Lab Tests Services
Lab tests can help shape and guide your child’s health planning and are among the services available from the team at Horizon Medical Clinic in Oneonta, Al. The practice works with St. Vincent, St. Clair and LabCorp to perform comprehensive testing, and the team offers a variety of in-office testing for acute illnesses. If you have questions about lab testing or need to schedule a visit, call or click to find a time that fits you and your child’s schedule. Curbside labs are also available.
How do lab tests help my child’s health?
Lab tests give parents and practitioners information about a child’s current state of health. They can help determine if a childhood illness is present and allow for early intervention. For example, a simple blood test can determine if your child has developed antibodies that might be prompting allergic reactions. This information can help shape an allergy treatment plan and help little ones avoid troubling and disruptive allergy symptoms.
Blood testing can also reveal signs of anemia, a serious health condition that can cause fatigue and weakness in children. Anemia can be treated, but many children struggle with the condition for years before being diagnosed. If your child is currently being treated for a chronic health condition like allergies, asthma, or diabetes, lab testing can help determine if their current treatment plan is delivering results. Your provider can make adjustments based on the information revealed from lab tests.
Partnership Based On Trust
We help you in your goal to ensure that your child’s health never falls below the peak condition. So, your expectations may be high, but we always work hard to reach further. If you seek attentive and accessible care for your child, then our pediatrics clinic is the place for you!
What are lab tests?
Lab tests take a small sample of blood, urine, or tissues and analyze them for various health markers. These simple tests can reveal a wealth of information about how well your child’s body is functioning. Your provider will sometimes do lab testing as part of routine preventive health services. While your child won’t need lab tests during each visit, they can be a great way to screen for disease or assess overall health. Here are some of the uses for blood testing in children:
- To check for certain chemicals that trigger allergic reactions
- To determine a child’s blood type
- To measure blood sugar
- To check for proper liver and kidney function
- To screen for abnormalities in red and white blood cells as well as platelets
- As a screening for active infections
These are just a few of the health issues that lab testing can reveal or track.
How often does my child need lab testing?
For most children, lab testing only needs to be performed periodically. Your provider adds the results to your child’s medical record, which becomes an outstanding resource to track changes over time. If your child needs treatment for an infection or chronic health condition, lab testing might be more frequent during active treatment. And, if your child comes in for a sick visit, lab testing might be done as part of the comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.
