Where can I get labs for infants/toddlers

[Anonymous]

Trying to find somewhere that I can order labs to test my infants copper, iodine and a few other things. Does anyone know of a pediatrician or lab that does infant blood draws for health optimization purposes? I have been very disappointed with the level of detail and attention to ensuring optimal brain development with the traditional health care system.

[Anonymous]

Ask Peter Attia for his recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Step one: medical school

[Anonymous]

This sounds MAHA-coded? But if you have concrete concerns about a vitamin or mineral deficiency, go to your pediatrician, ask for a lab order, and go to Children’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask Peter Attia for his recommendations.

YIKES! EPSTEIN!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds MAHA-coded? But if you have concrete concerns about a vitamin or mineral deficiency, go to your pediatrician, ask for a lab order, and go to Children’s.

No responsible doctor will do those things, which is why OP is here.

[Anonymous]

It’s not harmful to draw a little bit of blood. As long as it’s under 5% of total blood volume it has no impact on health.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6045434/table/T1/
I just want to look at zinc, copper, iodine, and folate. My stupid pediatrician won’t test for it. He is useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not harmful to draw a little bit of blood. As long as it’s under 5% of total blood volume it has no impact on health.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6045434/table/T1/
I just want to look at zinc, copper, iodine, and folate. My stupid pediatrician won’t test for it. He is useless.

But why do you want to look at these things? Do you think your kid has some kind of deficiency? I don't think that doctors order labs in the absence of symptoms just because parents are curious.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like quackery. Please don't try to devise a supplement regimen for your infant. Best case you give your infant expensive urine. Worst you could make your kid very sick.

[Anonymous]

Children’s Hospital. With a doctors order.

[Anonymous]

Look at labCorp and Quest, both are happy
to take your money and draw blood for all kinds of a la carte services.

But you’d be better off finding a pediatrician you actually trust or you’re in for a long, painful, expensive , child raising experience. AND your kid will hate you as an adult when they find out you made them suffer for quackery (my husband’s college roomate has a mother who was deep into homeopathy. He got to take Zyrtec for a seasonal allergy for thr first tome at 18…)

[Anonymous]

OP how far postpartum are you? Check in with your OB about mental health and/or line up the support you need for mental health. Fixating on stuff like this is a red flag.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by "health optimization purposes?" What actions are you seeking to take after getting these test reults?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not harmful to draw a little bit of blood. As long as it’s under 5% of total blood volume it has no impact on health.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6045434/table/T1/
I just want to look at zinc, copper, iodine, and folate. My stupid pediatrician won’t test for it. He is useless.

It sounds like your pediatrician is doing his job of protecting your child from his mother's stupidity. What are you planning to do with these results after you have put your child through the unnecessary pain of a blood draw? The options are to supplement or remove. Both of these options, with these particular vitamins and minerals, can be extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Your child is not a lab experiment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not harmful to draw a little bit of blood. As long as it’s under 5% of total blood volume it has no impact on health.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6045434/table/T1/
I just want to look at zinc, copper, iodine, and folate. My stupid pediatrician won’t test for it. He is useless.

It sounds like your pediatrician is doing his job of protecting your child from his mother's stupidity. What are you planning to do with these results after you have put your child through the unnecessary pain of a blood draw? The options are to supplement or remove. Both of these options, with these particular vitamins and minerals, can be extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Your child is not a lab experiment.

I’m don’t give my kid any OTC medication that have not been approved by the FDA and my doctor. I know that is dangerous and I’m not some nutjob that believes in homeopathic remedies. I’m just want to test these things to confirm that my kid has sufficient levels of them given how important they are for brain development. Doctors don’t test for lots of things that would benefit a small number of patients mainly due to financial reasons. If insurance doesn’t cover it and it’s not a problem for most infants they are not going to ask their patients to pay cash for a lab that will only give actionable information for 1-5% of their patients. I don’t care about the cost and there is really no downside to testing it, so that’s why I’m annoyed with my pediatrician.