Published Dec 23, 2008
by Jennifer Kwon, M.D., M.P.H. and Richard H. Dees, Ph.D.
The advantages of screening for diseases and disorders in children seem obvious. Ideally, tests catch problems early and increase opportunities for treatment and recovery. However, Jennifer Kwon and Richard H. Dees note that screening programs can have a number of complications, including ambiguous benefits, the need to educate families and the public, results that land in a gray area between normal and certain disorder, blurred lines between screening and research, and competition for scarce funding. Kwon and Dees urge caution and careful consideration of potential costs alongside potential advantages.