When is it appropriate to order a urine drug screen on a child removed from a clandestine lab?
The window of collection for the urine sample for a drug screen should be as short as possible after exposure within 8 to 12 hours of removal. Cases exist in which children in clandestine labs have been exposed either deliberately or inadvertently to drugs and medications other than methamphetamine. A urine drug of abuse screen detects some classes of commonly abused drugs. However, many harmful chemicals with which a child may come in contact in a clandestine lab will not be detected by such a screening tool. Urine drug screening may be performed at the discretion of the treating medical providers who understand its strengths and limitations. However, in cases of unresolving tachycardia or signs of sympathetic excess of unclear etiology, a drug screen might be useful. In completely asymptomatic children, a urine drug screen may be beneficial for prosecutorial efforts. Given the fact that some studies have shown greater that 50% of these children test positive for methamphetamine, the
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