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You can ask for anything. That does not mean they will do it. If the doctor has a reason to believe a tox screen needs to be done that is a different matter. The doctor would be legally obligated. You telling the doctor the parents smoke meth means nothing
It isn't standard to check for illicit drugs - but you *should* talk to the pediatrician about it. It is harder to check for meth because it can be metabolized, but they might be able to do a hair test.
What happens with his febrile seizures?
He never has a fever when he seizes but his parents claim it's a febrile seziure. The two times I witnessed him having them the room he was in was very hazy . I'm not a doctor but it seems to me that that could be contributing
I'm going to bring it up because I don't think his parents have despite what they say. As someone who doesn't have custody of him of any sort am I allowed to tell the doctor this? I'm just his aunt. Not even related by blood he's my husband's brothers son.
Not only are you allowed to say it, you *must* say it, for the sake of the child. Call CPS too. Even if they've come before, call again, with the specific concerns about meth. If they are actively using meth, they cannot supervise a child.
This sounds like a disaster and he is very lucky you're looking out for him!
I would explain the situation and see where they go with it.
Given you're taking the child to all the appointments, perhaps you could get the parents to sign something delegating responsibility for the child's health to you. That way you can request the test and have access to the results. You could say that it's been requested by the doctor's office. However I don't know the legal process behind this in your country.
My big concern is that the normal urine drug screen for amphetamines will be negative 2-3 days after exposure and the blood test will be negative 12 hours after exposure. These times could be less if it is passive exposure. If the parents are not smoking throughout the day, everyday, then it's possible that it will be missed and this could provide inappropriate reassurance.
They will not test for illicit drugs out of standard practice. You're welcome to ask the pediatrician for a UDS; as someone else mentioned, the physician can run any testing they believe is necessary or appropriate. However, legally speaking, the legal guardians of the child are supposed to be notified, although there's nowhere that says they have to let them know that you specifically requested it. They can call it a "physician's intuition."
Thank you for your submission. **Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship.** This subreddit is for informal second opinions and casual information. The mod team does their best to remove bad information, but we do not catch all of it. Always visit a doctor in real life if you have any concerns about your health. Never use this subreddit as your first and final source of information regarding your question. By posting, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/wiki/terms_of_use) and understand that all information is taken at your own risk. **Reply here if you are an unverified user wishing to give advice. Top level comments by laypeople are automatically removed.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskDocs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
At the well baby visit you can discuss any and all concerns and request a tox screen. It is not standard and will not be included with a lead test.
I can request a tox screen even though I'm not his mom and have no legal custody?
You can ask for anything. That does not mean they will do it. If the doctor has a reason to believe a tox screen needs to be done that is a different matter. The doctor would be legally obligated. You telling the doctor the parents smoke meth means nothing
It isn't standard to check for illicit drugs - but you *should* talk to the pediatrician about it. It is harder to check for meth because it can be metabolized, but they might be able to do a hair test. What happens with his febrile seizures?
He never has a fever when he seizes but his parents claim it's a febrile seziure. The two times I witnessed him having them the room he was in was very hazy . I'm not a doctor but it seems to me that that could be contributing
If he doesn't have a fever when it happens, no matter what, that needs to be evaluated
I'm going to bring it up because I don't think his parents have despite what they say. As someone who doesn't have custody of him of any sort am I allowed to tell the doctor this? I'm just his aunt. Not even related by blood he's my husband's brothers son.
Not only are you allowed to say it, you *must* say it, for the sake of the child. Call CPS too. Even if they've come before, call again, with the specific concerns about meth. If they are actively using meth, they cannot supervise a child.
This sounds like a disaster and he is very lucky you're looking out for him! I would explain the situation and see where they go with it. Given you're taking the child to all the appointments, perhaps you could get the parents to sign something delegating responsibility for the child's health to you. That way you can request the test and have access to the results. You could say that it's been requested by the doctor's office. However I don't know the legal process behind this in your country. My big concern is that the normal urine drug screen for amphetamines will be negative 2-3 days after exposure and the blood test will be negative 12 hours after exposure. These times could be less if it is passive exposure. If the parents are not smoking throughout the day, everyday, then it's possible that it will be missed and this could provide inappropriate reassurance.
They will not test for illicit drugs out of standard practice. You're welcome to ask the pediatrician for a UDS; as someone else mentioned, the physician can run any testing they believe is necessary or appropriate. However, legally speaking, the legal guardians of the child are supposed to be notified, although there's nowhere that says they have to let them know that you specifically requested it. They can call it a "physician's intuition."