Is anyone planning on refusing to allow their children to have the lateral flow tests.

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I'm really not looking to start a bunfight. Just tying to better understand the reasons if you are not planning on allowing your child to be tested.

@Sleepthief

For all those saying their child has SEN/ASD and cope fine with the tests, that's great! But can you acknowledge that not all SEN/ASD children have exactly the same experience?

I hear more they wouldn't, as in they haven't tried. Like I said, sometimes we underestimate our kids thinking they can't do something they might. Put an anxious parent into the mix then it's a no go anyway.

There will be kids who can't but I'll bet there are more who could whos parents just think no chance and refuse to try.

@FancySomeChips

My children will be tested. For them, for their friends, for their teachers. We are in this together and we all have a responsibility to each other. You cannot expect school staff to risk their health if your kid can’t stand 15 seconds of discomfort. Don’t do the tests, stay at home. Simple. I also think primary kids should be tested weekly.

We are absolutely not in this together. The government have made it plain it is 'personal responsibility' going forwards.

I have never to my knowledge broken a single covid guideline, I take it very seriously but I do not believe we are in this together. We are completely on our own.

My only reason for not wanting to do the tests is they are a waste of time and money. If I thought they were any good I'd embrace them. I will most likely still do them, for an easy life, but not because I think they'll help.

They are just a performance to make it look like something is being done.

@linsey2581 unfortunately this isn't what they seem to be planning for schools.

If they do then it might work better.

@Witchcraftandhokum

I'm really not looking to start a bunfight. Just tying to better understand the reasons if you are not planning on allowing your child to be tested.

Will not be letting my kids get any tests (invasive or not) the false positive rate Is ridiculous- oh and they will not be wearing masks either. Why would I send them back after a traumatic year and then deprive them of oxygen, facial expressions, normal interaction with their peers: no way.

@Sleepthief was just going point that out, the first thing they point out in the autism classes is that children present in lots of different ways some coping with some things that others can't hence why they call it a spectrum.

@Tibtom

Given the very low positive rate in the presence of infection (as low as 3% when carried out by untrained individuals) and the subsequent over confidence individuals may face in the presence of a negative test, the lack of evidence of asymptomatic spread, low prevalence meaning higher risk of false positives, and the impact of the test itself, I think it is very irresponsible and unethical for there to be ANY asymptomatic testing of children.

Yes, I agree with this, it is a real concern.

The tests simply don't work well enough.

@cuddlymunchkin

Refuse the test and homeschool instead.

Going to school = consent to testing, the testing is to keep all children safe.

How is the unreliable test helping?

@gamerchick as I said in my first post, I would happily consent, but the meltdown my son experienced because of the flu vaccination and the fact he has categorically stated he will not stick anything up his nose mean he cannot, whatever anyone else thinks. They do not know my son, I do. I'm delighted you/your child feels differently, but please do not presume to tell me what my child's experience/anxieties are!

Thank you @wildchild554

Schools are already saying they don’t have enough tests anyway. It’s a logistical nightmare for schools. Neither the testing or masks are compulsory (Nick Gibb confirmed this again today).

Totally agree.

@Thepilotlightsgoneout

I think the only reason I wouldn’t is if DD found it excessively distressing but we won’t know that until the first one is done. I don’t have an ideological reason to refuse.

Ok, so I'm a mum who allowed mine to be tested. I swabbed his nose, very delicately, but he had a non stop nose bleed, when I did his tonsils he gagged then was sick in my car. I was as gentle as I could be. I will never ever do that to my DC's again. Now we are expected to do it weekly?

@SpringHasSprung12 sorry which one of my comments are you replying to?

My DC are old enough to make their own decisions about this (year 10, year 13) and the year 10 is not consenting, not sure about year 13 yet. They both have ASD and sensory issues.

@ some children with SEN are obvious that they wouldn't cope with it when for instance they can't get a proper assessment when they are ill because they are lashing out and fighting back, having to be restrained just to get a temperature.

I knew my son wouldn't cope with it but I tried with home test kit, I probably shouldnt of and should have trusted my insticts because the end result was being battered and bruised and nearly ended up with a chair over my head. Have taken photos as proof of the injuries if I have problems refusing it. Also, I lost my sons trust doing it which was worse for me, plus a waste of a test as it came back invalid.

[quote linsey2581]@DonGray I am a covid testing nurse and yes you do have to have a PCR test if a LFT comes back positive. A PCR test is the gold standard test and is done by a professional tester and not done by the individual person.[/quote]
You need to read the published guidance (which I linked to) - the gov have once again changed things and LFT is no longer followed by a PCR

I think that when we switch to home testing after the three tests in school, that s positive LFT does require a follow up PCR. Will double check.

Teaching your children to be fearful of having a cotton bud up their nose is really not going to help them manage their medical procedures in the future

Absolutely. Some parents are being unnecessarily precious, and to be honest, seem to have a very low opinion of their own children, in assuming they won't be able to do it.

In most schools, it's simply a nasal test. They've been going on for a while in some schools and the vast majority of pupils have just got on with it without fuss - even in a special school that I'm familiar with. Like anything else, the adults around them set the tone, and I bet nearly all these parents refusing on behalf of their children are doing so unnecessarily. If they were matter of fact about it, their kids would be too.

I bet that a lot of those kids will actually feel a bit left out when their friends are doing it. Kids want to be part of the group.

The lateral flow test is rubbish. My friend actually had Covid and when she did a test it said she was negative

@wildchild554 I'm so sorry to hear that. I blithely consented to my son having the flu vaccination, but regretted it massively when he was excluded for two days because of the resulting meltdown. So when he tells me he will not do the nose swabs (and he doesn't always talk about these things) I will take him at his word.

We have declined the ones in school before 8 March but will happily do the homes tests after that

I believe that the idea is to do the first 2/3 at school to make sure they know what they’re doing and then they’ll be done from home. I’m not sure what happens if you don’t do the initial tests at school - I assume you’d have to if you want to do the home tests as they’d be no point doing the home tests if you’re doing them wrong if that makes sense.

@icanbewhatiwant

I haven't read all replies as it makes me so annoyed. Why would anyone be so irresponsible and not get their child tested? Surely the only way to keep everyone safe is to get all children tested. It's to help everyone. Children rarely have symptoms. I'm sure that child who takes covid home and gives it to a parent who subsequently dies will wish their peers had all taken tests. I know younger parents dying is rare...but it can happens. It's completely irresponsible 😡😡 I'm not talking about those who for some reason really can't do a test. My children will have no choice. They will do it.

Why would you be so irresponsible to allow a medically invasive medical test, possibly carried out by untrained personnel on your children. Replies that make you annoyed, that you say you won't read, nauseate those that have looked up informed consent. I wish you well, and your children, but are you really happy for them to have an invasive medical procedure just to go to school? It's your children I feel sorry for.

@Sleepthief and also trust your gut instinct, mine has always been right I just wish I'd trust it more lol.

My ds is very nervous of all things medical and has a strong gag reflex. He’s said he’ll try it, and if he doesn’t like it he won’t do it. Which seems fair enough, he suffers from anxiety and the school doesn’t need one of his meltdowns.

@wildchild554