Do I need to get my son tested in these circumstances?

[LemonChiffon]

My daughter got a cough over the weekend. We got her a test on Sunday morning and are still waiting for the results. We should get them today or tomorrow.

My son now has a cough as well. Do we need to take him for a test as well or can we just wait for my daughter's test?

In my mind it is highly likely they have the same thing. If my daughter has Covid then he will too so there's no point in testing him. But if her test is negative, do I still need to get him tested?

It may be swaying my thoughts but I know that he (he's 5) will freak out getting the test and will probably need someone to hold him down to get it done!

I can't find guidance on this situation so grateful for advice!

Oh and we are of course self isolating at the moment.

I think you’ll have to so that the school can take the action they need to take in terms of his close contacts. I’ve read that children only need the nasal swab and it doesn’t need to go very far up. So if he’s had the flu spray in the past, and was ok with that, you could explain this is very similar, and only tickles.

Yes you do, as he is symptomatic. However, if your daughter is negative but you will still keep the whole family at home for 14 days then it doesn't actually matter.

If he is 5 he is presumably in school (although not at the moment if you are self-isolating). In which case, even if your daughters test is negative, the school may also want to see a negative test for him, before he can return.

If his sister is positive, he would need to isolate from 14 days since her cough started, or 10 days from the start of his cough. So long as you kept him isolated until the later of those two, I don't see why you specifically need to test him as well, if it wouldn't actually change anything you did.

For kids you can just do the nostrils x2, not the throat swab. That may make it a little easier.

Hope it all works out ok.

Thanks - when we took my daughter for her test we had to do her tonsils and nose. She didn't enjoy it! But she was old enough to understand she had to stay still for it - I know my son will freak out, he does with anything like this!

So perhaps if it's positive I don't need to, but if its negative then I do....

For kids you can just do the nostrils x2, not the throat swab. That may make it a little easier.

They didn't tell us this when we tested my daughter. If this is right it would make it a bit easier...

When we took my 5 year old they said he could just have his nose done if we wanted. That was hard enough 😬