About Us 2018 Newborn Screening Awareness Month
September is Newborn Screening Awareness Month! Throughout the month of September, Baby's First Test will be sharing newborn screening facts, videos and stories through our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels as well as highlighting education and awareness efforts from communities and organizations across the nation. To help amplify your voice, we encourage you to use #2018NBS when you share a post, picture, or story. We hope our materials and resources are useful to you in your awareness efforts!
#2018NBS Social Media Toolkit
To download a PDF of the social media toolkit, click here.
SAMPLE TWEETS/FACEBOOK POSTS Copy the text, personalize it, or add your own photo
- September is Newborn Screening Awareness Month! To learn more about #newbornscreening and what to expect, visit BabysFirstTest.org. #2018NBS
- Looking for educational resources on #newbornscreening? Check out @BabyFirstTest’s resource center here: http://bit.ly/2MDYTHs #2018NBS
- Did you know there are three parts to #newbornscreening? 1) the blood test (or heel stick); 2) the hearing screen; and 3) pulse oximetry. Learn more about what to expect by visiting: http://bit.ly/2wyCbWl #2018NBS
- Why think about #newbornscreening during pregnancy? Learn more here: http://bit.ly/2PoiqZl #2018NBS
- Not every state screens for the same #newbornscreening conditions. Find out what your state screens for: http://bit.ly/2C3SLDr #2018NBS
- Nearly 4 million babies receive #newbornscreening each year in the United States: http://bit.ly/2wyCz7f #2018NBS
- Each year, over 12,000 babies are born with one of the conditions included in state #newbornscreening panels: http://bit.ly/2PP34Oy #2018NBS
- More than 1 in 300 newborns have a treatable condition through #newbornscreening: http://bit.ly/2wyCz7f #2018NBS
- Most states screen for 29 out of 35 recommended #newbornscreening conditions: http://bit.ly/2wyCz7f #2018NBS
- 1-3 of every 1,000 babies are born w/ some degree of #hearingloss. To learn more about hearing loss: http://bit.ly/2PUAQ4X #2018NBS
- Did you know about 2 in 1,000 babies born in the United States are affected with Critical Congenital Heart Disease? Learn more here: http://bit.ly/2MJQhiM #2018NBS
Educational Resources to Share
Looking for educational resources to share on newborn screening? We have lots of wonderful English and Spanish resources from our team and organizations across the country in our newborn screening resource center, including:
- Videos
- Webinars
- Fact Sheets
- Educational Tools
- Posters
TWITTER CHAT Mark your calendars for September 24th at 12pm ET
RAISE AWARENESS ON FACEBOOK
- Post, share, and comment using the hashtag #2018NBS
- Add a frame to your Facebook profile by searching for #2018NBS, or trying it from Baby’s First Test’s Facebook page. You can choose how long the frame is displayed.
How to Share Your Story
Newborn Screening Awareness Month is a great time to tell your story and raise awareness about newborn screening. Throughout the month, Baby’s First Test will be sharing stories and photos from families and individuals about their personal experiences with newborn screening. These stories will be collected through our Family Experiences page. You can submit your story here.
Other Ways to Share Your Story
- Use Facebook Live or Instagram Live to share your experience
- Include a picture with your story and add the hashtag #2018NBS to your Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter posts
STORYTELLING TIPS
- Include the basics. Who, what, when, and why.
- Be authentic. Everyone’s experience may be different; tell your truth.
- Use images or video. Photography is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to tell a story.
- Choose one story to tell. What’s the goal for telling this particular story story? Remember to tell a story that speaks directly to your goal, and remove any unnecessary details.
- Keep it short and sweet. Aim for 250 words or less.
- Include a call-to-action. What’s the goal for telling your story? To raise awareness? To advocate? Make sure to end your story with a call-to-action.
SAMPLE STORY POSTS Copy the text, personalize it, or add your own photo
- I am part of the #newbornscreening community because I (insert reason, activity or profession)! I'm proud to help babies have healthy lives. #2018NBS
- September is #NewbornScreening Awareness Month! Newborn screening is important because it gave my child a healthy start! #2018NBS
- My child is 1 of 12,000 newborns each year who is given a 2nd chance because of #newbornscreening! #2018NBS
- Do you have a newborn screening story you would like to share? Submit your story here: http://bit.ly/2NG54Yc #2018NBS
- Learn from other families, in their own words, what their #newbornscreening journey has been like: http://bit.ly/2NG54Yc #2018NBS
Awareness Month Activities from Our Partners
How are you raising awareness about newborn screening? To let others know what you are doing throughout the month, email jackie@babysfirsttest.org.
Looking for more specific information?
Find more information about a specific condition or state
Find a condition 
What your state offers 
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