What other testing available?

Having CH: If they are healthy and developing normally, older brothers and sisters of a baby with CH are unlikely to have the condition. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your other children. Future pregnancies: When a previous child in the family has had CH, newborn screening results may not be sufficient to rule out the condition in a newborn baby. In this case, special diagnostic testing may be advised in addition to newborn screening.

Can you test during pregnancy?

CH is not usually detectable before birth and most children with CH do not have a hereditary form. For those that may have an inherited form, genetic testing can confirm only a portion of the hereditary cases.

If your child has a hereditary form of CH, and if the gene change(s) have been found in your child, DNA testing is possible during future pregnancies. However, prenatal testing is rarely done for CH because treatment is so effective. If you have questions about prenatal testing, ask your genetic counselor or physician.

Can other members of the family have CH?

Having CH: If they are healthy and developing normally, older brothers and sisters of a baby with CH are unlikely to have the condition. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your other children.

Future pregnancies: When a previous child in the family has had CH, newborn screening results may not be sufficient to rule out the condition in a newborn baby. In this case, special diagnostic testing may be advised in addition to newborn screening.

How many babies have CH?

About one in every 1800 to 2000 babies born in Sri Lanka has CH. Twice as many girls have CH than boys.

Does CH happen more freequently in a certian ethnic group?

CH occurs in people of all ethnic groups around the world. It happens more often in babies from parts of the world in which there is not enough iodine in the food and water.