skipping 9 month anemia blood test?

Hi,

At 9 month baby well check up, our Dr. advised an anemia blood test. The thought of subjecting the girls at this age to the needle pain discourage us , esp. when it's not easy to get the right vein for blood draw on me even.

I wonder if how many were not asked for this blood test at 9month check up? If you were offered, did anyone not follow up on this test?

Thanks in advance for the feedbacks!

 

Not sure where you are located, but for us it was always just a finger stick to check.

 

We weren't asked....you should talk to ur Pedi if it's a must. If it is, then I guess you should get it done. I know how you feel though. I remember I was mad because doc required blood work for my daughter so often at the Nicu. The nurse told me they just needed couple drops to mix with some special liquid. And I saw it whole tube but it wasn't that much blood came our from her body. Take it easy. Hugs!

 

We had ours done at the 12 month checkup - it wasn't mentioned before. It was a simple finger stick - our boys didn't even flinch or cry or anything. They actually did another test at the same time and just used the same finger stick.

 

We did ours through WIC and it was a stick. I don't think either of them even cried. Now at 18 months I did have them re-test and they did a blood draw. Again, they didn't even cry. It's not a pleasant thing to do but iron deficiency isn't good, either.

 

my doc has never asked for bloodwork and mine are almost 5...I'd ask the doc if he feels they are anemic for some reason and go from there...

 

We had the anemia test done at the 9 month check-up too and it was only a fingerstick.. they didn't even wince or cry. They didn't even seem to notice. I have had severe iron deficiency anemia in the past and I have never been so sick. Iron deficiency anemia affects your body's ability to fight off infections. For that reason, I would never consider bypassing an anemia check, no matter how they take the blood.

 

I would say if the Dr is asking for it at 9 months there could be a reason. Its just a stick. Believe me I know that is not alot of comfort, my babies were in the NICU for 11 days and poor Wyatt came home with purple heals from being stuck daily but you don't want to risk low iron. That would be MUCH worse than a finger stick.

 

Our pedi never mentioned a blood test for anemia. The only time one of mine has had blood drawn (outside of the hospital) was when we suspected DS had mono.

 

We had our kids done (I didn't know that we could have said no) and my kids just slept right through it!!

 

Our kids had it at 12 months. It was drawn from their arm and it was awful. This time around I will ask if they can do a finger stick.

 

It was just a finger stick for my older daughter. She did not cry. I am assuming they will do the same for the twins.

 

We had it thru wic several times and it was always finger stick too

 

I did want to mention one other thing.. I know that it's rare, but low iron can be helped with supplements and other things, but if you go too long with low iron and it gets low enough, then the typical solution is a very lengthy iron infusion done in the hospital. It involves a lot of needles. We've been through it!

 

this was ours! horrrrrrible! though ours checked for Lead levels too... not sure why, I never questioned it.

at age 2 I wanted some blood allergy testing done, and my ds was a champ getting his blood drawn in the arm, but my dd had a horrible experience again! sad.

if you have to have it in the arm, I'd make sure that they aren't near each other while the other is having it done... that way if the 1st is bad and they cry, at least the 2nd could still have a good one w/o knowing it might hurt...

 

My girls had it done at 9 months. They did not only check iron levels. They also checked sugar levels and some other stuff. The sugar level stands out in my mind because Ava' s was very low. I would not skip it.

 

Interesting, I just prodded Lena's Dr. about doing this test at her 9 month, and she said she doesn't usually do it until 12 months. I knew the boys did it at 9months.

It's also interesting because she suggested and iron check for the boys at the 2 year checkup, and I did it. Picky butt eater Eli had low iron, and I would have never had him tested if she didn't suggest it.

 

They did A's except they had to "heel stick" her Id say 3x to get enough that was sufficient... I ALMOST passed on it... ugh.. I have no advice, go with your gut, Im not the one to pass up on vax's but if its sprung on me and not on the sheet they give you at the appointment before 'what to expect at your 9 months (or whatever age group) visit" I would pass.

 

It's a finger stick. And not the old fashioned done with a lancet type, it was done with the same finger pricker that type one diabetics use multilple times a day. Totally painless. Usually done between 9-12 months, depending on the state you're in. FL was 9 months. A&R had it done, they processed it in the office, found out Royce was anemic within 10 minutes I had samples of the iron that we needed to give him.

 

Thanks all for the all of the feedbacks. Please keep them coming.

We are in CA, and our Dr ordered mentioned that it's a full blood draw (not just a finger stick). The test description is:


"A complete blood count (CBC) gives important information about the kinds and numbers of cells in the blood, especially red blood cells Opens New Window Opens New Window, white blood cells Opens New Window Opens New Window, and platelets Opens New Window. A CBC helps your doctor check any symptoms, such as weakness, fatigue, or bruising, you may have. A CBC also helps him or her diagnose conditions, such as anemia Opens New Window, infection, and many other disorders."


Rachel: I'll ask if there is another blood draw at 12 months and if we can wait til 12 month.

Shelley: sorry your DD had horrible exp.! Will only take one at a time into the lab as you mentioned. I'll ask DH to take her too as they may feel my anxiety!

 

Ask them for an H&H instead of a CBC. A CBC shows everything, but if they're only looking for anemia, ask them to run an "H&H". Hemoglobin and Hematocrit. That should be all that is needed. And *that* is a finger prick.

 

I would be questioning their reasoning for the extensive testing. We had the prick at 9 mos and again at 2 years. The girls didn't even notice it so it must not have hurt because they did cry at the hep A vac. But our doctor always looks in their eyes and predicts whether or not they will fall into the normal range. At 9 mos he said they were going to have low iron and they did. I would be asking a lot more questions I think.