Testing a 5 yr old , feel like it was a waste of time.

[ImFree2doasiwant]

Ds is 5. Had a temperature last night and today, which Calpol is keeping down. It is rising between doses. Ive got a bit of a cough but worse, i feel very breathless. Managed to get a drive through test for today.

Can't even see ds tonsils let alone swab them. Tried varying instructions to him, say "aaah" stick tongue out etc. No chance of swabbing them with out getting his tongue/teeth, so had to just do nostrils which took several tries as each time I tried he sneezed.

I can't help but feel it will be a wasted test.

Anyone managed a successful test on a small child?

not five but my awkward 7 year old has been tested twice and it was difficult and on both occasions I was convinced it would come back inconclusive.

Friend had same experience with a 2 yo.

All three tests came back negative - we were both very surprised.

I tested my 8 year old yesterday with a home test. Could not see tonsils. Tried my very best, but as soon as swab touched her, that was it, tongue straight on swab. I've sent it off anyways, they may be able to get something from it.

You'd need 3 hands and a tongue depressing thing I think.

We ended up with just doing the nostrils on DS too. Now stuck waiting for test results . We did the test to do the ‘right thing’ but now feel sure DS just has a cold. My older DCs are in their GCSE years and DD was just settling into yr7, not up mention DH and I also bring stick at home instead of working. It just seems like a big farce.

I tested my 8 year old today, most likely a waste of time she gagged as soon as it touched her tonsils and she instantly batted it out of her nose because it tickled, I sent it off anyway hoping it might have worked.

Same with my 4 year old in the summer. Couldn’t see her tonsils and it went on her tongue and so we did both nostrils while she squirmed and wiggled. Surprisingly it didn’t come back inconclusive! I was expecting a negative but as she had a temp we had to check and it was negative

I understood you could do two nostrils on young children (and not swab the tonsil area).

I tested my 3 year old yesterday at a drive in test centre. I put my hazards on to ask advice. The bloke was trying to put me off testing him, said it’s very distressing etc and to not attempt his throat at all and to be very careful when I did his nose as it could cause irreversible damage if I put it too far up 😱 I literally just swabbed inside the lower part of his nose. Also worried it’s going to be inconclusive

In advanced nations, tests are done by professionals. We can only dream...

I only ended putting the end slightly inside my dd's nostril before she wacked it out of my hand. It fell on the kitchen floor and I was convinced it was going to come back inconclusive but it came back negative

@Idontbelieveit12 wish someone had said that to me before I took my 18 month old yesterday. She moved at a crucial moment and I gave her a nosebleed. She’s fine now though so hopefully no serious damage.

@Skigal86 don’t worry too much I think he was a stroppy bloke, he didn’t want me to test him at all.

Just got negative result

We just did the nostrils for my 9 year old. Not had results back yet but keeping everything crossed it'll be soon. It's been 2 days!

@Idontbelieveit12 glad you’ve had your result. :-) We went at 11am yesterday and I’m desperately hoping to get our results back before little one is due at nursery tomorrow!

I tested my 10 year old and as soon as I touched her tonsil area she promptly gagged and vomited all over my car. Which I couldn’t do anything about as obviously windows must stay closed and you can’t get out! A very pleasant experience.

@RepeatSwan i did think.along those lines, as I sat in the car trying to see my own tonsils in the rear view mirror, and swab a child at an odd angle.

Really worried they'll both come back inconclusive now

@vraimenthan

I only ended putting the end slightly inside my dd's nostril before she wacked it out of my hand. It fell on the kitchen floor and I was convinced it was going to come back inconclusive but it came back negative

I love this! I posted the other day about concerns re my SEN child's 'glance of the nostrils' test, and I'm dreading an inconclusive result! Stories like this make me happy

@vraimenthan

I only ended putting the end slightly inside my dd's nostril before she wacked it out of my hand. It fell on the kitchen floor and I was convinced it was going to come back inconclusive but it came back negative

Wouldn't you expect it to come back negative if you barely managed to swab though?

Wouldn't you expect it to come back negative if you barely managed to swab though?

No, if there isn't enough there to test it goes down as inconclusive and you have to retest.

You only have to do nostrils with a child.

The instructions say to do the throat, then one nostril. If you can't do the throat, do both nostrils, but that there's a higher chance of an inconclusive result with nostrils only.