Texas screens every newborn for about 60 conditions through the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), along with a hearing test and a pulse-oximetry check for critical congenital heart disease. The panel has grown quickly, with four lysosomal storage disorders added in 2025 and GAMT deficiency in 2026, putting Texas at or near full alignment with the federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP).
Screening is done with two blood specimens, the first at 24 to 48 hours after birth and a second at one to two weeks. The two-specimen approach helps catch conditions that may not show up on the first test. Results are sent to your baby’s doctor, and any out-of-range result leads to confirmatory testing.
Texas newborn screening at a glance
- Conditions screened: about 60 through the blood spot panel, plus hearing and critical congenital heart disease
- Specimens: two, at 24–48 hours and again at 1–2 weeks
- Program: Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Newborn Screening Program
- Compared to the RUSP: at or near full core alignment after the 2025–2026 additions
What the Texas panel covers
The panel spans the main categories of screenable conditions: metabolic disorders such as PKU and MCAD deficiency, endocrine disorders such as congenital hypothyroidism and CAH, hemoglobin disorders such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and the recently added lysosomal disorders and GAMT deficiency.
Why the Texas panel stops where it does
Texas runs one of the stronger programs in the country, and the reason it screens for about 60 conditions rather than more is not a limit of technology. It is a limit of budget and process. Every condition on the panel had to clear evidence review, secure ongoing funding, and be adopted by the state, which is why recent additions took years of work. Many other treatable conditions that today’s sequencing can already detect simply have not moved through that pipeline yet.
How Fore extends newborn screening
Fore Genomics offers an at-home genetic screen that uses a simple cheek swab to look at the genes tied to more than 1,000 clinically actionable, childhood-onset conditions, well beyond any state panel. Samples are sequenced in CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited labs, and results are delivered with support from board-certified genetic counselors. It does not replace the Texas state screen. It extends it, using technology that is available today rather than waiting for the public program to expand.
See how it works or start screening.
Frequently asked questions
How many conditions does Texas screen for?
About 60 through the blood spot panel as of 2026, plus point-of-care hearing and critical congenital heart disease screening.
Is newborn screening required in Texas?
Texas requires newborn screening, though parents may decline for documented reasons. Check current DSHS guidance for the exact process.
How do I get my baby’s Texas results?
Results are sent to your baby’s healthcare provider. Ask your pediatrician, or contact the DSHS Newborn Screening Program for a copy.
Medically reviewed by Fore’s Clinical Team. This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. State screening panels change; confirm current details with the Texas Department of State Health Services. Sources: Texas DSHS Newborn Screening Program; HRSA Recommended Uniform Screening Panel.