Have you had an inconclusive test result? And why?

[RMarieClaire]

Did my 15 month old's Covid rest on my own and it was so so hard with her wriggling and crying. I'm worried I screwed it up. Just wondering if anyone knows what might cause an inconclusive result?

The tip didn't touch any other objects in the car but may have touched her face. Desperate for our negative result so I can go to my first ultrasound tomorrow night (did test Friday afternoon)

I've had two, hard to know why, but I think in both cases I touched my tongue too much. (Staff at the centre said apparently a slight touch to elsewhere in the mouth than the "target area" is usually OK.)

Hopefully your DD's will be conclusive, and negative!

Thank you @Augustbreeze - two!
I just did the nostrils. DD has tonsillitis so didn't even want to try there as knew it would hurt too much. 🤞

I think next time we'll just do the 10 days as it's so hard when they're poorly to then put them through it.

Was about to post similar. Took my SEN child to a testing centre today and his sensory issues made it a traumatic disaster. Throat swab was out of the question and I don't think the nose swab will have a great sample either as he just couldn't cope with it. Swab went in both nostrils but not deep enough I don't think.

Absolute nightmare, I need to get back to work!

To be fair I didn't think DD's would be conclusive - she's 2.5 and couldn't tolerate the swab in her nostrils for more than about 2 seconds in total but she was sobbing and was trying to let me do it but couldn't, so I decided to just give up and take the 14 days rather than traumatise her.
Thankfully we got a clear negative.

@BlueGreyGreens It's so hard with children, isn't it. The test seems cruel, but so does being locked in a house for 10 days, not to mention the challenge of work without childcare. A tough winter ahead for parents.

I really think children should be tested by professionals not desperate parents. We must be wasting a lot of tests.

Is it 14 days? Not 10?

If you don't get a negative test, you isolate for 14 days?

That gives me hope @MooChops89

I'm slightly reassured by that too @MooChops89, although doubt we'll be as lucky!

I had 2 inconclusive tests back in July. The first one I think was a dodgy test kit, as there wasn't as much liquid in the vial as the other 2 tests I had to take. The second one I assume I didn't shove it far enough down my throat or far enough up my nose. I mean, I retched and my eyes watered, and I didn't touch anywhere I wasn't supposed to, but I can't think what else it could have been. The third one came back negative, so I obviously got it right that time, even though I don't think I did anything different from the first 2 times. Who knows?

@Crunchymum it's 10 days from first symptoms, 14 days if you haven't had symptoms but have been abroad to certain places or with someone who has had a confirmed case

[quote RMarieClaire]@Crunchymum it's 10 days from first symptoms, 14 days if you haven't had symptoms but have been abroad to certain places or with someone who has had a confirmed case[/quote]
@RMarieClaire

Where are you getting this information from?

Genuinely interested. Our test sample hasn't been collected, the school said 14 days (from start of symptoms) if we cannot provide a negative test

It’s ten days for the one with symptoms, 14 for the rest of the household.

We've had one come back inconclusive not sure why. Went back today which was worse because he knew what was coming

Reading the guidelines it seems that the child with symptoms (but no test) can go back after 10 days but us who have been around her and have no symptoms, need to stay in for 14 days.

So the 10 day rule will only work if a) you live alone or b) everyone in the household comes down with symptoms on the same day.

I was worried my 4 year old’s would come back unclear, I only did nostrils, but not as long as it said to do as he was so distressed and fighting me. We did get a negative though.

I definitely think tests on children should be administered by someone other than a parent. I’m dreading having to do it again on any of mine.

The isolation would be 14 days for the household without a test. I think a person testing positive only has to do 10 days (but that isn’t of much benefit if they are a baby or toddler!)

@DamitJanet oh $&@$ you're right it is. That is infuriating.

@DamitJanet

It’s ten days for the one with symptoms, 14 for the rest of the household.

Much more succinctly put than my ramblings.

The 10 day rule is an utter red herring for most people then? Including the OP who should be isolating for 14 days.

[quote RMarieClaire]@DamitJanet oh $&@$ you're right it is. That is infuriating. [/quote]
Yep. Its utter bullshit.

The one with the symptoms can go back but no-one else in the household can.

What is the point of this 10 day rule malarkey?

@BlueGreyGreens

Was about to post similar. Took my SEN child to a testing centre today and his sensory issues made it a traumatic disaster. Throat swab was out of the question and I don't think the nose swab will have a great sample either as he just couldn't cope with it. Swab went in both nostrils but not deep enough I don't think.

Absolute nightmare, I need to get back to work!

We tested ds, who has complex needs on Friday. We let him hold the swab and it was barely up his nostrils and only for only a few seconds - and the result came back negative the next morning! I was amazed it worked - we actually went, fully prepared for it to be an inconclusive and have to quarantine for full 5 days, so we were very blasé about it, trying really hard to make it as easy and positive as possible for ds, as we realise we may have to keep doing them (he gets I'll a lot!) and felt it was really important that it was not too traumatic.

Fingers crossed for your child's results.

I believe France is due to roll out a saliva test for some people and think this includes children who may find the other test difficult. It is also has quick results - 30 mins. Hopefully this will be available in the uk soon.

@Bupkis exactly the same scenario here- he did it himself (only way) and it was a cursory effort to say the least. This was after tears and drama before it went anywhere near his nose. Then he jumped at a noise and jabbed higher with it which hurt, and we were full into distressed meltdown territory (at which point I admitted defeat).

Unfortunately I made the mistake of 'reassuring' him by doing mine first, to demonstrate it was no big deal. Unfortunately my eyes watered like crazy, so that plan backfired massively. My first time being tested too.

Your negative result gives me hope!

I am actually waiting for a private saliva home test to be delivered, hopefully if his result is conclusive we can use that to re-test, if it ever arrives.

*inconclusive!

It's really hard @BlueGreyGreens I think we got really lucky with ds - he has a meltdown over having a plaster stuck on him..and has had some awful experiences during many medical procedures in the past, so were really fearing the worst. There is no way we could have done a throat swab. Fortunately dh made him laugh saying we had to collect bogies the testing people, which he found hilarious!

I'll keep everything crossed you get a negative!

@BlueGreyGreens please update on the private saliva test! We'd have missed the boat now as we're on day 4 but good to know for next time if it's a better option - expensive I'm sure but at £84 a day for nursery it may not be more than we'd lose for a long test results wait

"Inconclusive" can also mean things like contamination at or en route to the lab.