aKa 1% ee (NAPSA)—For many, the decision to have a child may very well be the biggest and mostfulfilling decision they will make. And after the decision is made to start a family, future parents often discover that planning for the baby’s future can be a daunting task. Whichcar seat will they use? How will they babyproof the house? Which schools will the child attend? Regardless of all these questions, one hope in particular resonates in the mindsof most future parents: that their child will be happy and healthy. And, until recently, the genetic screening options available to help ensure a child’s health have been limited, cumbersome, inconvenient and sometimes costly. Now a new program has been created that can change that. The First Of Its Kind Based out of Emory University’s Department of Human Genetics, the genetic screening program called JScreen is the first of its kind. It can be usedto test for over 80 different genetic conditions with an at-homesaliva test. This can help parents-to-be know if they are carriers for genetic conditions such as Tay-Sachsdisease, spinal muscular atrophy and cysticfibrosis. It’s estimated that 80 percent of children with a serious genetic disease are born to parents with no known family history for the disease, making JScreen a powerful prevention tool. While parents once had to navigate a confusing process for genetic testing that sometimes only screened for a handful of conditions, future momsand dads can now request their JScreen test kits online at www.jscreen.org. JScreen works with their doctor to order the appropriate test, and typically, no doctor’s visit is needed. After the kit is shipped to Genetic testing can help parents- to-be knowif their child will be vulnerable to genetic conditions, such as Tay-Sachs disease and cystic fibrosis. an individual’s home, he or she deposits a saliva sample in the included tube and sends it back using the prepaid shipping package. In a matter of weeks, the person being tested will be contacted by a licensed genetic counselor from Emory University’s Department of Human Genetics to discuss the results. The Gift Of Knowledge Also, for the first time, by using a gift card, friends and family members can purchasethegift of genetic screening for their loved ones at www.jscreen.org/gift. “We've already seen great success with the gift card program, particularly among family members of newlyweds and people whose loved ones are nearing the age when they might begin trying to start a family,” said Karen Grinzaid, Senior Program Director for JScreen. “It’s a unique gift—one that I think tells the recipients that you care about them and you care about their future. It’s really quite thoughtful.” With the development of an affordable genetic screening option available from the comfort of one’s own home, manybelieve JScreen marks a significant advancement in the fight against genetic diseases. To learn more, visit www. jscreen.org.
