My three yesr old is scheduled for his check up on Friday. My ped said somthing about routine bloodwork.
Is bloodwork routine for a heathy three year old? Have you or someone you know had the experience where you showed no sign that anything was wrong and yet the bloodwork revealed something you never would have known about?

I just don't want my son to go through the emotional trauma of a blood draw for no real reason. He's great about going to the doc. I don't want him to lose his trust in the doc for something that's not really needed.

Ame

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 08:49 am:

Ask your doc what this "routine bloodwork" is for. I don't recall such bloodwork when mine were that young, but that was 30-40 years ago. And, ask your doc if there are other, non-invasive ways he can decide whether blood work is necessary.

I agree, a blood draw for a 3 year old would be upsetting, traumatic, and probably very noisy. Shots are bad enough, but they don't require holding still for more than a second; a blood draw requires a lot more and some adults have problems with them.

By Kittycat_26 on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 09:10 am:

Timmy had a lead level drawn at 2 years old. Though he's only 2 1/2 I remember the ped telling us that he was done with shots and labwork now until he started kindergarten.

He did really well but then I took the no nonsense approach. We just walked in like it was any other office and he sat on my lap. I held his arm and it was done. He was more angry that the lady touched him than he was about the needle stick.

By Janet on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 09:21 am:

Jess had bloodwork done (I honestly can't remember why!) when she was 3, and she sat on my lap and was totally unphased through the whole thing (I practically pass out at a needle, LOL). The technician was a pro with little kids, using a small needle, and Jessie got a really cool Snoopy bandage after. I think your own attitude toward it is what kids pick up on, so just approach it as "no biggie," and I bet things will be fine.

By Sunny on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 09:24 am:

I would ask the doctor what tests he/she wants to run and why. None of my five kids (oldest 16, youngest 2 1/2) have had "routine" bloodwork. The only times I remember any of them having blood drawn, it was for a specific ailment or preparation for surgery.

By Kay on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 11:41 am:

I can remember my kids getting 'finger pricks' for blood tests to check for anemia occasionally - not every check-up.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 11:59 am:

My kids had blood taken (finger pricks) for lead levels but it was done in the ped. office. Not what I would consider "blood work" where they actually take viles of blood at a lab.

By Amecmom on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 12:49 pm:

He's had the finger prick kind before. This is actually taking blood like at a lab, only they do it at the doc's office.

He "escaped" having his blood drawn at two because he was so roly poly the doc couldn't find a vein.

Ame

By Fraggle on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 01:36 pm:

Neither of my girls had bloodwork done for their checkups. My oldest DD had some bloodwork done to check for anemia when she was young, but that was after I asked for the test.

By Cheerio on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 01:58 pm:

My oldest (5) escaped the blood draw for lead. She only had to have her finger pricked when she was two or three. The procedure has since changed and the finger pricked is no longer the norm. When I had my 3 year old at her well visit last April they wrote me up a lab request for a blood draw for lead. I never took her. She'll probably need it done before she starts KDG in 2006. Unless I lie and say we moved into a newer house . Our house was built in 1948 and automatically puts us in the at risk category despite all the testing we've done ourselves whenever we've repainted, sanded, etc. But who knows how reliable those at home tests are...We don't have any peeling paint in our house and I don't think either of my kids show any sign of lead poisoning.