Covid testing for one year old

[yomommasmomma]

I have an appointment booked for a corona test at a testing site today for me and my 2 boys aged 1 and 5 and the info says I have to get in the back of the car and swab then myself! Does anyone have experience of doing that with children of that age? How does it work?

[BendingSpoons]

My friend had to swab a reluctant 5yo. They agreed she could drive to the corner of the car park to do it, presumably so she could get out. The 3yo was much better. Can you play a video on your phone to distract the 1yo? He might not be that aware if you can swoop in quick.

[StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff]

I went this morning, both my 4 year old and nearly 2 year old had to be tested. The 2 year old was much better about it than the 4year old. I unbuckled them both, 4 year old learnt into the front, then the 2 year old sat on the passengers lap. I did my own first to show them both what would happen.

[Microwaveoven]

Unless you are quite over weight turning around to face the back seat isn't difficult.

Just keep them strapped in, shove it up his nose, say sorry, give sweet, take out car seat and cuddle him, go home.

Or just do you and 5 year old.

[StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff]

OP please PM me if you want to talk about it

[diazapamdependent]

Ive tested myself at a drive in centre. I took my children ages 11 and 7 but didn't test them.

I didn't account for them being frightened by the set up, talking through windows and people in PPE (not many due to self test)

If you can explain the set up to them and there might be a wait etc (though place was empty when I went)

Agree bring them into front one by one starting with the 5yo. Bring device or something to distract the other !

If you can just do nose swaps on them I would. The throat swab has a great potiential for gagging and vomiting so be prepared for that

I really fear having to get my kids tested after their reactions to me being tested and fear of the gag!

Good luck

[BendingSpoons]

@Microwaveoven

Unless you are quite over weight turning around to face the back seat isn't difficult.

Just keep them strapped in, shove it up his nose, say sorry, give sweet, take out car seat and cuddle him, go home.

Or just do you and 5 year old.

Depends on the size of you car! Not much space between front seats or between car seats in mine. My 1yo is in a rear facing car seat too, so some definite contortion required!

[yomommasmomma]

So we have just got home and it was actually fine, not too tricky at all. Very well run by some lovely army chaps. They said I could get out of the c to do the boys and parked us in the corner, there was only 1 other car.
Testing my one year old was easy, he didn't like it bless him but I just held his heads still in the car seat and swabbed tonsils for 10 seconds and then swabbed up his nose for 10. No probs at all. The 5 year old was a bit tricker, especially up his nose! Ideally we needed my husband there to hold him down too but I think we probs did ok with his sample. As for testing myself that was fine of course.

I would encourage anyone who thinks they have symptoms to go and get tested for peace of mind, we got a same day appointment around 2 hours after I requested it and the process was easy. Let's see how long it takes for our results to come back!

[ihearttc]

Just out of curiousity are your school saying you can only go back if you test negative or do you actually have symptoms?

[yomommasmomma]

My one year old has symptoms and so we have got the whole family tested. We wanted to be sure that my 5 year old doesn't have it before he goes back to school. I strongly suspect that the baby doesn't have it either but felt we would like the reassurance of the test for us and my parents who live with my 86 year old grandmother

[FrodoTheDodo]

So what was the point? You didn't think any of you had it. Your 5 year old didn't need a negative test to go to school and you didn't come within 2 metres of your parents last week so them living with your 86 year old GM was irrelevant.

Great your kids weren't too distressed by it but i'm still not sure of the point other than to give you 'peace of mind' which you had anyway since you didn't think anyone in the family had it!

[FrodoTheDodo]

Has your husband been tested? You said you wanted the whole family tested and holding down your DC would have been easier with him there and he wasn't, so where has DH been tested?

[vodkaredbullgirl]

Have you seen what they do? Its bad enough for an adult nevermind a very young child.

The swab goes right to the back of the throat, has to miss the tongue. The swab up the nose is not just a poke up the nose, it is up the nose and to the back.

[yomommasmomma]

Yes we wanted peace of mind that our baby didn't have it and consequently that we didn't either. If we don't have it, then we also don't needlessly need to isolate for 2 weeks.

There is also a possibility that if we have it, we could have passed it to my parents (and they to my grandmother) even though we kept 2m's away from them, we were with them all day. So we wanted to be sure for them also.

We didn't want to not be tested and inadvertently send our 5 year old back to school with asymptotic covid/pointlessy not send him back to school when he could be there.

It really wasn't as bad as some have made out and the momentarily distress was surely better than what could have happened had we not been tested and had it.

[yomommasmomma]

Oh sorry yes my husband wasn't there today he had a work deadline, so unable to come. He will apply for his test tomorrow, as there seem to only be on the day appointments.

There were no appointments for upcoming days ahapinf as available and I gave up looking after checking 3 weeks in the future and not finding any.

[yomommasmomma]

It is worrying that some would not be tested even if they suspect they have it, for fear of the test itself.

[vodkaredbullgirl]

Yes ive been tested for work.

[yomommasmomma]

That's great vodka and I am assuming you are a key worker so thank you for all you have done.

[vodkaredbullgirl]

Thank you, I work in a care home and we have been clear all this time. No symptoms from any staff or residents. Still very very cautious about the situation, no visitors.

[yomommasmomma]

I am sure you are still being cautious. That must have been absolutely terrifying and you must have been so worried. How are your residents holding up mental health wise?

[Everythingsgoingmyway]

I don't think people won't have the test for fear of it, just not have it if they don't need to.

[zebrapig]

Just so you are aware it took a week for my result to come back (although that was post) so you may not have the result before DS is due back at school.

[yomommasmomma]

That is my worry Zebra. The latest government "commitment" is to get the results back in 24 hours (doesn't apply to postal) so I am holding on to some hope!!

[StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff]

We got ours back this afternoon after going to a test centre yesterday morning

[yomommasmomma]

So thankfully we are all negative. The results case through at 2:30om today, exactly 24 hours after we had the test. I have to say I am impressed, a fantastic and simple experience from start to finish. I would highly recommend anyone with symptoms get tested it was super easy and no problems for the kids either m. So now we can relax......!!

[yomommasmomma]

@StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff how did you get on? Negative? Keeping my fingers crossed for you x