Drug Testing Kits for Toddlers

[rsmith6621]

My wife and I are suspecting our daughter are drugging our 2 year old granddaughter to make her sleep extended hours. Before we approach CPS on this we were wondering if there are any testing kits over the counter we can buy. Looking for something that can detect Nyquil as well.

I wish I could tell you more that has come up recently.

[ZombieHorde]

1. Call a local pharmacy and ask. nt

[1monster]

2. What kind of drugs do you suspect? Is there any evidence other than your grandchild sleeping

a lot? How many hours are "extended hours?"

Benadryl (di-phenhydramine), an OTC, anti-allergy medicine can cause children (and adults) to sleep more than normal.

[rsmith6621]

3. 12+ Hours

That is when she is with her parents...when she stays at our place she sleeps consistently 7-8 hours and then wakes up like a ball of energy and goes all day...

Her parents are party beast.

[GKirk]

4. Let's say you find out ...

...that they are giving her Nyquil. What do you plan to do with this info?
Would it be illegal for them to give her that? If you confronted her parents with
this info how might they react? It may be that they wouldn't allow you to see
her anymore and that sounds like that would be the worst thing for your granddaughter.
Please think it through completely before you do anything and best of luck.

[rsmith6621]

5. The problem is....

....her parents are unapproachable and have become recently in the last month elusive as to her welfare and where they are currently living,they basically are squatters going between homes. Also my wife and I have become privey to some legal information about the father that we feel could be potentially harmful to the little girl.

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. Call CPS and report neglect

Give them all the information you have. Suspecting neglect, drug/physical/psychological abuse is all you need to make the call and (hopefully in your area they are good enough)they will respond.

If you suspect, then you have the right, and often it is your duty depending on the laws of your state especially since it is a family member, to report.

Waiting, asking questions about what to do only prolongs what your granddaughter is going through, and inaction now could be a negative consequence for her.

I do not understand your hesitation, and if you have access to the child as it seems you do since you are looking to do some sort of drug testing on her, then call CPS when she is in your care, if it makes you feel any better. And if your suspicions prove valid, or CPS does find a case for neglect or endangerment, they may remand her to you rather than fostering her out or going through the machinations of getting her in your care through the system procedures.

Just. Do. It.

[BanzaiBonnie]

7. I would have given the same response years ago, but

unless there is immediate danger to the child, it's likely that CPS will not do anything except a "check-in".

One of my daughters called in CPS because of conern over what appeared to be a neglactful situation with her neice and nephew. . CPS said evrything looked okee dokee and never looked back, even though the father is a convicted sex offender. When the shit hit the fan, none of us got to see the kids for over two years and when we finally got to see them, they had been told awful things and no longer had trust in us.

[Whoa_Nelly]

8. Apathy about a system that doesn't work dependent upon who gets the case file for complaint

does not preclude that it would not be bothered with by doing more than a cursory look.

Have been involved in many CPS cases as a SpEd teacher over the past almost 20 years. When one caseworker showed they were being careless/apathetic/overworked, I took it to the next level until I would get enough of the right people behind it and it could not be ignored.

So, to the OP of this thread: Just do it. And do it again if necessary. And again, and again and again.
Do not fear the system. Do not expect the system to work smoothly. Do not expect that it only takes one call.
But, just do it and get it out there, and follow through and be a squeaky wheel. A child's welfare is at stake.
Were it my son, my only child, who was the parent, I would do this not worrying over any repercussions of how that may affect my relationship with him. I would be out there for my grands, and would keep at it just as I did for another child years ago to the point of using up all my personal and sick leave to go to another state and sit on the county DA's office doorstep for hours and again for more hours until notice was taken seriously enough to warrant an investigation that did indeed stop the abuse in its tracks. I also brought to bear any and all statements and first-hand observations by others who were willing to be contacted. Yet, have also made the case just be being the sole squeaky wheel.

Just. Do. It.

[Chemisse]

9. I agree with your advise here except it is better if it appears that the complaint came

from a neighbor.

If these parents get wind of the grandparents' concerns, give the already distrustful relationship, they may never lay eyes on this child again. The grandparents should be seen as loving, accepting and supportive. In my opinion they should not let their children know they are at all concerned or suspicious. Grandparents have no legal rights, and many a grandparent has had their hearts broken when they lose contact with the child.

I don't know if CPS workers will cooperate this way, but I would make the call, and request that they not only withhold the info about who notified them, but find a way to insinuate it was a neighbor. Even if they won't do that, I would make the call anyway. Better to have a grandchild that is lost to you, than no grandchild at all.

[Whoa_Nelly]

10. To the OP

Report it. You love your grandchild and you have inside track on this. Please don't wait.

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Kicking

Want to know what's happening...or not. What's the update? Hope your granddaughter is safe. :hug: