Colorado Adds X-ALD To Newborn Genetic Screenings

By Jaimie Goldstein, CBS Denver:

CBS4 – Once a baby is born, all parents care about is the health of their little one. Every year, 4 million babies are tested for diseases, and around 3,000 are positive for something severe. That’s according to the National Library of Medicine. “It’s a part of what’s called a dried blood spot test.” Doctors can check for rare genetic, hormone-related and metabolic conditions that can cause serious health problems.

“I think in particular, there’s a couple of new disorders that are being added this year, and one in particular is called the X-ALD or X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. It is an irreversible and progressive neurological disease that primarily affects males during childhood.” That’s Dr. Patrick Long. He’s a clinical geneticist at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s. “If diagnosed early, there are treatments that prevent the progression of disease.”

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