My child has been selected for a Covid test!

[Livingmybestliferight]

He's 10. Does not want to do it. Am wondering why they are doing this and whether it has anything to do with schools opening or not?! Would I be unreasonable to refuse this opportunity?

I got a letter and I’ve signed up. Bit worried about doing the test on myself but I’m committed and I will.

It’s obviously an individual choice but what I do feel strongly about is that people don’t waste the tests, sign up and then not do it because it is unpleasant.

I presume if someone doesn’t want to do it they will ask someone else.

The OP just described her DS as sensitive and a "wuss".

I have to tell you OP that one of the things I am most proud of is that whilst my DS's are sensitive and caring, they are also very resilient. If you read up about resilience and the role it plays for DC and teens MH you will see it repeatedly said that this is the most important building block to be able to deal with life's turbulent times.

Our DC are currently exposed to a global pandemic that will affect every aspect of their lives. What a wasted opportunity to build resilience and to give your son the opportunity to put a good deed/ heroic act that contributed to saving lives in his self esteem portfolio of things he's done and achieved.

Honestly, I'd talk my son into it. Afterwards he'll be proud of himself. Ok he'll learn about consent, but learning to say no to good dead's is nothing to be proud of really. Not consenting to getting a flu spray up your nose in year 6 is not admirable, it's silly.

Op sorry if this is a pile on. Personally I would have the test as I think it’s good for society but medical studies must be based in consent or the ethics implications and loss of trust are huge so if your son Dosent want to he Dosent want to And that’s the end of the discussion. It would be different if he clinically needed the test, but he dosent.

I wish my kids had been chosen.
I don't think I'd let them not do it. I'd explain the value of doing it (decent data will help science to save lives) vs it hurting a little bit. I wouldn't force them, but I'm fairly sure if I explained why, they'd both say yes, and be proud that they'd helped.

Do not do it yourself. It would totally fuck with statistics to do that.

Irritating response.

Ive been tested at a drive through it was brutal. If asked though I would take part.

@stinkycatbreath lol what about it is brutal ? I’ve had it done and it’s fine ! Have you never had dental work or a smear or anything ?!

OP why does your son assume it's against the rules to go outside? Why have you not corrected him?

He’s entitled to say No but I bet his answer will partly depend on how you present it to him.

Is it a worrying swab test connected with a dangerous disease or is it a quick dab to check for germs? That kind of thing.

And if he thinks he’s going to avoid swabs for the whole of his childhood then he’s probably wrong. My DC have had throat swabs and nasal swabs for infections. It’s not a big deal.

He’ll also potentially be helping everyone and everything get back to normal. If we all refused, we’d get no data about anything. Someone mentioned a 5yr old earlier and I can see why it might be hard to explain to some 5yr olds, but a 10 yr old should understand and not be freaked out IMO - if explained calmly and casually as ‘no big deal’.

He doesn't want to do it as he is scared and I'm not going to hold him down!!

He's 10 for god sake. Tell him to get on with it.

My DS (13) has had a cough swab done every two months for the whole of his life due to medical issues - never really had a problem from the age of about 4.

A friend of mine’s DD (10) was recently tested in hospital & she said that the nasal swab was particularly unpleasant.

I believe strongly in bodily autonomy but would stress the importance of the research & expect my child to comply.

If we gave it a go & it got to the pinning down / screaming stage I would give up.

I’d also probably have a few practice goes with a cue tip to the back of the throat to build confidence & show it wasn’t a big deal.

My DDad has just informed me he's received this letter. I don't think he's going to take part though. He's been SI since well before any official advice to do so.

For the love of God, just what is "brutal" about a nasal swab? I get that it's not something you'd ever do for pleasure... but get a bloody grip with your brutal nonsense.

DD3 is 11. I had to swab her because she had symptoms. She did say 'what did you want, a bit of brain???' (She's a bit of a comedian) but other than that, she was absolutely fine.

@BuffaloCauliflower Oh I fully agree, the boy is of an age where generally he should understand but there are a number of posters on here saying that no choice should be given at all which is wrong imo. We spend so much time teaching our children that they have bodily autonomy and can say no if something makes them uncomfortable and in the next breath people saying don't give him a choice, you are his parent you get to overrule his bodily autonomy - there are so many issues with this.

"He's been SI since well before any official advice to do so."

But the whole point is to get a population- representative sample. That's why it's randomised. So his results will be just as useful as a swab which happens to come from a nurse who has been doing double hours on a covid-19 'hot' ward.

The op though has said her son doesn't want it but she hasn't told him what is involved because he won't like it and is sensitive.
So really it is the OP not wanting it.

If posters read the letter i posted up thread it states that their is a short questionnaire alongside the test. So probably questions along the lines of whether someone has been self isolating, just going out of the house to exercise only, just going out to the supermarket, working with or without PPE, in the case of a child going to school if they are a child of a key worker, or staying indoors and playing in the garden or whatever.

Don’t do it if you don’t want to. The study will have been designed assuming a proportion of people contacted won’t take part. You aren’t going to screw the sample up by him not taking it.

I believe strongly in bodily autonomy but would stress the importance of the research & expect my child to comply.

How did you manage to contradict yourself in one sentence? Expect your child to comply? Aren't you setting your children a fine example.

I am shocked at the number of people who do not respect the bodily autonomy of children and compare a voluntary test to legally required things (seatbelts) and actual things that benefit health (vaccinations).

If the child doesn't want to do it then so be it. I'm an adult (from parents who just get on with medical treatment) and I would absolutely refuse the nasal swab. You wouldn't ever get anything up my nose without knocking me out first.

Having read this, I think I’d refuse: www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-government-pilot-covid-19-infection-study-ppe-a9512596.html

thelastteacake That article is talking about a different study involving the

Sorry, posted too soon

thelastteacake That article is talking about a different study involving the University of Oxford amongst others and looking at antibody tests as well as antigen tests. The one the OP's son has been invited to join involves Imperial College and is an antigen test only.

YABU. I wouldn’t allow him to refuse.

YABU. I wouldn’t allow him to refuse.

You'd force him down, would you?