Finger prick blood work
GraysMama104
member
We had this done at our 9 month appointment. Gray FREAKED OUT! worse than the shots....I think becaues it's the prick and then they have to squeeze to fill the vile. Well, a few days later they called to tell us the blood clotted so they couldn't test it.
Does anyone know what this test is for? call me stupid, but I didn't even ask.
In other news, if anyone's ped does this and hasn't gotten it done yet, don't. I had to go to Quest this morning to get it redone because the ped doesn't do "redo's" or something. They took it directly from his arm like they would draw blood from an adult. Althought sad and he still cried and I had to hold him down and try not to cry myself, it was way easier and quicker for him. And he got a dum dum lollipop to suck on after 
Anyway, the guy at Quest told me he doesn't know why they even do the finger prick because it almost always clots and they have babies in there all the time to get the blood work redone. So maybe request an arm draw or ask if you can have it done at Quest if your ped is offering the prick draw.
Re: Finger prick blood work
we had it done too
it's to test iron levels in the blood (hemeglobin and something else)
and in NYC at least they also need to test for lead.
we didn't have to do a second vial though
voila:
Most pediatricians recommend some routine blood work to be done between the ages of 9 and 12 months of age. Often these tests include a hemoglobin level and a lead level. Hemoglobin is the part of your blood that carries oxygen throughout the body. Infants and children who do not have enough hemoglobin (a condition known as anemia) can suffer irritability, developmental delays and behavior problems. Young children are especially at risk for a type of anemia called iron-deficiency anemia, which is why it is recommended to check a hemoglobin level at this age. Your doctor may check your child?s hemoglobin as part of a complete blood count (CBC), which looks for other indicators of anemia.
Lead poisoning can cause headaches, constipation, hearing loss, behavioral problems and learning disabilities. Sometimes the symptoms of lead poisoning can be subtle and the only way to catch it is to check a blood lead level. Also, young children tend to put everything into their mouths, which increases their risk of lead exposure. Your pediatrician will likely ask you questions about risk factors and if your child has a lead risk, a blood test may be recommended. In some states and with some insurance it is required to check a lead level between 9 and 12 months.