Blood draw for lead test mandatory?

[baileyann3]

I started school this fall and need care for my 2 yr old dd three days a week. We are going to send her to this lovely preschool, we just need a medical consent that she is healthy.

We went to her regular doc and he gave her a well exam and then wrote us scripts to get blood work to test for lead. I asked if it was necessary and she said yes. DD had a rough visit, she was tired and did not like the doctor sticking stuff in her ears and mouth and taking her clothes off and the such (understandably) and now when the doctor is mentioned she says "no, no".

So I called the doc back and asked if we can delay this test. (Honestly, I don't even think we are going to delay, and if we do it might be delayed a LONG time.) But regardless, she said no. We don't vax and unnecessary poking isn't really our thing. Our house is 6 years old. I also asked if she was showing signs of having high levels of lead, she said no. I asked what the symptoms were, she said their are none unless its REALLY high, and then she would be in the hospital. I also asked what the risk was to others at school.. again, none.

I just don't understand why she can't go to preschool without getting this lead test! I paid $70 for that worthless visit and I don't want to just go around to all the docs in town to find one who will let it slide, but really what are my options??

Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks

[stinkelein]

even with a new house your daughter could be exposed to lead. In toys, other places she visits and in the soil around your home, dr.'s want to catc hit because the treatment for a low level is simple, increase her iron intake (from food not even a supplement) but at high levels when the damage is already done it leads to life long problems. YOu might see if the center she is going to requires it. DD's preschool did, but I remeber it being a finger poke closer to a glucose level test not a vial of blood, for the preliminary test. YOu may need a biggger test if she tests high (one child did at 1 year check up one did not and they have both lived in the same 100 yo house their entire lives).
I think if you cannot getout of it, and you prepare your daughter without making a big deal over it, it can be done in a matter of moments with few side effects, though I would not go before nap time or when she is hungry. I would not do it when you have plans immeadately following. One of my children has never had it done and I will have to do it soon because his preschool requires it. But he has his blood sugar checked on a regular basis so I forsee no problems. Good luck

[JBaxter]

My ped does it at the office with a finger stick under the age of 3. To us its much easier than going to a lab and holding them down to do a full blood draw

[cheryllynn]

we had a finger prick and the whole process took about 1 minute. I agree that there are many sources of lead, not just house paint. I personally would want to know if there was an issue before it became a problem.

[nukuspot]

I disagree. Nothing is mandatory, and you totally have the right to refuse any test. We refused the lead test at DD's 12 month WBV. We live in a house built in the 90s and have no sources of lead anywhere she could have been exposed to.

I can't believe your doc said it was not optional to delay or not do the test. That really would make me uncomfortable, and honestly I would try to find another doc. It truly is your own choice and I agree, it does not affect anything about her starting preschool! How does the doc feel about you not vaxxing? Is she giving you grief about that too?

[baileyann3]

Originally Posted by nukuspot

I disagree. Nothing is mandatory, and you totally have the right to refuse any test. We refused the lead test at DD's 12 month WBV. We live in a house built in the 90s and have no sources of lead anywhere she could have been exposed to.

I can't believe your doc said it was not optional to delay or not do the test. That really would make me uncomfortable, and honestly I would try to find another doc. It truly is your own choice and I agree, it does not affect anything about her starting preschool! How does the doc feel about you not vaxxing? Is she giving you grief about that too?

Literally two doctors I've talked to said it was mandatory, the state of NY said she cannot go to preschool without it. She could not sign off that she was healthy without testing.

I just don't feel comfortable with this test. If it means not going to school, well.. I guess I would have to reconsider.

Well, we haven't been to the doctor since her 1 yr well baby. We went to all before that, and they gave us a speech every time about vax. I just kept saying I was still researching and hadn't made a decision yet. They seemed okay with that.

The test, in general, I'm not opposed to. I just think it not a great time for her to get blood drawn because her last doctor experience was so negative. I would not like the finger prick to be done, but if it meant going to school or not.. I would. Only because I'm not opposed to the actually test. (I mean, for example, I wouldn't get vaxes even if it meant she couldnt go to school... you know? because I'm actually opposed to them)

Plus I just cannot see the reasoning between not getting this test and her not being able to go to school. its making my head like this:

[tzs]

i don't see why they would need the test for school either but regardless of the dumb rules...please get the test. even if you have to reschedule for a better time.
vaxes are vaxes. when you don't vax you weigh the health risks of both sides. for a lead test there is no risk but there IS for lead poisoning. and yeah, there are no symptoms...those show up later on with delayed development and behavior issues.
we came back high on our first lead test. i had them do it early because of our old house but since then in doing all the research and looking through an old "lead poisoning" mdc thread, there are alot of kids that get it from places other than their home. the initial test is just a finger prick and if it's high you do a venous draw (which actually wasn't that bad in dd's case). luckily for us the venous and the most recent finger prick (which she didn't even cry or squirm for) came back normal. but with slightly or moderately elevated levels there are lots of things you can and should do (non-medication-wise) to make your kiddo and their environment healthier. i think any mother would shudder to think that they could have prevented a life-changing health issue with a finger prick.

[mama2soren]

We are non-vaxers who are generally skeptical of routine tests on healthy kids.

I did the blood draw for lead without a second thought.

The finger/toe prick can actually be MUCH MORE painful because of all the nerve endings in a finger/toe, and it takes longer to complete (squeezing the heck out of the kid's foot to get enough blood out, vs. a quick draw by an experienced pediatric phlebotomist). It's also HIGHLY inaccurate because it's so easily susceptible to contamination that would alter the result. Recently, a toe prick indicated that DS had a lead level of 13.5. Super scary! But, the blood draw we did to confirm it should a more accurate result of 3.4.

I will never do another toe prick. We'll do blood draws for lead every 6 months, since we live in a high risk area for lead with (old homes, known lead paint, and possible lead contamination in the ground.) If we lived in a newer home, I'd do it at least every 12 months because of the chance of lead exposure from something other than the paint on your walls (toys, ground contamination, other people's homes, etc).

There are so few risks to getting a quick blood draw. A little pain, a very very very very low risk of infection at the site. There are huge risks to having high lead levels go unchecked. Permanent brain damage and learning disabilities. Organ toxicity. To me, this is nothing like comparing the (IMO) high risk of vaxing to the low risk of getting a severe complication of a VPD.

Good luck with your choice.