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Original poster

Can I even test a 7 month old?

29 replies

WombatStewForTea · 19/09/2020 07:58

So my 7 month old has had a snotty nose for a few days but started with a cough in the night. Think she coughed 2/3 times (so not a single cough) twice in the night and then this morning has again coughed a couple of times this morning. It's a phlegmy cough and she's still got quite the snotty nose.
So I guess this counts as a continuous cough.
Can I accurately test a baby? There's no way I'd be able to swab the back of the mouth without touching her tongue. Could probably manage the nostrils if I can get a test. Is that acceptable or does it have to be nose and throat?

OP posts:
DownWhichOfLate · 19/09/2020 08:06

That’s not a continuous cough. Don’t do it.

BornOnThe4thJuly · 19/09/2020 08:10

You don’t need to get him tested. From a Telegraph article written by the guy who runs the ZOE research app.

Children with a runny nose do not have coronavirus, expert says.
As demand for tests leaps, Professor Tim Spector says children aged under 18 display different set of virus symptoms to adults

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/17/children-runny-nose-do-not-have-coronavirus-expert-insists-demand/amp/

whataballbag · 19/09/2020 08:13

You don't need to swab the tonsils for babies/toddlers

adagio · 19/09/2020 08:15

I thought kids under 4 or 5 (can’t remember) didn’t get normal tests (as in drive in parents do it.) Could be wrong. Agree with pp that’s not a continuous cough mind so maybe call 111 for advice before doing anything else?

BornOnThe4thJuly · 19/09/2020 08:17

The app research has shown children show some different symptoms to adults.

The top five symptoms in school aged children who test positive for COVID are; fatigue (55%) headache (53%), fever (49%), sore throat (38%) and loss of appetite (35%). This was different compared to the App’s data on adults; fatigue (87%), headache (72%), loss of smell (60%), persistent cough (54%) and sore throat (49%). In addition to this, research from the app has also found that one in six (15%) children who test positive for COVID also present with an unusual skin rash.

pinkpinecone · 19/09/2020 08:20

There was a professor from King’s who has been working on the symptom tracker and he said that a runny nose is a sign your child doesn’t have the virus.

pinkpinecone · 19/09/2020 08:21

Sorry should have said in the radio - still tired!

Pinkflipflop85 · 19/09/2020 08:31

When babies get a runny nose they will cough. It's the only way they have to clear the snot that keeps running down the back of their throat.

Original poster
WombatStewForTea · 19/09/2020 08:34

Now I'm really confused. So what counts as an 'episode' of coughing?

OP posts:
Char2015 · 19/09/2020 08:35

As per NHS/Gov guidelines for testing, your child is eligible to be tested. Whether you choose to is entirely down to you. You should all be isolating for the appropriate amounts of time.

Snailsetssail · 19/09/2020 08:40

She will have been coughing because the phlegm from her nose will have been running down the back of her throat. She doesn’t need a test.

Hufflepuff21 · 19/09/2020 08:42

It's acceptable to do both nostrils in children.

We've just had to test my 7mo. Had him at GP for antibiotics due to ear infection and Dr told me to get him tested due to his high temperature. He also has a snotty nose.

It wasn't too hard to do the test. He didn't like it, but it was over quickly and he just needed a cuddle afterwards.

raviolidreaming · 19/09/2020 08:42

When babies get a runny nose they will cough. It's the only way they have to clear the snot that keeps running down the back of their throat

Absolutely.

Original poster
WombatStewForTea · 19/09/2020 10:12

Well been told it counts as a continuous cough so got to test. Managed to get a drive through one today.
Any tips @Hufflepuff21? How did you keep his arms out the way? I'm debating taking a blanket to 'swaddle' her in cos she tries to grab everything off me. Did you just do both nostrils?

OP posts:
ittooshallpass · 19/09/2020 10:28

And this is why people who really need a test can't get one.

Can I even test a 7 month old?
Lockdownmum1010 · 19/09/2020 10:48

We had to test our 7 month old last week. Just sat her on her dad's lap and he held her arms down/distracted her and I did the swab in both nostrils. She cried but soon got over it.

PinkPiranha11 · 19/09/2020 11:24

7 month olds get colds all the time. Covid tests are very traumatic - don’t do it!!! By all means keep her in for a bit but I repeat SHE HAS A COLD! My friend is an ITU doctor and she said the one symptom she’s never seen in a Covid patient is snot.

DownWhichOfLate · 19/09/2020 11:39

Fuckssake. Stop the madness. She doesn’t need to be tested!

pinkpinecone · 19/09/2020 11:46

It does seem like a waste of your time, OP. Of course do what you think is best for your child but it's extremely unlikely it is Covid. Kids get colds all the time and have snotty noses and coughs.

Original poster
WombatStewForTea · 19/09/2020 11:50

Trust me I don't really want to test her. It isn't fun for either of is. She's been coughing on and off all morning now. Yes I'm sure it is a cold but I've been told to get a test so I am.

OP posts:
DownWhichOfLate · 19/09/2020 11:56

It’s brutal. Just dose her up with calpol and let her get better without unnecessary tests. Poor thing. If anything you need to isolate and keep her indoors. When did her symptoms begin? After about the 4th day tests don’t work.

Char2015 · 19/09/2020 12:01

It's not good practice to be telling people not to get a test especially when it goes against NHS/Gov guidelines. Yes, symptoms can also mean something completely different to Covid-19 but the only way we can get on top of this virus is for people to be tested when they have the symptoms as outlined by NHS and then measures can be taken to reduce the spread. It may just be a cold but how will one know unless they have the test. Many people only have cold like symptoms and test positive.

BornOnThe4thJuly · 19/09/2020 14:28

@Char2015

It's not good practice to be telling people not to get a test especially when it goes against NHS/Gov guidelines. Yes, symptoms can also mean something completely different to Covid-19 but the only way we can get on top of this virus is for people to be tested when they have the symptoms as outlined by NHS and then measures can be taken to reduce the spread. It may just be a cold but how will one know unless they have the test. Many people only have cold like symptoms and test positive.
But at the moment nurses, teachers etc can’t get a test when they really need one, because parents of kids with a cold are being told they need to test them. If we had the capacity then fine test them anyway, but we don’t have the capacity and lots of experts are saying kids with a snotty nose do not have Covid and do not need a test, including the guy who runs the ZOE app. The government obviously think he knows what he’s doing as they are working closely with ZOE and providing funding. The sooner the criteria is changed for kids, the better in my opinion.
HotPenguin · 19/09/2020 14:34

I don't agree that the test is "brutal" or "traumatic", but I would be wary of doing it on a baby because if they move suddenly you might hurt their nose.

Char2015 · 19/09/2020 14:35

@BornOnThe4thJuly

I understand what you are saying. The problem is the Government and their medical advisers are not updating their guidance based on the information/research which maybe details the symptoms in children more accurately. Maybe that is because the list is much longer for kids which will not solve the testing situation and lack of tests and perhaps that's why Government is not changing it which is definitely not the right thing to do. In fact, if the symptoms for kids are updated there will be much more demand for tests. I'm not against there being a different list of symptoms for kids and this being the criteria for testing but at present we are being told to follow Government/NHS advice with regards to symptoms and testing.

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