Or is it impossible to test a 3 year old?

[whatatool]

4 hours of tears ( mine and theirs) and still can't get a swab anywhere near.
How TF are people doing this?

Bought saliva ones

Did a few earlier on in the pandemic and they were a waste of time as the only thing they sampled was the snot just inside his nose.
@freshflowers2

I actually asked this week when I went for a test how much did snot matter because I was literally full of snot, even with blowing nose. He said it's absolutely fine and the only thing that really matters is no blood.

One adult holds, one adult does the test. Restrain and do it as quickly as possibly. It's kinder than trying to persuade them for ages and then having to hold them down anyway. You need to immobilise their head if possible so they can't move and hurt themselves.

I always get the same bug so just test myself.

We've managed to do it accurately. Isn't the first step to blow their nose? Can't even do that.

The only way I can do either of mine is by holding them tightly and doing it as quickly and calmly as possible. It feels mean but they would never get to nursery otherwise. Special treat afterwards every time too.

I’m not doing it, 100% of the ones we’ve done on the kids have led to a nosebleed so then the swab is void anyway. Traumatised kids, I’d rather just chill at home for 10 days or however long it is!

Ds is much older but cognitively a toddler. We do regular practice with lateral flows, nose only and he is given food he loves just before, between nostrils and afterwards. We don't always get it in for the full time but he has never had a void result.

If anyone wanted me to show a result, I'd have tested myself instead. @stingofthebutterfly oh great, no wonder cases are on the up!

6 year old did himself, probably didn't go in far enough but we did get negative then positive results in a pattern, suggesting it was accurate.
He literally just put the top in.
The school would have marked him as unauthorised absence without a pcr result!!
Again with 3 year old - only symptoms was cough - can't have her home for 10 days just with that! Tested positive straight away though....

When they're asleep. Up the nose ones. The only way forward!!

@Watchingyou2sleezes

Why is anyone testing a 3 year old?

Because I don't want to either isolate unnecessarily or out other people at risk! What an odd question

@Watchingyou2sleezes

Why is anyone testing a 3 year old?

Don't quote me on this but I expect it is to find out if they have Covid. I could be wrong though...

The LFT and the PCR showed up positive for both my children, even though their technique basically consists of wafting the stick just inside the entrance of the nostril.

@RobertaFirmino 😂

I order home tests and do it when she’s asleep at night.

Cornering them in the car seat helps. It is really hard!

It’s a two adult job. Child sideways on lap. One arm to pin down their arms, the other to hold their head side on against your chest. Other adult gets in the nose with the swab. Then administer chocolate buttons while everyone has a little cry. Fucking covid.

The bulb ones are great, I’ve tested my kids twice this weekend (7 months, 4 & 6) with no tears.
Baby is positive & had snot on it.
Still waiting for results for 4&6 year olds. I’m hoping they test positive soon instead of in a week when they’ll need to do an extra 10 days!
Or not test positive at all ideally

(The household has covid)

We’ve done 8 (full-time nursery) and I’ve had do some by myself. Buy a massive treat for right after. I’ve always done it at the drive through. Car seat, hold head back with your elbow and hold hands with the same hand, and swab each nostril with the other hand counting to 10. At 3 mine is old enough now to understand a bit more that he gets a doughnut right after and a McDonald’s when we get home.

Please sign this to get fairer testing for young children like they have in other countries. Thank you
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/598824?fbclid=IwAR1RVQgLwMn0fajsolp2T0qiARzoeO9mWDdNrJaF7hJkbUcXt5ilAPHMZVc

My 6 year old has had to do a LF test every day for the last 10 days and a PCR on one of the days due to a massive covid outbreak in her class at school.

It would be absolutely pointless to just test myself, because i've not been in her bloody classroom have I?!

She hasn't enjoyed it at all, but she's been an absolute trooper - we have bribed - she's had a really decent treat after everyone (cookie/cake etc) i'm hoping tomorrow will be the last one! For a while anyway!

[quote Nikki305]Please sign this to get fairer testing for young children like they have in other countries. Thank you
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/598824?fbclid=IwAR1RVQgLwMn0fajsolp2T0qiARzoeO9mWDdNrJaF7hJkbUcXt5ilAPHMZVc[/quote]
My husband does the saliva tests for work and he says they're much worse than the nose swab ones - you have to get a LOT of saliva in them - I don't think they'd be any easier for a child to do to be honest.

I feel your pain. DS is 3 and we’ve had to do a few. The worst was the drive through centre in his car seat. He had a meltdown which I’m sure could be heard by every worker on the lot .

The last time we did it was better, we did a postal one in the house. He watched DH and I do ours. Then sat on DH’s lap while I ‘tickled his nose’. Took a few attempts and some bribery but got it done.

Make it a game and I let her test herself. Not sure how effective it is