14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, OwensboroNew heart defect screening for newborns in birthing facilities
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Crews from Hall Contracting of Kentucky Inc. lifted a new truss span into place on Tuesday, May 15.
More >>This year, a new rule is in effect in Indiana that requires screenings for congenital heart defects in all babies born at birthing facilities.
14 News spoke with a pediatric cardiologist from St. Mary's who says these screenings can be life saving.
Pulse ox tests are non-invasive screenings done on newborns after 24 hours of age.
As of January first in 2012, these screenings are required in the State of Indiana.
"The intent is to pick up any type of congenital heart disease that might not otherwise be caught that might require intervention before an infant goes home," said pediatric cardiologist Deepa Kumbar. "All it is, they put a little sensor around the baby's hand and then around their foot, either on their toe or on their heel, and it detects using light how much oxygen is actually in the blood and oxygen levels in the blood."
Doctors say when a baby is born with a heart defect, it isn't always physically obvious.
The test helps doctors know if an infant needs to be treated.
"Sometimes an infant looks very well and these things are not easily picked up so the infant, if they were to go home with some of these lesions, they can have life threatening events happen," said Dr. Kumbar.
Dr. Kumbar says it can be very dangerous if a child's heart problem goes unrecognized.
"There have been infants who have gone home and had heart disease be undetected, then come back in cardiogentic shock and not make it," said Dr. Kumbar.
Dr. Kumbar says the screenings will not detect all heart problems. Parents should still know what to look for.
"Difficulty breathing, breathing too fast, looking lethargic, they may look modeled in color, just not acting right and those are the signs to bring them in for anything," states Dr. Kumbar.
The screenings aren't required in all states.
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