#FlatStanley is spending his summer vacation in our Public Health Lab! Follow his adventures throughout the summer. Today, Flat Stanley watched #NewbornScreening blood spots arrive at the lab and get time stamped. Then he helped Nga bring them over to get punched and sent off for testing. From these 5 drops of blood, our newborn screening scientists can screen for 59 disorders! Nga and Flat Stanley noticed that one of the baby’s results came back positive for phenylketonuria (PKU). Our computer system alerts the genetic counselors about the results so they can call the baby's doctor. Flat Stanley and one of our genetic counselors called the baby's pediatrician and told her that PKU is a condition where phenylalanine, an amino acid found in some foods, is toxic for this baby. Good thing the family can come in to see their doctor to get more testing. Baby can go on a phenylalanine-free diet and lead a healthy life!