To want to swab my own child

[Preparefortheflaming]

I’m not sure why my last post was deleted as I have read the rules re posting. Unfortunately I was busy and didn’t see any of the replies!
I would not be breaking the law to refuse my child being swabbed would I?

Surely it’s my right to chose whether my child is administered a throat and nose swab in school?

@FoxyTheFox

Yes I think everyone realises the tests don't take covid away if you've caught it. They do reduce the likelihood that you'll catch it though since it identifies people who have it who can then isolate and they do make you aware that you have caught it so you can take precautions around your clinically vulnerable family members.

Can everybody stop telling OP that the tests are "fine"?? What's fine for you, or your DC may not be fine for OP's DS who has significant SEN. Who are you to tell her it's fine for him? She is the expert in her own child. She is not refusing to have him tested, she is saying she would rather test him herself at home in an environment where he feel comfortable than have him tested by a stranger or (possibly worse) expected to do it himself under the supervision of a stranger who may not know or understand his difficulties. I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would think that was unreasonable.

I will be refusing for my DD. They have to be given consent to do it.

There is a Facebook group UsForThem who are campaigning for our children's rights.

The staff coming in to do the tests will be trained

This is sort technically correct. We have been told (those of us who have agreed to help with the testing in school) that the training is a 15 minute video. I assume the 'volunteers' (whoever they may be) will receive the same training.

Sorry, excuse the typo this is technically correct that should say.

@FoxyTheFox

If you're clinically vulnerable you'll find it's much more unpleasant for you and your child if you catch covid and become seriously unwell.

The tests don't protect against catching covid, they're a containment measure not a preventitive one and if a child in school tests positive they have already exposed their class/bubble.

If my child caught covid and was seriously unwell with it then he would be given whatever treatment and supportive measures were needed and any distress would be secondary as the benefit vs risk would be that the treatment is of more benefits than any risk to him.

This is not so with the covid testing in school as the risk of him becoming distressed, having a meltdown in school, or harming himself and/or someone else when his fight or flight kicks in fair outweighs any benefit of the test.

Exactly how I feel!

I will be refusing for my DD. They have to be given consent to do it.

Absolutely fine, as long as you understand that this means she will be sent home for 10 days if she is identified as a close contact of a positive case.

@Washimal

I will be refusing for my DD. They have to be given consent to do it.

Absolutely fine, as long as you understand that this means she will be sent home for 10 days if she is identified as a close contact of a positive case.

Which is safest for all concerned.

Notthemessiah I don't disagree, but our poor admin staff have been shouted at and sworn at by parents on many occasions due to their child being sent home to isolate. I am anticipating that a small but vocal minority of parents will refuse consent for tests but won't be happy about having to isolate either.

More than happy for my child to isolate and I would do so too. I have been anyway since March so it’s life for me now.

@Washimal Some parents are arseholes and will cause trouble over anything and everything, so I'm sure you're right that this will be yet another source of grief for teachers and school staff - yet another reason why it shouldn't be happening and the govnt should come up with an actual practical, workable solution rather than this half-arsed, underfunded attempt to stack even more pressure on schools.

Not sure why the other thread got deleted but yes you can refuse, but my son's ex-secondary school has said that if parents refuse consent, their children will have to isolate for 10 days before being allowed back into school. As the tests are likely to be quite frequent, that could more or less lead to your child never being school.

If it's the usual covid test it doesn't sound very pleasant at all and I am glad I've not had to have one so far - I can't even clean my teeth without gagging. I thought the rapid test like the ones used in Liverpool and eg at Southampton university were much less invasive and those were the ones being used in schools.

@Preparefortheflaming

More than happy for my child to isolate and I would do so too. I have been anyway since March so it’s life for me now.

Indefinitely? If they test every other Monday, your child will be sent home until the following Thursday and get one or max two days in school each fortnight. Do you really want that?

@cologne4711 Oh no I meant if they were a contact of a positive case in school. Surely they wouldn’t be off indefinitely? But if they are so be it. I don’t think me or anyone could make my ds go through the test every week.

@Washimal

Can everybody stop telling OP that the tests are "fine"?? What's fine for you, or your DC may not be fine for OP's DS who has significant SEN. Who are you to tell her it's fine for him? She is the expert in her own child. She is not refusing to have him tested, she is saying she would rather test him herself at home in an environment where he feel comfortable than have him tested by a stranger or (possibly worse) expected to do it himself under the supervision of a stranger who may not know or understand his difficulties. I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would think that was unreasonable.

Sorry, I missed this reply. But thank you for your understanding and advice.

Surely they wouldn’t be off indefinitely? But if they are so be it. I don’t think me or anyone could make my ds go through the test every week.

DS school have told parents that they are free to refuse consent and that there will be no penalty for this, children will not be excluded for not testing, and any children who have to self-isolate for any reason will be provided with online work.

We have already had the virus in this house, and I already get tested weekly (against my better judgement, but I have to work).

Why should my DD be subjected to the same thing in school? They are supposed to be teaching our children, they're not a medical facility.

@Preparefortheflaming I've also been swabbed. It's not nice but over quickly It's not a big deal. Millions of people have had them. No worse than normal vaccination program, and you give those.

Vaccines are given, at most, once a year (e.g., flu) and they protect against diseases so not exactly the same as a weekly covid swab.

[quote goldenharvest]@Preparefortheflaming I've also been swabbed. It's not nice but over quickly It's not a big deal. Millions of people have had them. No worse than normal vaccination program, and you give those. [/quote]
It’s a bit different for an autistic child though. Very distressing. And one bad experience with a volunteer will mean we will never be able to swab him again - even if a test really is needed.

How old is the child? My ds 13 is quite able to test himself has done with supervision at a mobile sight an if under 10 it was just up nose for 10 seconds so not a problem for dd 6. What is the issue you have with them being tested?

An surely you can just do a home test if you put school name on the form when filling it in they will get the results aswell.

@Preparefortheflaming - of course consent will be required. But not sure what you mean by extremely unpleasant. I've had countless swabs - it only takes a second to do.

@Sweettea1

How old is the child? My ds 13 is quite able to test himself has done with supervision at a mobile sight an if under 10 it was just up nose for 10 seconds so not a problem for dd 6. What is the issue you have with them being tested?

Read the thread. There are additional needs.

@Sweettea1

An surely you can just do a home test if you put school name on the form when filling it in they will get the results aswell.

Home tests take near on a week. I’ve had them twice and both times it took 6 days from ordering to results.