Swab testing a 1yo help!!!

[Gingenius]

Ok so DD1 due to start school tomorrow and I’m due back at work after summer break too. Cue 1yo developing a temperature: big sigh! Have ordered a home test from NHS website as nearest test we were offered was over 100miles. Has anyone done the test on a 1 yo? How on earth do you get a 10sec tonsil swab???! And the advice for the nasal swab is that they must blow their nose first but 1yo can’t blow nose yet... All the NHS advice for how to swab a child is for older kids things like ‘offer a reward, encourage them to say ahh’ isn’t going to cut it with my todzilla; advice please - would love to hear from anyone that has done this... Thanks!

Think I've read you only need a nasal swab from a small child

My newborn has been tested twice when she’s been re admitted to hospital they just swabbed her throat and then up her nose. When I was tested during labour I didn’t have to blow my nose.

It’s almost impossible to swab their tonsils at that age, I couldn’t even do it on my 7yo.
The leaflet will explain it all but you can do a double nasal swab.. so one nostril and then the other. It’s pretty accurate.
It’s not a nice feeling though so you might need somebody to hold the baby and reassure them while you do the swab

I just had to swab DS's nose.

Yep you can just do the nostrils - the leaflet should tell you.

Also keep checking the website an appointment may come up closer to home which would mean a quicker result and you all back to school/work 🤞🏻

We did both nostrils instead, DH held his head while I did it. It was much less stressful than I thought it would be! Had to wait 6 days for the results though

Thanks everyone! Both nostrils it is: does it matter that he’s really snotty at the moment?

Yikes @Daisy169 6 days!!!
@Bramblespoint Thanks for the tip I think I will do....

I swabbed 9mo dds nose and thought there was no way it would come back with a conclusive result because I didn't do a great job (she hated it) but it was fine, negative less than 12h later