TraCS helps expand health screening for babies through Early Check

NC TraCS has partnered with the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, RTI International, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, and Wake Forest to provide expanded health screening for babies born in NC through a research study called Early Check. Early Check tests for fragile X and spinal muscular atrophy, two rare but serious health conditions.

The free and easy health tests use blood already taken through a standard heel prick after birth—no extra blood needs to be drawn. The goal of Early Check is to learn about the rare health conditions being tested and look for better treatments to help babies.

In order to establish an evidence base for the rare health conditions being studied, mothers in NC need to hear about Early Check before their newborn is 4 weeks old. Because the conditions are so rare, Early Check will only be successful if we can reach the majority of NC newborns and their families — so we're going to need a lot of help!

For more information or to sign up, visit portal.earlycheck.org

Please spread the word and help promote Early Check on FACEBOOK and TWITTER for the launch of a social media campaign starting Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Help generate buzz for Early Check on social media! Tag @EarlyCheck and use #EarlyCheck to help track tweets, likes, and clicks. To make it easy for moms to enroll, please link directly to the Early Check portal in all posts: portal.earlycheck.org