The first disorder screened in the 1960s was phenylketonuria (PKU). Some people still refer to this as the PKU test, but today numerous disorders are screened with this small blood sample. The purpose of the newborn screen is to identify inherited conditions, so that treatment may start early and prevent complications.
There are several blood disorders that can be identified on the newborn screen. The testing is not exactly the same in all 50 states, but in general, most of these will be detected.
Other hemoglobin C diseases such as hemoglobin CC disease and hemoglobin C/beta thalassemia. These are not sickling disorders. These result in a varying amount of anemia and hemolysis (red blood cell breakdown), but not pain like sickle cell.
If an infant inherits hemoglobin E from each parent, they can have hemoglobin EE disease. Hemoglobin EE disease has little to no anemia with very small red blood cells (microcytosis).
However, just because a baby has a normal newborn screen does not mean that they do not have alpha thalassemia trait; it can be difficult to detect. Later in life alpha thalassemia trait may be confused with iron deficiency anemia.
