When your child’s feeling sick, has a major health issue, or needs routine health screenings, they usually require lab testing. At Pediatric Associates at Ridge, and experienced pediatrician Maria Hoffman-Guardia, MD, are making this process easy for families with in-house lab testing in the McAllen, Texas, office. Call the office or click the online booking feature to make your child’s appointment now.
In-house lab testing is the evaluation of blood, urine, saliva, stool, or tissue samples in the on-site lab at Pediatric Associates at Ridge. The practice offers in-house lab testing to streamline the pediatric care process for children and parents.
Thanks to on-site lab testing, you don’t have to drive to another facility. It can save a lot of time and reduce stress for both you and your child.
In-house lab testing can often identify the signs of potentially serious diseases before they take hold. Pediatric Associates at Ridge may recommend in-house lab testing during well-child exams.
One typical example of lab testing is iron deficiency testing, typically done at 9-12 months. Another example of a routine lab test is cholesterol screening at ages 9-11 and 17-21 (possibly earlier if your family has a history of high cholesterol, diabetes, and other risk factors).
Lab testing is also helpful in the diagnosis of illnesses. Rapid diagnostics tests can detect conditions such as:
Thanks to in-house lab testing, you can get valuable medical information sooner than you otherwise would, which allows for early treatment or prevention plans.
In-house lab testing is a simple process that’s generally virtually painless. Pediatric Associates at Ridge goes the extra mile to make sure your child’s as comfortable as possible. In most cases, you can stay with your child during the sample collection.
Before the test, explain what will happen (a quick needle stick, a light skin scraping, or other basic description). Bringing a distraction like a favorite toy can be helpful.
“Practice” at home before the lab testing appointment can be beneficial, as many children enjoy pretend-play as a doctor or patient, and it makes the idea of the testing less scary.
Plan a fun activity after the lab testing if possible. This gives your child something to look forward to and helps them view the lab testing process more positively.
Call Pediatric Associates at Ridge or click the online scheduling feature to set up your child’s lab testing appointment today.