Oklahoma Mother Wants More Genetic Testing For Newborns

An Oklahoma mother is using a new title to help save young lives. Ryan McLaughlin is the 2007 Mrs. Oklahoma United States. Her platform is newborn genetic testing. Ryan says she was inspired by her

Monday, May 28th 2007, 2:57 pm

By: News On 6

An Oklahoma mother is using a new title to help save young lives. Ryan McLaughlin is the 2007 Mrs. Oklahoma United States. Her platform is newborn genetic testing. Ryan says she was inspired by her own daughter, Ellie Kate.

"I just knew that mother's instinct that something wasn't right and I was told over and over again, 'oh she's fine' and then the 5th day of life she stopped breathing," Mrs. Oklahoma United States Ryan McLaughlin said. "She has something called non-ketotichyperglycanemia or Glycinencphalothopy."

Most babies with this rare brain disease don't live past one year old, but Ellie Kate is 18 months. Her mother wants Oklahoma hospitals to test for more genetic diseases. Right now, state hospitals only test newborns for 12 out of the more than 50 genetic diseases.

Watch the video: Mother Pushes For Extended Testing Of Newborns