Texas Newborns Will Now Be Tested for 60 Genetic Conditions

A new enzyme deficiency test has recently been added to the Texas newborn screening panel, bringing the total number of conditions that infants will be tested for to 60.

Don't worry, I won't list every single one, but I will mention the latest addition as well as how newborn blood is drawn without harming them.

What is GAMT?

Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (say that five times fast...), or GAMT, is so rare that it only affects roughly 1 in every 100,000 babies in the U.S. each year. This is the latest addition to the newborn screening panel, announced on June 1, 2026.

Read More: Expert Tips for a Germ-Free Texas Classroom

GAMT affects the way the body creates creatine, the building blocks of protein. When creatine supply is messed with, it can make the body unable to store energy properly. When present in young children from infancy to three years of age, this deficiency can lead to several symptoms:

• Intellectual disability
• Limited speech development
• Recurrent seizures
• Behavioral problems
• Poor muscle tone
• Involuntary movements

How Are Texas Newborns Tested?

In order for doctors to test newborns for GAMT and the other 59 genetic conditions, they will actually prick their heels for drops of blood, typically done 24 to 48 hours after birth in the hospital.

This process is repeated between one and two weeks later. The bad news? Many babies who are born with these diseases and conditions come from perfectly healthy parents. That's the dark side of genetics: you never know what is lying dormant from your past generations.

Although there aren't necessarily any "cures" for genetic conditions, parents should always get their newborns tested in Texas and adhere to the proper treatments so their children can live healthy lives.

If you want to read more about the 60 conditions that all Texas newborns are tested for and how this testing takes place, you can always visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website.