Identifying Endocrine Disorders in Newborns: What Pediatricians Need to Know

A solid grasp of the benefits and limits of standard screening tests is essential to preventing the serious and even life-threatening consequences of neonatal endocrine conditions, such as congenital hypothyroidism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. In this CME talk for primary care providers, pediatric endocrinologist Hannah Chesser, MD, FAAP, explains that certain populations are particularly at risk for one of these disorders – or for a false-positive result. Reviewing guidelines introduced in 2023, she describes how the measured hormones are affected by birth, prematurity, illness and other factors, and clarifies when additional screenings and referrals are warranted.

Learning Objectives:

• Be aware of high-risk populations and symptoms of congenital hypothyroidism

• Be able perform the initial evaluation of patients who have a positive newborn screen for congenital hypothyroidism (CH)

• Understand how newborn screening for congenital adrenal hypeplasia (CAH) works