sweat test - what to expect?

[jassinkernow]

Hello
I'm taking my 2.4yr DS for a sweat test (and some bloods - joy!) on Monday. Can anyone who's taken their child for this tell me what it's like and what happens? I've been told it's painless (but only by the consultant, so obviously I'm suspicious) and my MIL vaguely remembers her daughter having to run around to get sweaty when she had it but that was years ago.
Thanks very much

It really is easy - they strap a thing onto their arm to make them sweat in that area for 10 minutes or so, then put on the tester and bandage it on for 30 minutes. DS was totally unworried, and we got the results straight away

May I be nosey and ask what led to this? Sympoms? Was he heel pricked at birth? I ask as I sometimes wonder about ds.

as CMOT says they will put two little coils on your DC's arms - one on each I think as they like to get 2 samples. My DD had it when she was about 3 weeks old so nearly 4 years ago now, so I don't remember the specifics but as she was a baby they were able to wrap her up in several blankets to try and get her hot.

They only got one sample but the results came back right at the top of the scale so combining that with all the symptoms she had they were able to make the diagnosis.

I think the results came back within the week but again cant remember too well as she was in hospital at the time.

The bloods will be checking for gene mutations I guess?

Hope everything goes well and that you don't have to wait too long for the results. If they do come back as positive, then it will be a horrible shock for you but your DS should start to get the right treatment and you should see a big improvement in any health problems he has.

Despite my DDs very rocky start (bowel surgery and 2 months in hospital) she is absolutely thriving and in many ways healthier than her peers. She has more energy than I know what to do with :)

Hello
Thanks for your replies, it's nice to know it's a straightforward process. Glad to hear your DD is doing well now minty, sounds like it must have been a horribly difficult start to life.
Strawberrycake, we went to see the pediatricians due to recurrent chest infections last winter - he was on antibiotics pretty much solidly from Nov-Feb and we had 10 trips to hospital (mostly just as day cases). He's since been diagnosed as asthmatic and, touch wood, we are having a much better winter so far. Strangely they didn't suggest the tests when we saw them last winter when he was much less healthy but when we went for a follow up last month they seemed concerned about his weight gain (which I'm not really bothered about - I'm tiny and he's the odd sort of child who exists primarily on vegetables). Apparently the heel prick (which he had at birth) misses about 5% of CF cases, the consultant said. Are you seeing anyone about your ds?

Hello, my ds1 had to have the sweat test a couple of times (IUGR/growth problems/some other health issues) - it was very straightforward, the only complication was that they didn't get enough sweat the first time and had to re-do it (that and having to hang around the hospital quite some time). It was negative thankfully. Good luck to you, I hope you get some answers. We had a whole year on antibiotics at one point, such a worry isn't it?

MY DS (with CF) had his sweat test the same as everyone else has already said but do be warned that they may repeat it a few times as it can be hard to exctract sweat from little ones.
My DS was diagnosed at 2 1/2 after lots digestive problems from birth then when he was about 1 he got infection after infection in his chest/eye/ears/throat you name it, it was infected!
He is ok now, its been tough but there is so much support out there and treatments are improving all the time... tell me, have you licek him yet to see if he is salty?

my son had the test too- very simple he was 8 months old at the time and thankfully sweated loads! i do hope the results are good and that your child doesnt get distressed-my son didnt even notice it-nor the blood tests either!

Hi, I'm probably being paranoid with my ds! He's gained weight poorly, wheezes, chest infection...but can be attributed to allergy.

He's salty when sweaty...but isnt sweat by definition salty? He's not normally salty to lick.

my sons came back ok-but he does taste different to my other son and is more salty and smells different? (i dont make it a habit of licking him though)
my son is 14 months old and intially had good weight gain but now it has dropped, wheezes, chest infections etc- being treated for asthma.

My DS has had 3 sweat tests in the past 6mths. The first two didn't get enough sweat so we had to go to a different hospital miles away where luckily the third test worked.
He has one CF gene but doesn't have CF. We are waiting to see a genetic counsellor to talk through whether we get our other children tested for the gene.
He also had a lung function test and his poo was checked as well.

people with CF usually have very salty skin even when they are not sweating. Sometimes if I kiss my DD or suck her fingers (or something like that whilst fooling around!) then she can taste like a packet of ready salty crisps :)

another thing I've noticed is that her hands go incredibly wrinkly in the bath, more so than normal

Hi,
will give him a lick tomorrow - I've never heard that before
Discodaisy hope it works out ok and waiting to see the genetics person isn't too stressful - we saw a really nice genetics counsellor (pre-kids, different issues) in London. We've had the poo test and a load of immune tests which have all come back normal or need repeating on Monday. Given his health at the moment, I'm not too worried about it (though naturally if your child's being tested for something you do worry a bit).
Strawberry it's easy to get paranoid/worried when they're ill all the time. We had such a horrid time last year and it's such a relief to be getting through this winter just managing his asthma properly. Hope you're feeling better about it soon.

Mintyneb, DS said to me only yesterday 'Mummy why am I so wrinkly when I come out the bath?' he was only in a few mins washing his hair (he gets salt crystals forming on his scalp and it gets a bit sore.) I never knew if the wrinkly thing was a CF thing or not... I am going to enquire at clinic next week!

I think I read pon the CF Trust Forum that wrinkly hands is a sympton of CF, something (as always!) due to salt transfer.

we've got clinic on Monday next week :) Will have to ask too

sorry jass for the thread hijack

oops i read 'on' the forum

As far as I remember, the collection coils that get strapped on are about as big as a 10p, maybe a bit fatter. It sits flush against your child's skin, all bandaged up - that's it! The only pain, as some people have said, is that sometimes enough doesn't get collected and it needs re-doing!

good luck with the bloods - will they put magic cream on first? Get yourself a pack of Mr Bump/alternative plasters to stick on top of the little NHS one...makes DS look like a hero for the rest of the day!

TitsalinaBumSquash please can I pm you my daughter is going through diagnosis now
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