When you have registered your birth with the municipality, a message will be sent to Youth Healthcare (JGZ). In the first week after birth, a JGZ employee will come by to perform the heel prick and a hearing screening. This is usually on the fifth or sixth day after birth.

The heel prick

When taking the heel prick, your baby will receive a prick in the heel and a few drops of blood will be taken. This blood is tested for various diseases: thyroid disease, adrenal gland disease, a form of anemia or carrier status (sickle cell disease), cystic fibrosis and a number of metabolic diseases. Most of these diseases are hereditary and are uncommon. By performing the heel prick it is possible to detect the diseases in time and to start treatment quickly. This can prevent serious damage to the baby.

It is not mandatory to have the heel prick performed.

Hearing screening

The hearing screening is conducted by the same JGZ employee who also performs the heel prick. The hearing screening tests whether your child hears enough to learn to talk. During the hearing test, the JGZ employee puts a soft plug in the baby's ears. This cap is connected to a measuring device that measures hearing. This test takes a few seconds to minutes. The result is known immediately.

It often happens that the examination has to be repeated after a week. This may be because there is fluid in the ear canal, which means that no measurement can be taken, or because the result is insufficient.

If your child has been in the hospital and the heel prick was also performed there, the JGZ employee will perform the hearing screening for your child at a later time.

It is not mandatory to have the hearing screening performed.

More information about the heel prick and hearing screening

You can read more information about both studies our brochures. You will receive this brochure from us around the 36th week of pregnancy. Extensive information about the heel prick and the hearing screening can also be found at www.pns.nl.