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Scotland Begins Testing Newborn Babies for Rare Genetic Condition
Scotland now screens all newborns for spinal muscular atrophy through a blood spot test, identifying 3-4 affected babies yearly for early treatment to improve outcomes.
- Scotland has become the first part of the UK to screen newborns for spinal muscular atrophy, offering all parents SMA testing via the day-four blood spot test.
- Given that three to four babies are born with SMA in Scotland each year, campaigners helped push for screening after delayed diagnoses, said Dr Sarah Smith.
- Neil Gray, Scotland's Health Secretary, said the screening could be life-changing and give babies the opportunity to grow up without lifelong health-care needs, with SMA UK calling it a major moment for the SMA community.
- Campaigners hope the rest of the UK will follow Scotland, with Carrie Pearson stating, 'We wish it came out sooner, obviously, but we are grateful now that every other child isn't going to go through all those issues.
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Testing newborns for spinal muscular atrophy – screening programme begins in Scotland
Juan Carlos Alonso Lopez/Shutterstock.comScotland has become the first UK nation to screen all newborn babies for spinal muscular atrophy. Here is what you need to know. What is spinal muscular atrophy and how does it affect babies? Spinal muscular atrophy is a motor neurone disease that starts during infancy. There are different types of SMA, which vary in how severely they affect the child. The most severe type of SMA is, sadly, the most commo…
Evening Standard+51 Reposted by 51 other sources
Scotland becomes first part of UK to screen babies for rare muscle disease
All parents will now be offered spinal muscular atrophy screening for their newborns.
·London, United Kingdom
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