important because certain conditions may go undetected if the blood sample is drawn before 24 hours of age.
What tests can be done with capillary blood?
Below is a list of common tests performed on capillary blood specimens some of which are point-of-care tests or home self-testing:
- Blood smears for manual white blood cell count.
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Hemoglobin & hematocrit (H&H)
- Electrolytes.
- Neonatal blood gasses.
- Neonatal bilirubin.
- Neonatal screening.
- Glucose.
What tests Cannot be performed on capillary blood?
Certain tests cannot be performed on capillary blood due to the large volume they require or the possibility of contamination. These include the following: Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test, due to large blood volume required.
What is a capillary blood sample?
A capillary sample is a blood sample collected by pricking the skin. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels near the surface of the skin.
How do you collect capillary blood samples?
Capillary blood is obtained by pricking a finger in adults and a heel in infants and small children. The specimen is then collected with a pipette, placed on a glass slide or a piece of filter paper, or is absorbed by the tip of a microsampling device.
Who will collect the sample of newborn screening?
The blood sample for ENBS may be collected by any of the following: physician, nurse, medical technologist or trained midwife.
What tests are run on newborn babies?
Newborn screening tests may include:
- Phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU is an inherited disease in which the body cannot metabolize a protein called phenylalanine.
- Congenital hypothyroidism.
- Galactosemia.
- Sickle cell disease.
- Maple syrup urine disease.
- Homocystinuria.
- Biotinidase deficiency.
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
What test are done on newborn babies?
The most common newborn screening tests in the US include those for hypothyrodism (underactivity of the thyroid gland), PKU (phenylketonuria), galactosemia, and sickle cell disease. Testing for hypothyroidism and PKU is required in virtually all States.
What is capillary sampling?