Category: Newborn Screening

Krabbe Awareness Month: Day Fifteen

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Krabbe Awareness - 15

THIS fact is why we continue to fight for Newborn Screening for Krabbe.

Every baby deserves a chance at life. We have the technology to detect the disease AND effectively treat it if caught at birth, and yet only SEVEN states are screening (that slide is coming).

Owen, Tygh, Ezra, Michael, Lennon…these five babies were transplanted EARLY and are thriving! We won’t stop fighting until every baby is given the same opportunity for life. After all, we would have done anything possible to save Tori, and we want every parent to have that chance.

Krabbe Awareness Month: Day Eleven

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Krabbe Awareness - 11

Tori began to show symptoms at five months. Krabbe hit fast and hard, and it robbed her of her smile, and other abilities, immediately. She went to Heaven at 20 months.

But, it didn’t have to be this way. Later this month you will learn about the importance of Newborn Screening and the treatment that is possible if Krabbe is caught at birth.

Krabbe Awareness Month: Day Five

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Krabbe Awareness - 5

I moved from CA to PA, married a Pennsylvanian – we both carry the same genetic mutation (30kb deletion). We were told that the odds of that happening were incredibly rare given the distance between us. We were clearly meant to be. ❤️

This fact is one of the major reasons why we firmly believe that Krabbe should be included on every Newborn Screening test. We had no idea that we carried this fatal mutation – no one does unless someone in their family has been affected or they’ve had genetic testing.

Oh, how we wish we’d known…

I’m Not Sad That My Boys Aren’t Little Anymore

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I often see moms post about how sad they are that their babies are not newborns and tiny anymore, or sad that another year has gone by, and perhaps I could have related to that feeling a few years ago.

But, I just can’t relate to it now. I realize that my perspective is different than most, which is why I feel like I need to share it, especially this month.

I’m not sad that our boys are bigger, or that they are continually learning and doing new things. I doubt that I will ever look back with tears and want to go back to those newborn days.

Isaiah
Caleb

I’m thrilled and delighted that they are ABLE to get bigger. That they are ABLE to grow and learn. Why am I delighted?

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Because Tori wasn’t given that opportunity. Because Krabbe robbed her, and us, of a normal childhood. She stayed little, like a newborn, for her entire existence. She never learned to talk, walk, laugh, play. 

We would do anything, anything, to have her here today, in full five-year-old glory. 

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And it is with that perspective and passion that I write, parent, and live.

I am truly overwhelmed with gratitude, amazement, and joy with every new milestone reached, and I don’t look back at their newborn pictures with sadness (disbelief that they were ever that small, amazement at how far they’ve come, but not sadness). Part of that is because newborn twins are seriously challenging and I don’t want to go back to that phase, but it’s mostly because of Tori, our precious baby girl who was taken from us too soon. I LOVE watching them learn and grow as healthy little men.

What makes me sad is that there are babies born each year with a treatable condition but that their ZIP code determines whether they have a chance to live or not.

What makes me sad is that families like ours, families with so much love for their children, have to say “see you later” to their child and be separated from them until we get to Heaven.

I fight for Newborn Screening for Krabbe because I don’t want anyone else to go through what we’ve experienced. I want babies born with Krabbe to have the same opportunity for life as any healthy baby. I want their parents to be able to see their children achieve typical milestones. I want their children to grow up.

I know motherhood is challenging and it’s easy to be frustrated. I get it. I have my moments like anyone else. However, in those moments I remember that not every child gets to grow up, like my Tori, and I remind myself that I have so much for which to be thankful.

I pray that you can do the same. ❤

Newborn Screening Awareness Month

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(Hover over – or tap on – each state to see how many diseases are included on their NBS tests)

September is Newborn Screening Awareness month so we will be providing information throughout the month about Newborn Screening (NBS).

Here’s a brief introduction:

Newborn Screening is a crucial component of ensuring the health of all newborns, yet many parents have no idea what is being done when the test happens.

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Photo of Isaiah’s NBS

Newborn Screening (NBS) happens between 24-48 hours of birth and it involves the pricking of the baby’s heel in order to apply blood to special paper (filter paper). The blood is used to test for treatable conditions – conditions for which timing is everything.

Did you know that each state screens for a different number of diseases?

I created the interactive map above to visually demonstrate the discrepancy from state to state, or you can see the chart below. I obtained all of this data from babysfirsttest.org on August 31, 2019. 

State Name Number of Diseases Screened
Alabama 46
Alaska 53
Arizona 31
Arkansas 32
California 63
Colorado 44
Connecticut 65
Delaware 52
District of Columbia 62
Florida 55
Georgia 32
Hawaii 49
Idaho 48
Illinois 64
Indiana 49
Iowa 53
Kansas 31
Kentucky 58
Louisiana 34
Maine 55
Maryland 61
Massachusetts 66
Michigan 59
Minnesota 61
Mississippi 61
Missouri 60
Montana 32
Nebraska 37
Nevada 57
New Hampshire 39
New Jersey 57
New Mexico 49
New York 60
North Carolina 37
North Dakota 52
Ohio 46
Oklahoma 54
Oregon 53
Pennsylvania 38
Rhode Island 34
South Carolina 55
South Dakota 50
Tennessee 70
Texas 55
Utah 52
Vermont 35
Virginia 33
Washington 34
West Virginia 38
Wisconsin 47
Wyoming 52

According to BabysFirstTest.org there are 80 treatable conditions that could be screened for at birth, but no state screens for all 80. Visit their site to learn more about what diseases are included on your state’s NBS. 

This means that your ZIP code determines life or death if you are born with one of these screenable/treatable diseases. 

Where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die. – U2

There is a national panel called the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, or the RUSP, and there are currently 35 diseases on the RUSP. Many states screen for all of these diseases but not all. 

As you can see, there’s a lot of work to be done in the realm of Newborn Screening to ensure that every child is screened equally for all diseases, including Krabbe. One thing you can do is contact your legislators to ask them to take NBS seriously and work on increasing your state’s screening panel. 

Comment below with any questions, comments, etc. Do you remember when your child was screened? Did you know what was happening? 

 

September is Krabbe Awareness Month

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Each day in the month of September you will be seeing a new image with facts about Krabbe/Leukodystrophies as we do our part to increase awareness about these diseases.

Please share these posts/images on social media using the hashtag #MakeKrabbeKnown

September is also Newborn Screening Awareness Month, so we will be posting about that as well.

Feel free to ask any questions you have! We’d be happy to answer.

So much gratitude to our friend Mike of ArtisticDork.com for making these images and for being willing to make updates and changes for years now. If you are in need of graphic design work, please check out his website! 

Let’s #MakeKrabbeKnown because #WhiteMatterMatters ❤