What Did a Home Remedy Add to the Investigation of an Infant’s Positive Urine Screen?
A urine screen can narrow an exposure investigation. Finding the source also requires a history of what the person received, including products that never appeared on a prescription list.
What the clinical record showed
In a published case, a 45-day-old infant was unusually drowsy and had pinpoint pupils. A urine immunoassay reacted for opiates and benzodiazepines. The child’s mother had been giving a mixture of herbs and brought it for inspection. The report describes one component as opium seed.
What the record could establish
The history, clinical findings and mixture gave the investigators a possible route of opiate exposure. The report did not give a measured dose or identify a specific benzodiazepine or its source. In a case involving a household preparation, it helps to distinguish the screening result, the description of the product and any chemical analysis of the exact material used. Each answers a different part of the exposure question.
Source
Shah, case report of infant intoxication after a folk remedy (full text) · DOI
