Testing babies and toddlers

[5ambreakfastclub]

Some advice would be much appreciated. We are normally based overseas working for a U.K. company. We have been in the U.K. during lockdown and are now planning to travel back to our overseas home. We are required to take Covid tests before we travel and these will be self administered as we are in Scotland.
Has anyone had to test a baby and/or toddler before? I will have to swab my 4month old and my nearly 3 year old and I'm utterly dreading it. I'm scared I'll either hurt them or be so scared to hurt them that the test will be void. I would be so grateful for any advice and tips , thank you!

My 11 month old was tested a few weeks ago and it was fine. I too was dreading it.
My test was first (back of the throat then up the nose). It was really uncomfortable but not painful. My sons one was a lot faster and they only went up one nostril and it was really quick. He obviously cried pretty hard but it wasn't a pained cry, more of a 'get that out of my nose' cry. A minute later and he had forgotten about it and was fine. We have a 360 car seat so we turned him towards the window and the person did the swab through the window.

The person doing the samples said that babies are fine as they don't know what's going on but toddlers are more challenging as it's harder to keep them still but they don't know what's going on.

Good luck OP. It'll be worse for you seeing your children uncomfy compared to the discomfort they will feel x

DD (3) has had two tests.

At our local centre parents have to swab their own children which I think is hard to do!

They're now saying only the nostril swab is needed and that one is much easier to perform on a toddler without invalidating it than the tonsil swab (where you're supposed to not touch lips/tongue/teeth with the swab which is getting on for impossible if you're not a health care professional!)

Just thought I would update this in case anyone is testing toddlers or babies!
Doing my 2.5 year old was tough . We did home testing and DH basically had to pin her down while I swabbed. Many screams but it was quick!
My 4 month old was easier as I swaddled her and DH swabbed!we watched lots of videos beforehand to prepare us and tested me and DH first so we knew how to do it!
Not pleasant but needed.