Tom Hofmann is a professor at Hodges University and the program chair of clinical mental health counseling at the university. “Drug tests are a tool that might give you some ideas, but I would never tell a parent to rely just on a test to know for sure whether a child is using,” he says. And if not, a professional can tell you what the problem really is. If your child is acting isolated or has lost interest in activities he once loved, you might have a drug problem on your hands. Look, too, for signs of drug paraphernalia, including cellophane, small baggies, tin foil and even pipes. Hill said signs of drug use include sudden changes in behavior, school grades or groups of friends. Wondering if your child might need an assessment? Mr. That way, if your child tests positive for drug use, professionals are on hand to guide you to the next step. Rather than paying for a drug test yourself, he recommends taking your child in for an overall assessment at a facility like SalusCare, which will include a drug screen. “If you’re having suspicions, let a professional get involved,” Mr. A child could pass a urine test, but still be have a hidden issue. Additionally, unless a test is done with a hair sample, it won’t register past use. Securing accurate results can be difficult with at-home tests and even those conducted in labs, where it’s impossible to determine whether a user is smoking marijuana occasionally or daily. In other words, a drug test is just one moment in a user’s recovery process. Shafer when it comes to focusing on what prompts drug use and how to fix it. Steven Hill is the director of residential programs at SalusCare, a Fort-Myers based mental health and substance abuse care provider serving teens and adults. “A lot of kids end up using drugs when they have no connection.” “Kids need to know you’re there for them and you’re interested in what they’re doing,” she said. And preventing your child from using or even trying drugs as teens begins with establishing open lines of communication. Shafer said the philosophy at the Hanley Foundation centers on prevention. Shafer describes as “a willing participant.”Īnd while every case is different, she believes drug testing a child you suspect of drug use sends a strong and negative message to that child. Taking your child to a drug testing facility requires what Ms. Services are available locally to help, and parents should not handle these problems alone. Local experts warned against using a drug test to handle an addiction problem privately. “Unless there’s a serious problem, this is just a way to keep an eye on things and make sure children aren’t diving into things they shouldn’t be,” Ms. But she warns that the tests, while 99 percent accurate, do have limitations in terms of how they might help a child dealing with addiction. She also said Any Lab Test Now offers various blood tests, toxicology and paternity testing as well as drug testing. ![]() “A lot of the ones I see in drug stores can’t let someone know if they’re functioning properly,” Ms. The temperature of Any Lab Test Now’s facilities is regulated and each test that arrives in its lab is tested before use to make sure it’s functioning properly and hasn’t been damaged in transit. In-office tests are far more accurate than the drugstore variety because they can test for past use through hair and nails. “Sometimes a stipulation of being able to drive is submit to random testing when the parent wants it,” Ms. But it can also clear a child of wrongdoing, helping him or her to lobby for that driving permit or maintain certain privileges. The tests can show whether a child has used marijuana or something more serious, such as opioids. “Because once something like that gets on your record, it can mess up your college application and even jobs.” “I would look at it as a way to keep track of my child without getting them into trouble,” said Linda Markley, owner of Any Lab Test Now’s Florida locations in Fort Myers and Wesley Chapel.
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