How can saliva help us diagnose and care for newborn babies?

How can saliva help us diagnose and care for newborn babies?Caring for newborn babies, particularly those born prematurely, can be a tricky business.They are unable to tell caregivers how they are feeling or if something is wrong, and it can be hard to monitor their physical progress and needs using typical medical assessments.Dr Jill Maron from the Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, USA, conducts research to develop diagnostic tests that use saliva to help clinicians learn more about the health of newborn infants so that they can monitor progress, diagnose problems and provide appropriate treatment when needed.