Babies' heel prick test expanded to critical disorder

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In Victoria, newborn babies will be given a more comprehensive heel prick test, which will now check for another rare genetic disorder.

Kiddies who are just hours old will now be tested for galactosaemia as of Wednesday, which can cause life-threatening liver disease and kidney failing if left untreated.

Its most serious form affects one in 50,000 babies, making them unable to break down a sugar found in some dairy products, requiring treatment where they're fed a soy formula.

The expansion will expand the state's screening program to 32 conditions within the first 72 hours of newborns' lives.

The Acting Health Minister, Ingrid Stitt, said it is part of more than a million bucks it's going towards testing for spinal muscular atrophy, severe combined immunodeficiency, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

"Checking on the health of little nippers early is a key part of keeping all Victorian babies healthy, and also gives parents a sense of security," Ms Stitt said.

We're making sure our newborn screening program is a big one, so that kids with rare conditions like galactosaemia are picked up early and can get the treatment they need from the very beginning.

Newborn blood spot screening started in Victoria in '66 and has seen over 3.6 million babies checked so far.

About one in 1,000 have rare but serious health problems including congenital hypothyroidism and cystic fibrosis.