How to persuade a child to take a blood test

Humphrey10

Ettenna wrote: »

Diabetes isn't diagnosed from a venous blood sample.

Mine was.
Also they can't measure c-peptide levels (or GAD antibodies, I forget which test they did, the doctor discussed both) from a fingerprick test.

dandelionclock30

Why does your child need this test? I would have thought unless the DR was concerned they might actually have the complaints then they wouldnt just do them on the off chance.
I mean at 13 its highly unlikley he will have diabetes type 2 and with type 1 he would know about it with the symptoms.

persa

Why was he at the doctor's in the first place? Apologies if I've missed this, but I don't think you've answered? Is the boy actually showing signs of being unwell or is this a purely speculative test?

If there is nothing to suggest he is ill, I can understand why he doesn't want to be tested. Just because you would rather know doesn't mean he wants to. As a parent, I imagine that's tough to accept, but it doesn't change his right to decline.

hgotsparkle

bluenoseam wrote: »

You ever think that he'd rather go through life not knowing if he was more likely to acquire these things? Not everyone wants to know that sort of thing because it causes additional strain on people which can adversely affect them for years where there's no real need. I think you need to put yourself in a position where you understand it's his decision to take & his decision is he'd rather live without that knowledge.

I am like this and maybe your son is. I need one of those eye tests that checks for dots to see if theres a link to cancer, as it runs in my family but if I do have a risk of getting it, then I don't want to know. I want to live in happy oblivion to it, not worry for the rest of my life when it will strike.


I know its not the same, but I would probably be exactly the same if I were to have a blood test.

heartbreak_star

Having just had LLETZ, that's what I'd be using as an argument for the HPV vaccine. If someone had told me in great detail about smears and colposcopy at 14, I'd have grabbed the vaccination needle and jabbed myself lol!

OP, I wish your son could tell you why he doesn't want it. At the moment it sounds like he's just being ruddy stubborn!

HBS x

Person_one

aliasojo wrote: »

My just about 14 year old has not had this either, but I'm not of the same opinion about it as you tbh.

I'm actually quite proud that she read up on this as much as she could and she made an informed choice after discussing it with me. She offered perfectly valid reasons why she felt she didn't want this and I could not argue with her logic.

I really do think its wonderful that you respect your daughter's autonomy, but I'm afraid there aren't really any valid or logical reasons for not getting the HPV jab!

Even lesbians are at some risk from the virus, and unfortunately girls don't always have a choice about about sex, they can be raped and be exposed that way.

Dunroamin

aliasojo wrote: »

My just about 14 year old has not had this either, but I'm not of the same opinion about it as you tbh.

I'm actually quite proud that she read up on this as much as she could and she made an informed choice after discussing it with me. She offered perfectly valid reasons why she felt she didn't want this and I could not argue with her logic.

There is no way in the world I would have used threats of grounding against her in order to get her to comply. She had a hard enough time of it with the girls in her class who obviously felt they were medical experts and took delight in telling her she was going to get cancer. Thankfully she appears to have more sense than the pack and was able to distinguish between fact and fiction.

However in the OP's son's case, it's a little different as it's more related to an 'actual' personal issue rather than a 'just in case' blanket issue. I also personally believe that there is a world of difference between taking some blood out of the body to test and injecting a vaccine into the body.

It's a tough one. You would want to acknowledge the person's ownership of their body but at the same time you need to weigh up the benefits of the test.

I think in this instance I'd be in the 'you're doing it whether you like it or not' camp. No bribery, no threats, just a plain statement of the way things were going to be. But then if I said that to daughter, she'd obey, whereas other kids would just defy. And then where do you go? I'd be happy to sit on said kid and use force but I can't see the medical staff being happy with that. :rotfl:

Hope it all works out ok Victory, no matter what happens.

What were the reasons and in what way did a child's understanding overrule medical opionion?

aliasojo

Dunroamin wrote: »

What were the reasons and in what way did a child's understanding overrule medical opionion?

The subject matter of our discussions are absolutely none of your business.

Nor do I feel the need to defend her decision or mine.

Person_one

aliasojo wrote: »

The subject matter of our discussions are absolutely none of your business.

Nor do I feel the need to defend her decision or mine.

Fair enough, but please, both of you rethink this. Look again at the evidence, because unless she's allergic to something in the vaccine, she's made the wrong decision.

Dunroamin

aliasojo wrote: »

The subject matter of our discussions are absolutely none of your business.

Nor do I feel the need to defend her decision or mine.

If it's so bloody personal, why drag it into the discussion then?

You do this sort of thing all the time and it gets really annoying.