You'll never guess what happened at WIC! - Page 3

[ollineeba]

when we were on WIC, we were told it was kinda like "use it or lose it" .. you didn't have to get everything on the check if you didn't want to- you could just get the one or two things on the check you needed. We always got everything on each check, though..if we didn't need something, we could always find a friend who could use the juice or whatever.

We stopped using WIC because it seemed like there were so many blood tests that they required, just months apart- more than even ds's pediatrician requested. I hated taking DS to the lab to get blood drawn.. he would fight and scream and we would have to hold him down.. it was absolute torture . It just wasn't worth it. DS is super healthy and eats a wide variety of healthy foods, it just seemed unnecessary to do it so often.
I also hate feeling like I have to answer to somebody, ya know? Some of the ppl at our WIC office were so patronizing.. I know they see a lot of deadbeat parents, but it was just insulting.
I was thinking about recertifying, but does anyone know how often they actually require the lab tests? It was a while ago that we were on it..

thanks,
eileen, mama to
colin 2.19.02
ava 11.14.04

[angelpie545]

You can refuse to take their blood tests if you want to. They can't legally deny you for that. They told me that they needed my and my kids iron levels in order to recertify me but I just told them no that I think it is to traumatic for my kids plus I make sure they are receiving enough iron in their diets. The lady was like whatever. Some will put up a fight but they cannot legally force a medical procedure on you in order to recieve services because that would be a liability. I do however check my kids iron levels each year or so at the ped's office up until age four, and if WIC really gives me a hard time this time I will just bring in the lab results for those blood tests.

[Satori]

The iron checks can be a good thing though, both times I nearly blew off the checks but decided to do them anyway and found out dd was seriously anemic both times and I was surprised. Matter of fact I nearly blew it off this month but had it done as an after thought since we were already at the Dr's and dd's iron was 10.2 even though she gets plenty through her diet. She has a form of pernicious anemia that's tied to her stomach issues but if it hadn't been for WIC we wouldn't had found out she was anemic either time and she's symptomatic right now and I didn't even catch it. Started therapy 2 days ago and she's already showing great improvement and I'm no longer pulling my hair out with her bad attitude. Its just a finger stick not an actual blood draw and people dont realize it but anemia can be serious and more then just being a little pale (my dd was never pale from anemia) or tired (she's hyper in fact).

[thepeach80]

I never get everything on our checks considering DH is the only one that can drink milk and no one cares. I do give the cheese to MIL though and I've been trying to eat the eggs myself. The lady at WIC actually told me just to get it all and give away what we don't need! I've been on WIC since right before AJ was born. I don't remember then needing blood from me, but they might've checked my iron once when I was nursing AJ? I do know they tested his iron at 12 mos, but that's been it. We don't vax and it's never been an issue so I'm sure I could just skip the blood tests if needed. They're not going to give us anything extra for low iron anyways so what's the point? We see the ped for that stuff anyways.

[tayndrewsmama]

I think it was, like others said, an issue about possible anemia. Although, it sounds like complete ignorance on their part to suggest anything that might lead to weaning to try and help a problem you don't even know if the child has or not. FYI, if for any reason you (or anyone reading this) would find that your child is anemic, BE VERY CAREFUL if you are told to use any iron drops. There are other ways to do this and ds ended up in the ER from those da** drops. He had to have a barium enema 'cause they they thought he had intussuception. I thought I was gonna kill someone, especially since I kept telling them I had a bad feeling about the whole thing. Last time I don't listen to my gut feeling, let me tell ya.

The other thing I learned in ds's whole anemia issue is that in small children and especially babies, frequent blood draws can also potentially lead to anemia.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by tayndrewsmama

The other thing I learned in ds's whole anemia issue is that in small children and especially babies, frequent blood draws can also potentially lead to anemia.

I dont think finger sticks 2x a year are going to cause anemia and yes some some kids to react to various brands of iron. My dd reacted severely to all of them until we found a brand at the health food store she tolerates well without any problems but when your kid has an iron level of 8 and falling fast you start trying drops.

[tayndrewsmama]

Originally Posted by Satori

I dont think finger sticks 2x a year are going to cause anemia and yes some some kids to react to various brands of iron. My dd reacted severely to all of them until we found a brand at the health food store she tolerates well without any problems but when your kid has an iron level of 8 and falling fast you start trying drops.

I was told this from various sources and I did say draws, NOT pricks. Perhaps different states do things differently. I have a friend who's child is on WIC and he has to have his iron checked monthly, not twice a year. I didn't tell anyone not to do anything. I just posted that info in hopes that people will just make sure that they are informed in whatever they do or don't do. Not that it matters, but my son's level was down to 7.5 and there was no reason that anyone could pin point for the whole ordeal that lasted many, many months and repeated trips to Children's Hospital. I have been there, done that.