LFT on primary school child

[Heretooutthere]

We received the pack we ordered of LFT for our household to do twice weekly as we have a 6yo at school, as advised to do by the government.

Well, after trying on/off all morning, with DC ending up in floods of tears and hysterics, I finally was able to test our 6yo. It was absolutely dreadful and I have desire to repeat the experience.

Child has already had a Covid test done 6 months ago at a drive-in centre but doesn’t recall it being done. The NHS told me that children now have to have the tests done by parents only, even for PCR, as I was thinking of taking him to a walk-in testing centre to get someone else to do it. DC said he was scared and no amount of reassurance, showing NHS videos of a child having it done, promise of a treat afterwards etc made any difference.

How on earth do they expect young children to tolerate this being done twice a week? Does anyone have any tips?

Your not meant to test the child your meant to test yourself!!

The tests are just for adults or secondary age kids not primary!!

The LFT tests for primary are for the parents, not the children. I imagine partly for the reasons you describe.

As above, you don't test primary age children, just the adults in the child's household or childcare bubble.

They are for the adults in the household, not the children!!!

As an aside comment, don't use them to test primary aged children with symptoms or anyone else with symptoms either.

Yes it’s for the parents, not the child. Simple mistake, I don’t think you are the only parents to have thought this.

Your child’s reaction is why LFT’s are only for the parents to do twice weekly plus secondary school pupils!

You don’t do the test on the child! It’s for the adults in the house 🙈

Oh dear. Lesson learnt.

To be fair, when you order the tests it says something along the lines of 'you can use this service if you or someone in your household attends nursery, primary school, secondary school, college...' which does make it sound as though the person attending can test too rather than just others in the household? I'm not sure it specifically says anywhere on there that primary aged children should not use the test? And the instructions detail how to use the test on a child.

That's why the tests are for adults not primary children.

I work in a school and if a student is struggling with the throat we’ve been told to get them to say “ahhhhh” which makes them gag less. Might be useful to know if you have to test your child in the future (if they have symptoms)

As above, there for the household of the primary aged child, not the child them self.

@huggzy

To be fair, when you order the tests it says something along the lines of 'you can use this service if you or someone in your household attends nursery, primary school, secondary school, college...' which does make it sound as though the person attending can test too rather than just others in the household? I'm not sure it specifically says anywhere on there that primary aged children should not use the test? And the instructions detail how to use the test on a child.

The email you get when you order says;

“ Members of households, childcare or support bubbles of school staff and pupils without symptoms should test twice a week 3 or 4 days apart. GOV.UK has more information on how staff and pupils should get tested. Primary school aged children must not be tested.”

@ImTheWolfToday

I know, I just think it's an easy mistake for someone to make, if you miss that one sentence in the email... yet everything else is worded as though children can be tested.

Also when you hear lots about children being more likely to be asymptotic, I can see why someone would think it would make sense for them to be tested regularly.

That's why the tests are for adults not primary children

They've also never been validated on young children at all, there is literally no idea how accurate they are in the age group.

To be fair, the booklet gives instructions for how to test a child under 12.

Why would you administer a medical procedure without reading what you were supposed to do first??

Oh dear...

I really hope they are OK

Although I know primary kids don't have to be tested. To me it's stupid.
So primary child could be asymptomatic infecting mates.
But mum, dad, brother sister could all be fine yet wasting tests..
Or asymptomatic child has been contageus for a few days passing to mates before passing to parents who would then test.

Or am I missing something? Genuine thought

The testing is pretty awful though (as the OP has found) and presumably the benefits are outweighed by the emotional risks of doing this to young children.

Did they find the nose easier?

If throat swab is too much they can do both nostrils.

I would see if they can tolerate doing that themselves - they may feel less scared if they feel in control?

The communication on LFTs has been bloody appalling!

Loads of parents at ds's school have been moaning about how upsetting it is testing your children, or have been using them to test children with symptoms....

A clear lesson in why public health info needs to be clear, concise communication.

Op - it's good that you don't need to use the LFTs. If your child needs a PCR test in the future (if they have symptoms) then they can just swab their nostrils instead of throat.

@Doyoumindfisithere

The testing is pretty awful though (as the OP has found) and presumably the benefits are outweighed by the emotional risks of doing this to young children.

What are the emotional risks? The test isn't please but it takes seconds and certainly doesn't do any child any harm.