Argh I need to book her a test, right?

[bathsh3ba]

My DD11 has had 2 negative LFTs at school and is due another tomorrow. Tonight she said she had a metallic taste in her mouth. No other symptoms. Does that count as change of taste? I used one of my home LFTs on her and that was negative.

The complicating factor is I'm due my first Covid vaccine on Friday. So if she is positive I can't go and with the drop in vaccine availability I may not get the vax for some time if I have to cancel. So I don't want to over react and keep her off and test unnecessarily if she is negative but I also of course don't want to spread it if she is positive.

A metallic taste IS a symptom of covid, but could be other causes too. If she still has taste issues in the morning, then worth booking a test.

aggh, how annoying. it never seems to come at a convenient moment. good luck.

Well they've said they'll keep all appointments already made so maybe even if you postpone it it will happen? Not sure though. And hopefully she'll be negative.

Same with my dd. Negative LFT's but loss of taste and smell so I booked her a test which she had this morning. I'm constantly checking my emails in the hope they've sent out the results and of course it's going to be negative... fingers crossed!

Yep she needs a test. Results are coming back within 24 hours here. The sooner it’s done, the sooner you will get the results back.

Just back from taking her for a test. Her sister is furious to be missing school again for a symptom which is admittedly highly subjective. I could easily convince myself I had a funny taste in my mouth if I was anxious enough... But we've done our duty, here's hoping the results come back today and are negative so I can get my vax tomorrow and they can get back to school.

But is a child likely to make up a metallic taste?

She's anxious, she reads up on Covid online a lot. I'm pretty sure she knows it's a symptom. I'm not saying she made it up but equally when I was worrying I had Covid at Christmas, I had a myriad of subjective symptoms that disappeared when I got my negative result.

In any case, we tested, we did the right thing. My other daughter is allowed to be annoyed she is off school yet again.

Have you had a look in her mouth? If it’s metallic it might be a gum is bleeding or something? Hope her test comes back OK

Can't see anything obvious. She's autistic and sometimes her sensory processing is different and she tastes/smells things we don't. She also does have a very mild cold, so I'm guessing it's probably linked to that, but am watching my phone/email obsessively for the result!

I think it’s down to your judgement.
I wouldn’t have tested personally, based on that sign alone especially with negative LFTs but it’s a judgment call and you have to do what you feel is right.

Is she actually ill? Why would she need a test?

I think you’ve done the right thing. But of course your other dd can be annoyed (as long as she doesn’t take it to extremes!)

I agree I could easily convince myself I had a metallic taste on any given day! My Dd 12 is being assessed for autism, coming from a referral originally for anxiety, and she could definitely convince herself of any symptom going.

Last time I had to do a PCR test was on 1st Jan and I got the (negative) result back on the 2nd, and that even with a bank holiday in the mix!

@wasthataburp it’s a change to sense of taste, one of the key symptoms!

@wasthataburp
Is that a real question?
Where have you been for the last year?

The good news is that lots of people on here have reported that morning tests often come back that evening or failing that very early the next morning. I think unlikely that she has covid - if you haven't heard back I think I would still go for the vaccine personally (I prepare to be flamed).

I have taken my own kids for tests in similar circumstances, came back negative all fine. Fingers crossed the same for you.

Thanks everyone, nothing yet but previous tests at the same test centre done later in the day have been returned the same day early evening or overnight, so fingers crossed. Apart from saying the roof of her mouth tastes funny (!) she seems to be fine. Other DD has got her frustration out of her system (by muttering under her breath, slamming the door to her room and then playing her music loud for about 20 minutes) and they are friends again. To be fair, I think my older DD was worrying because she has a Maths test tomorrow and she is nervous about it.

If I do get my vax tomorrow, I'll probably regret it when the side effects hit anyway!

Hopefully your test will come back quickly, you’ve done the right thing even though frustrating to be missing school. My son had v v mild cold symptoms with covid and my husband had next to none so the test can throw up surprises. Apparently lots of availability in our area at the weekend for jabs so you can always rearrange it if the results aren’t back, it would be awful to go along and then get home to a positive test result.

Negative result. Vaccine here I come...

Good news.

Excellent

brilliant outcome. I thought it was unlikely she has covid but is great to be sure!