What are Heel Sticks and How are They Performed?
Heel sticks are a kind of blood test offered by most traditional and Professional Mobile lab services. They are performed on newborn babies and are needed for screening tests. Although some parents might feel nervous about a heel stick, if blood tests need to be performed, they cant be avoided.
What Is A Heel Stick?
A heel stick is performed 24-48 hours after a baby is born. It checks for health conditions, especially those that may not be obvious but may show up later in life. These include metabolism and hormonal issues.
A heel stick blood draw is done by pricking the baby’s heel, to take a tiny blood sample. The blood is then tested at a laboratory. If the results indicate any abnormalities, a follow-up draw may be needed.
Heel sticks are performed on babies before they leave the hospital. If a baby is born through a home birth, they should be immediately taken to the hospital for necessary tests. In some states, the law requires that blood be drawn and tested through a heel stick within 24-48 hours and after one or two weeks.
Significance of Heel Sticks
Blood draws can highlight rare diseases which may not be indicated otherwise. It tells the doctor how the baby is absorbing nutrients, metabolism, and, hormonal issues. These issues usually don’t show symptoms but have to be treated immediately so there are no development problems later.
A heel stick screens the baby for hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria, galactosemia, and sickle cell disease. If a baby for has tested positive for hypothyroidism, for example, they may need immediately to avoid long lasting effects.
How Is A Heel Stick Performed?
A heel stick is performed by a phlebotomist, through a lancet. A lancet is a tiny needle used to prick the baby’s heel to obtain a blood sample. It is taken through the heel as capillary blood is a viable source for the sample and only a small blood sample is required.
This is also necessary because in the early days of a newborn’s life, the veins in the arm are not fully developed. A heel stick can be done to a baby up to seven months old. Heel sticks are stopped when the baby starts walking to prevent infections or delays in walking.
If the baby has an infection, injury, or edema on the heel, a heel stick will not be performed. Additionally, certain blood draws such as coagulation, blood cultures, and, immunoglobins require large amounts of blood samples which cannot be acquired through the heel.
Heel sticks are very important to determine a baby’s health. If you’re looking for a convenient and reliable source consult Phlebotomy on Wheels in MD. We offer mobile blood draw services VA at home with convenience and affordability. Contact us today.