blood draw for 2 year olds

Hi,

We went to the pedi yesterday and she wants to do a lead level and a hemoglobin. She said the lab would do a stick in the arm instead of doing it in the office. So here's my question how have they gotten blood from your toddler? And how do they do a needle stick in the arm for children who won't sit still to get their ears looked at? Couldn't they do a heel stick for both of these? TIA

T

 

My DS had some blood work done about two months ago to check his thyroid, electrolyte levels, etc. They did it almost exactly like they would take my blood. Of course, with a little extra help. He sat on my lap so I could hold him still, then they had a nurse to hold his arm still and another nurse to actually draw the blood. He was a trooper and never even tried to move! The nurses were very impressed! I think the promise of a lollipop was good motivation for him to sit still. :Clap: Hopefully all goes well with your little one!

 

My boys had to have blood drawn when they were only 9 months. Those nurses are good, they just use a super fine needle and tie off their arm just as they would an adult. I was so surprised the girl got it on the first time with Jack and on the second try with James. I cried harder than they did . Don't worry about it, it's really not as bad as we imagine it to be.

 

I'm going this afternoon and I'm NOT looking forward to it. I'll let you know how it goes when I get back later.

 

Awe...for that kind of draw mine went in the wrist (kind of like an IV) but the boys have had blood drawn the "regular" way too.

 

If they need a large amount of blood then they wouldn't be able to do it any other place I don't think. When my girls had some drawn about that age, I held them on my lap and the tech and I talked to her, there lab had tons of little dolls and action figures mounted on the wall, but they watched the needle go in and didn't flinch at all. But they were sick at the time so didn't have a lot of energy. They were proud when everyone said how brave they were.

 

My girls get their blood drawn every 6 weeks and have since birth (due to a syndrome they have that puts them at a higher risk for cancer). Now they are old pros at it. When they were still infants they did a finger prick. But I think they started doing it in the arm, the regular way us adults do around 1. Its the same as other posters, they put them on my lap and I assist a little bit. They don't even cry now and can't wait to get the band-aid and sucker when its over. Good Luck!

 

I bet ya they'll do much better than you think. Just ask your ped if she/he has a rec. of a lab that is most kid friendly. We had our guys' blood drawn at 1 and 2 years. Like pp have said, they'll sit on your lap and it will be over in a minute. Mine didn't even cry either time! They were more upset with the tech trying to put a bandaid on! They'll be fine!!! Good luck!

 

They don't do heel sticks once a baby is crawling or cruising, because it would make their foot hurt every time they put weight on it. Ainsley has had blood draws every three months since birth due to her thyroid condition. They only did heel sticks when she was a newborn. She sits in my lap, I hold her free arm, and they do it in the arm just like an adult, but with a butterfly needle. She's so used to it, she barely cries anymore. The promise of a sticker or a lollipop makes it much more tolerable. Bea had it done too for lead poisoning screening before starting preschool. It's really not that bad! It's worse on us than them.

 

Ok I'm back from the hospital to report that I imagined it would be SO much worse than it was! The tech gave the girls each a teddy bear before she drew their blood and she instantly their best friend! DH held them (one at a time of course!), and there were two techs, one to hold the arm still, and the other to do the draw (with a butterfly needle).

Ana cried when it went in and during, but calmed down when it was over. They stuck her in the crook of her arm. They couldn't find any good veins in Meara's arms so they used her hand. She didn't cry AT ALL! And she is my total drama queen so DH and I were very surprised.

When I told the techs it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be they said "Every mom says that!" GL!

 

My Dr gave us a prescriptionn for a numbing cream. I applied it 1/2 hour before the blood draw, put on a bandaid. When we got there, I wiped it off. We had to do this twice. Syd didn't feel a thing! No tears. no crying. no trauma. she simply watched with interest. it was AWSOME. I wish more drs did this for kids. I mean, why traumatize a kid and make them fearful of drs and needles if we can use this cream!!! I think it's just a simple lidocaine type. Ask your Dr or blood draw place.

 

They draw from the arm like an adult with an extra nurse. That is the experience I have had with all the times the boys have had pre-op work over the past year.

 

QUOTE(Leighann @ Jul 15 2008, 03:30 PM) [snapback]878102[/snapback]
Ok I'm back from the hospital to report that I imagined it would be SO much worse than it was! The tech gave the girls each a teddy bear before she drew their blood and she instantly their best friend! DH held them (one at a time of course!), and there were two techs, one to hold the arm still, and the other to do the draw (with a butterfly needle).

Ana cried when it went in and during, but calmed down when it was over. They stuck her in the crook of her arm. They couldn't find any good veins in Meara's arms so they used her hand. She didn't cry AT ALL! And she is my total drama queen so DH and I were very surprised.

When I told the techs it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be they said "Every mom says that!" GL!



I'm glad it went well. When we got our shots{we had to make up our 18 month ones} H cried so hard that she threw up. I'm just afraid I'll get a tech that will want to dig around to find a vein. But I'm going to call the lab and see about having a kid friendly tech do it. That numbing medicine sounds great. Thanks ladies. Appreciate it. T

 

Glad it went well! You just never know how the child will react. When Joey had her blood drawn in March she didn't even react. I was amazed. This was the same child who 30 minutes before refused to stand on the scale, get her height measured, cried the instant the doctor glanced at her! She cried the whole time, beginning from when she had to stand on the scale. No idea why she didn't react to the blood draw, but no complaints from me!