Our 1 year check up nightmare

oh i am sorry to hear that.. i could only imagine how hard that would of been..

I don’t blame you! I would check to see if there is any way they could agree to doing a finger prick. The result would be the same right, unless they need a LOT of blood and think it would be easier to get a lot at once somewhere else, which in that case, I’d insist in a numbing patch. I know I’ve heard other moms talk about those patches. Maybe someone can chime in.

Hmmm, that’s interesting! We had the lead test done a few months ago and it was done through a finger prick. It wasn’t pretty though. They had to squeeze her little finger for soooooooooo long trying to get enough blood for their vile. I don’t know if Sarah was screaming so hard because it hurt or because I had to physically hold her still for so long. I think having blood work done in general just SUCKS! Hopefully you can try the finger prick since the other method was obviously NOT working. UGH! Poor baby!

Lauren-

Our doc said Gabby didn’t have to have a lead test because our house was built after lead paint was being used. Although, I am a little nervous now due to all the lead painted toys and knowing our water supply is city of Milwaukee.

Gabby had to have her blood drawn on a previous occasion to have her live enzymes tested. Did anyone else have to do this? My doc wants us to do this every three months as long as she’s on 30mg. Anyways, they took it out of her arm and she screamed bloody murder. I can relate to how much it stinks. Good luck.

Chloe had her lead test done with the finger prick and then they squeezed it to get the blood out, it took awhile but at least Chloe didn’t cry. They did it that way because they couldn’t find a good vein and they didn’t want it to be an ordeal. I can say that the best place we have had blood work is at Hasbro (local children’s hospital). They have done bloodwork several times (including a second draw when the doctor added last minute test) they used a butterfly and there was not a single tear. I will always go there now after ordeals elsewhere. I second the going to the children’s hospital if you can do that.
I think the lead testing is a big deal where lead paint is a big problem.

A lead test is required only if your house was built before 1978 due to the lead paint usage. They are trying to make it a mandatory law to get every child lead tested before the age of 6, but that has not been in effect yet. The finger prick is much less painful but they do have to squeeze and squeeze to fill a mini vial of blood, many doctors offices do not do this since by the time the vial is filled the blood has clotted and the lab cannot run the specimen so they have to call the parents to come back in for an venous blood draw. We have had Taylor’s blood draw quite a few times and she has horrible veins as well, we go to the hospital (which has a peds floor, so I know they do routine draws on little ones) for the draw since they are much more experienced and they also have the Vein light if needed they typically only use it for insertions of IVs but sometimes if it is a really hard stick they will use it. And definitely as mentioned make sure they use a butterfly needle, which is what they should use on all kids!