So my ped. said that it was standard for my 1 y/o to have a blood draw to check for lead (which he said never happens in this part of the country) and to check for his levels of other things. With my daughter, they never had me do this, which he said must have been an oversight. I'm wondering if you all did this for your 1 y/o too. It seems like it would be very painful for an otherwise healthy baby to go through that. I will do it if nec. though. This doctor wasn't my usual guy so I wasn't sure if I had to do this or not.
I don't know why that has to be done, but I will tell you that my 6 month old had to have blood drawn for food allergies. I was a NERVOUS.WRECK as I am terrified of needles. I couldn't believe it that she just sat in my lap and didn't even flinch! They use SUPER small needles and it is like she didn't even feel it! I was such a happy girl walking out of that lab...
Good luck!
Two different pediatricians in two different states ordered the same tests for my two kids. They didn't even cry, they use much smaller needles than the ones they use on adults, and it was over in a flash!
A blood draw, is quick.
They use a "butterfly needle" which is a smaller needle and used for kids or anyone who requests it.
I request a Butterfly needle, anytime I have to do that.
It is normal.
Lead can come from many places so just because you are in a newer home doesnt mean your child cant have a problem with lead. Its in some clays and glazes used on bright colored dishes, and in the paint used in toys from some countries. Remember all the Fisher Price recalls a couple years ago? How do you know the toys you have dont still contain lead? If you have older toys, or bought them from garage sales or thrift stores you dont know for sure. Even some new toys in stores right now have slipped past the finer inspections and could be recalled someday. So there is no reason to fear a small blood test, and it might be the one thing that gives you a clue to something minor before it can become worse
yes its normal, mine had it done. Thankfully even though high lead is not common anymore, they found my son had a high lead level. He was the only one in the family to have it also as we were all tested at that point. Not sure why he was the only one, but its better to be safe than sorry. Even if high lead level are not common in your part of the country... it can actually happen any where. They told me lead can be in the ground for any number of reasons and resurface at any point years from now.
they do it because of the dangers of lead poisoning, which can happen from many many sources not just from old paint. it isnt like it's going to hurt forever, it is quick and easy. I would def. do it, you just never know.
you don't "have" to - but i would - it's 10 seconds of mild discomfort, and can give you an early heads up on very serious medical problems.
it was a part of both of my sons' 1 yr checkups.
it's been a part of 9 out of 10 of my daycare kids.
That's pretty standard in the Northwest, at least with our ped and most of my friends' peds. I requested it after my friend's child had high lead levels at the one of 19 months! It was a finger-prick; yes kiddo howled, but only briefly. And it was worth it to me to know we were in the clear.
Yes this is normal, even if there is no logner lead in the paint in the newer homes. There is possible lead in toys, the soil etc that the younger kids can get while being crawling and out and about...it is rough to watch them get a blood poke BUT if they have a lead exposure it is better to know now.
All mine have been tested for lead.
Just be careful and make sure that the person who is doing the blood drawl is used to doing infants.
I only say this because when I took my oldest daughter to get hers done... the person did not know how to do infants and I did not know it.
My daughter now about to turn 18 is battling the fear of needles that this person helped create.
We did it, in part because we have an older home. It is not uncommon. We had our pediatrician suggest the phlebotomist at the lab that was best with children.
I have had the doctor advise blood work but only because something indicated a need. Not a part of routine care.
No, it's not normal unless you live in an older house. Then they like to check for lead to make sure your kid isn't eating paint chips or something.
If you don't live in an old house, say no.
Yep i have done with both my girls. Found kidney problems in my second with the blood work.
I also ask for someone with LOTS of experience with babies. My poor kids have been poked a lot. Last time i had to take my 2 month old this guy was explaining to a girl how to do it after i had requested an experienced person. I asked for the guy showing the girl to do it and she got all bent out of shape. My baby is not a guinea pig.
Yep. With my 4 year old, yes. My 15 year old never had anything like that done when he was little.
Interesting. I never did this with either of my kids, but it seems so far that is fairly normal. I even asked my doc about lead, we live in an older house, but he said that it wasn't really an issue anymore b/c of the newer stuff, etc. I guess if it's just a little bit it won't hurt?? I'm sure he'll have to have other vaccinations, etc. at that time so one more probably isn't going to make a difference.
my daughter had blood drawn at 1 and 2 for lead and iron to check levels and both times her lead was okay but iron was low which she gets from me
No, you don't have to do it. But, if you do, you'll at least know your child is free of lead and has a normal CBC:-) They will likely just do a quick finger poke, which isn't bad at all. It's when they have to poke a vein in a child that little that I really start freaking out!
Some kids have rare diseases that aren't discovered unless they do a random test like this. My oldest has had to have her blood tested anywhere from every week to every three months (rarely has it been every three months) due to a blood disorder she was born with.
But it's up to what you feel comfortable with. Odds are your child is totally fine. But if you want to rule those things out, it's quite simple and mostly painless...as long as it's not a vein poke:-)
My kids had theirs when they wre 2. I know my 3 yr old had blood drawn when she was 2 also. I do not remember having anything done at 1.
We've had blood draws at every yearly well child checkup, and I THINK one at 3 & 6 mo (I know we had a couple prior to 1yo). Fingerpricks at every appt, actual blood draws are the ones I'm talking about. Lead was only 1 thing that was checked in the battery of tests that were done.
New-mommy in me got wigged out, before the little guffer started crawling, that is. Then, HA! A single poke? He did worse to himself several times a day!!! Heck, teething he'd chomp down on his tongue or cheeks causing far more pain/injury and that wasn't counting the bumps, bruises, skinned knees and palms and elbows, and faceplants, and pinched fingers, and, and, and...
He was a robustly healthy baby/toddler. But this past year (at age 8) he's had hundreds of pokes and draws. There is this one phlebotomist (Hector!! All hail Hector!!!) at Children's who just *poof* waves the needle in the general direction of the kids and it's in, then draw, done. In less time than it takes to read it. God. I love Hector. I would pay his salary forever if I could. Magic Hector. Hector is my hero. They mostly keep him in outpatient services because he can do 10-15 kids in the same time it takes others to do 1 or 2. When we're inpatient, I specifically request him.
We did for our kids but I think it was at their 2 year old check up, I don't remember. It was just one small tube and both did great.
I don't remember my daughter (9) having this done, but I don't see the harm in it.
I have a friend whose son was found to have high lead. It was coming from the pipes in their house and they didn't know it. Lead can come from several sources, not just paint.
Check with your regular doctor if you're not sure.
My kids are 5 and 2 and I was never told to have anything like that done. If he's not your regular ped, I would check with your normal dr first.
My daughter had a blood test taken from a vein in her arm at 1 (all others have been via finger prick). Yes, it's normal.
My pediatrician just did a finger prick for 1 drop of blood to test for lead. We definitely did not to a blood draw for this or any other reason. I would question it for sure in an apparently healthy baby.
My 2 yr old had this done when he turned one and it was a piece of cake. My husband held him and it was over with before he knew what was going on. He cried alot more with the shots. They dont only check for lead. They also check for iron levels, blood count and other things to make sure he is healthy.
It is just a quick finger or toe prick. My kids had to have it done because our house is over 50 years old and we had done construction to it in the past year.
The shots were a million times worse.
Is it 100% necessary, no. Is it a great idea, yes. Of course we have no idea how much pain the child has, but knowing that it's very minimal for an older child, we can assume it's not much for a 1 year old. To me the positive outweighs the negative by leaps and bounds.
And yes, it is standard.
my son just did it 2 days ago and he is one. my older 2 girls had theirs tested at 2. you never know what will have lead based paint in it or on it, we found lead paint in my sons room so had to take him out and have people come in and blah blah pain in my butt! he had elevated levels so he will need to be checked every now and then to see if they are going down.
