Child Guard Tests

Did you know that hair acts like an environmental sponge and absorbs substance to which it is exposed.

What is Child Guard?

It is an advanced drug testing for children exposed to substances of abuse.
Child Guard child hair testing.  This is a protective tool for children at risk in harmful environments.  Children exposed to substances of abuse are often vulnerable to violence, neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, criminals and/or criminal activity.  Statistically more than one problem may exist if there is conclusive evidence that a child has been exposed to substances of abuse.

The association between drug exposure and harm to children:  4.2 times more likely to experience neglect.

2.7 times more likely to experience abuse.

43% of child abuse cases before the court involve substance abuse.

Drug testing, especially with hair, has become a widely used option for detection of substance of abuse environments.  However, for many children, the dangerous environments go undetected because the routine drug test ordered is not sensitive enough.

Child Guard is the only test designed to detect passive exposure to drugs.  Exposure is an indirect marker of harm to children.  Child Guard places the investigative emphasis on the child’s environment.

Child Guard can provide information about the child’s environment for the past 3 months.  A positive result indicates the child has experienced one or more of the following

  • Passive inhalation of drug smoke
  • Contact with drug smoke
  • Contact with sweat or skin oil of a drug user
  • Contact with the physical substance
  • Accidental or intentional ingestion of illegal drugs

Child Guard tests will test for both native drugs and drug metabolites in the hair.

 

Why do they test hair for substances of abuse?

Drugs and metabolites of drugs are incorporated into hair during formation, after formation and after hair has emerged from the scalp.  Hair testing has been around for years and has gained great recognition as a viable non -invasive, alternate specimen for testing substances of abuse.  It provides a test sample that is simple to collect, and easy to ship and store.

 

How much hair do you need?

1 1/2 inch long sample of approximately 100 mg (the inside of a straw filled with hair) can provide up to a 3 month window of detection for substances of abuse.

 

How is exposure being missed in other hair tests?

Routine hair tests don’t place the focus on environmental exposure, but rather on remnant metabolites that would be left after ingestion.  Testing for ingestion generally places focus on drug metabolites that have been processed by the body in vivo and doesn’t focus on any native metabolites found in the environment.

 

What substance of abuse can a Child Guard  test detect?

Marijuana, Amphetamines(Methamphetamines) Cocaine, PCP, Opiates (Codeine, Morphine, Heroin), Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates.

What is a Benzodiazepine?

Benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety and panic, seizures (convulsions) and insomnia.

  • Alprazolam (Xanax)
  • Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
  • Clonazepam (Klonopin)
  • Diazepam (Valium)
  • Lorazepam (Ativan)
  • Oxazepam (Serax)

What are Barbiturates?

Barbiturates are used to treat anxiety, epilepsy, as anesthetics and to induce sleep.

  • Seconal
  • Secobarbital
  • Pentobarbital
  • Phenobarbital

Call us to help you determine what test is best for your child.