How the hell do you swab the tonsils of a 23 month old (covid test)

[bornninthe80s]

Anyone had success with this? Just paid £150 for a private home test (if any real life human has ever got through to NHS then 🙌🏼 to you) and they say don't let the throat swab touch the teeth or tongue or it could void the sample

My poor LO is 2 next week, had a temp thurs/fri and now back to normal but to be able to move her party to next weekend and actually go into work to earn money (contract work in person) we have to go through this hell. Already nicked her gums once or twice with the syringe giving calpol so am dreading doing this covid test.

Any tips welcomed.

I didnt even think testing children that age was taking place.

P.s, I know you have paid private.

Can you not just do a nose swab instead, I thought that was ok for young children.

I thought little children could just have the nose swab?

There is a video you can watch, will try and find link. But basically it's tonsils and a nostril or two nostrils and we went with the latter even for older DD(6). Still made her eyes water. Good luck!

we watched this with DD ahead of doing the home test

I did this with my 23month old. NHS. I just put the swab in both nostrils which is allowed. You need to put it up as far before feeling any resistance then rotate to get the sample for about 10 s each side. I didn’t tell her about it beforehand so she wasn’t anxious. I put peppa pig on the iPhone and when she was engrossed I started the swabbing. She was grimacing but by the time she noticed properly I was done. Good luck

I just did it as best I could then swabbed both nostrils as well. We've had 2 tests on the NHS for ds (separate symptom periods)

Thanks all. I watched that video too - pissing myself as there's no way, as bright as my DD is, that she's going to agree to the throat swab. She has her own mind.

I did read that about the nostril thing and I have formulated a great head/bodylock hold on her and could do the nostrils pretty easily, but the doc at the clinic says no get the throat too.

It feels so cruel! But am losing income staying home, plus am absolutely gutted we can't have her party (which was just with family) tomorrow as planned as I've been building up to it all week and she's been very excited. But I know that's a first world issue!

When my just turned 3 year old son had it done last weekend they told us to just swab both nostrils - they understood that there was no way an oral swab could be done without the tip touching either the teeth, tongue, gums or inner check.

My 3 and 2 year olds were excellent at having the swabs done. It was my husband and I that kept gagging when we had it done!!

I done one threw nhs yesterday with my 2 year old they said nose only

Sadly I think they only way to be able to do it correctly and efficiently is hold them down and do it quick!

Couldn't get past my eldest DC's tongue and ended up doing their nostrils so when it came to my youngest I just went straight for their nose. Took two of us to hold them down just for the nose but as long as you do a thorough job it should be fine. Our results were clear.

I did my 2.5 year old a few weeks ago. Not going to lie it was horrible but we managed it. Basically held her down and used a tongue depressor, took two of us and then did both nostrils. She was v v upset but we got a negative test result so I guess it was worth it. God knows how we will ever manage it again though ..
she is a terrible patient though and has a completely irrational fear of anything medical so that didn't help!

No idea, when we had DD 22 months tested they said we only needed to swab both her nostrils and not the tonsils. Must be different for the private tests.

We had a total palaver earlier in the week getting our toddler done. The first test came back inconclusive. The second time we went we asked for more help and got told that the nostrils were more important than the throat swab.

My 2 year old cried, we just held her down and got on with it. It was no worse than brushing her teeth and the battle that goes with that!

We tested our 10 month old baby this week. As others have said we just swabbed both nostrils. In the booklet that comes with the NHS test it does say you can do it this way for young children and babies. Got a negative result but have to say I never want to have to do that to him again.

We’ve been tested twice now. Children’s tests can be both nostrils but not throat (NHS, and yes, accessing testing was fine, did it last week, tested 3 hours from booking made and results back the next day).

Another one saying just to do the nostrils. Me and both kids had an NHS test this week and was told it's both nostrils for under 9's. I know your Dr has said tonsils but I think it's would be better to do the nostrils successfully than try the tonsils and get an invalid result.

Children's test doesn't need to be tonsils just both nostrils. Still not nice but less chance of contamination from the tongue/mouth if they don't cooperate.

We had the party issue too. I really empathise it is really sad.