Why It Is Done. A phenylketonuria (PKU) screening test is done to see whether a newborn baby has the enzyme needed to use phenylalanine in his or her body. If this test shows that your baby has a phenylalanine problem, the doctor will do further testing to check whether your baby has PKU.he blood sample for PKU is usually taken from your baby's heel (called a heel stick). The test is done in the first few days after birth, as early as 24 hours after birth.
Add image to my collection. Technology to inject drugs into the body is a recent development. Hypodermic syringes (hypodermic means âbeneath the skinâ) consist of a hollow needle attached to a syringe. They pierce the skin and inject substances into the bloodstream. They are also used to extract liquid such as blood from the body.
In one instance, a pediatrician gave parents a hypodermic syringe to give their 5-month-old child a liquid antibiotic. Never noticing the clear cap, the father inserted the tip of the syringe into the medicine, pulled back the plunger, and the medicine flowed into the syringe. When he put the syringe in his child's mouth, and pushed the plunger, the cap popped off and became lodged in the child's airway (see diagram).