drug screening toddlers

Is it possible if a mother gives her infant at the age of 5 months large amounts of pedialite to drink before a drug urinalysis (approximately 2-3 hours Before) and is given the test in the evening when methadone dose is received by the mother early in the morning (she breastfeeds this baby), is it possible for the test to come out negative?

[anxiousmomtobe?]

This will only make her chld sick.  And they can always take a hair follicle test from the child as well.

Why is she nursing if she is using drugs?

No sympathy here.  Some people should not have kids.

[kris123]

Anx is right!!  Why is she breastfeeding is she is using?  And she is also right about the hair.

[Concerned4kids]

we have suspected that she is using and also taking methadone, she was court ordered to have the child drug screened, the problem is when the test came back it was negative...  I still feel that she is still taking methadone and breast feeding the baby.  this baby sleeps ALOT and the stools are very gray.  My question was, is it possible for the baby to have a negative result if the mother doses early in the morning(before 9:00 a.m.) and the test is administered at approximately 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., and the mother was giving the baby pedialite for aproximately 2 to 3 hours before a urine sample was collected?  and I agree, she should not have this baby, she already had 2 taken from her for her prior drug use....thanks for the comments

[rubyolivia]

I would think that the court could order a random drug test that could be done anytime. If it is suspected that the cihild is in danger, they (I should think) would pick the baby up from daycare/family/home and just have the testing done without advanced warning to the mother. If the mother is given too much advance notice, I am sure she could just be not feeding the child at all, feeding the child pedialyte at you suggested,water, or formula in order to saver herself and the baby could end up getting very sick from not only drugs through breastmilk but the switching of the type of feeding!!!!!!!

If you don't mind me asking, what is your role in the baby's life? If you are a childcare provider..........don't give up!! And make sure you document all strange occurrances with the child (if you aren't already) and the dates and times you called authorities. That way if anything should happen to the child, God forbid, they can't come back on you and say you didn't report it. At least in my state, we as childcare providers are mandatory reporters if we suspect even the slightest amount of foul play!

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Report your concerns to the courts, they need to do a hair test.

[Concerned4kids]

I have nothing to do with the mother, i am involved with the foster mother for one of the other kids that were taken away, and they are currently fighting the courts, because the biological mother is trying to get the other kids back.  the foster parents have had these kids for 5 years and now she wants them back.  I dont know why they wont do a hair test, but, all i know is it took anywhere from 3 to 4 hours before the baby was tested and the biological mother claims that she has not used drugs of anykind in 2 years.  BUT, there are people in this small community that are saying otherwise.  And as for the judge, who knows, i think she is just tired of this whole case altoghether..... i just feel bad for the kids if they have to go back with their mother, because in my own heart i feel that she is using.  and the child protective services here, are unable to confirm if she is using methadone, because of patient confidentiality, and the court will not order her to sign a release....messed up hugh...

[anxiousmomtobe?]

What an awful mess....

At first I thought you were the mum, hence the tone of my first post.

Have several people call cps with concerns.  Surely they will have to act....

And kudos to the foster parents.  It is a thankless job and they are my heros.

[peekawho]

Why does the court not drug screen the mother?  I know the courts can certainly order that on a random basis.  Seems to me, if she has such a bad history, it would be the first thing they would want to see.  

I dont know if enough drug would pass through breastmilk to show up in the baby's urine anyway.  I think, but am not sure, if a urine sample were very dilute that the test sample would also be rejected.  

I'm hoping mslkpage sees this, as she knows a lot about this area.  Keep checking back.  

[Concerned4kids]

there have been numerous calls and written complaints to cps, but to no avail...the judge in this case wants hard proof, and not one person has been able to come up with any.  She has been spotted with known drug users, and been seen at known dealers homes, but cannot find anything concrete that shows she is using.  Her husband is currently in methadone and she says that she is there just to take him, but from my understanding, if you are not in the program u should not be in the building...  i dont know...it is a very messed up situation, and i feel bad for the foster parents, they have raised these 2 kids as their own, and they are older now(6 & 7 yrs old) and they only want to visit with thier biological mother on occasions but not live with her.  I am just worried that if she gets the other 2 kids back, and currently has this baby that i believe she is drugging her through the breast feeding, what will happen to them.  I am scared something bad will happen to the baby or the other 2 kids.  I wish we could get the judge to see what we do.....any other suggestions...  

by the way, i understand the tone in your post, I would feel the same way....as a matter of fact I DO!!!!  

[Concerned4kids]

The court says that they will no longer test the mother....she was tested for a year, once a month, but for 11 months they came back negative, but for the 11 months they tested her she was pregnant with this newest baby for 9 of them.  It has been just recent that we have been hearing rumors of her using, and she looks like something is definitly wrong.  she was also incarcerated during some of this time and on probation.   Things just do not add up with her, and i feel that she has found a way to manipulate the system....wish i could find out for sure though.....  the foster parents are really having a hard time, because they have to go to court this friday and the judge will determine if the kids will be returned to their biological mother.... it makes me sick to my stomach knowing that she is an active user and we cannot do anything to help the foster parents and the kids.

[pertykitty]

such a shame. did they drug test the baby when it was born? they will here. i know a gal same thing. she had 3 babies. the third was tested, it was positive at birth, and taken away. to give up on testing seems like a failure to those poor kids. if in deed she is using that is. i hope all works out in a positive way for the children.

[mslkpage]

If it was a lab test, they generally check for creatinine levels. Anything under 20 mg/dL is considered a dilute sample, and the results would reflect that. But, if she was tested with an in-house test strip, then they probably didn't check the creatinine.

If it was a lab test and if you have someone who knows to look at creatinine, pH, then the test was probably valid.

[Concerned4kids]

No i dont belive the baby was tested, not sure why not.  and if the baby was tested it was never reported, like I stated before there was no reason to believe that she was using during her pregnancy, it has become more aware lately.