Sick of getting my 2.5 year old tested

[Welllllllwellllllllwellllllll]

She's come down with a cold, no covid symptoms yet but, as always it's highly likely a cough will develop. She can't blow her nose so gets all get phlegmy at the back of her nose.

She's had FIVE tests and I'm sick of it, she gets distressed everytime, it has been negative everytime. Children get coughs and colds so regularly and everytime she's coughed previously I've got frustrated with her because it's like HERE WE GO AGAIN. My friend's child to isolate when they had croup, the doctor even diagnosed croup! I'm just done now. Couldn't give a flying farting space about bloody COVID-19.

You aren't compelled to have her tested.

If she has a cough you are supposed to test but you could just isolate (whole household) for 10 days instead if you'd prefer.

But if you don't test, you need to self isolate if you have symptoms.

Don't have her tested then...?

I feel the same OP- I need to work and DS needs to go to nursery so a test is required unless I take 10 days unpaid leave every other month!

I wonder when this will end for children -I find it barbaric 😭

I think a test is better than 10 days self isolation for the entire household.

Schoolchildren get tested twice a week regardless of symptoms.

It's so fucked up given the low risk to these kids.

@Violetlavenders

Schoolchildren get tested twice a week regardless of symptoms.

Not all ages!

Who's making you test her? Unless it's nursery making it a condition of her being able to attend then just don't.

@Violetlavenders

Schoolchildren get tested twice a week regardless of symptoms.

Not all school children, and even then it's not compulsory for the year groups who are eligible.

@Violetlavenders

Schoolchildren get tested twice a week regardless of symptoms.

Only if they want to be tested.

@Violetlavenders they get lateral flow tests, if you have symptoms it's a PCR test.

It's frustrating. My 2 year old has had 8 tests now (we can't keep isolating that often! Need to test so he can get back to nursery).

@amylou8 yes, she goes to nursery full time and I also stay with my key worker mum so it's not as simple as just not getting her tested.

I'm venting my frustrations that's all.

It's horrible. One of the times I was at the test centre the guy said to just do the LOs nose.
It at least cuts some of the stress out of it. Trying to swap the back of a preschoolers throat is almost impossible. You feel like you need to be an octopus, hold the hands out the way, force them to open their mouth, and hold the swab. It's so stressful for both you and them.

Barbaric is the right word to describe testing LOs.

@elscar it's awful isn't it!

@boatyroo gosh! And I thought 5 was bad!

Whilst maybe not pleasant for a few seconds, it’s about playing our part. It may not be dangerous for many children but it can be if vulnerable and children mix with adults. Many parents and those working with children haven’t been vaccinated yet.

You can't compare doing tests on older children who understand what's going on to testing on little kids. You really can't.

@SnuggyBuggy

It's so fucked up given the low risk to these kids.

This is so shortsighted. It isn't about the immediate impact. But the people they could pass it on to? Nursery workers, other children with vulnerable family members.

As a pp said, you can just swab the nostrils with small children.

It's horrible that she gets distressed.

Hopefully we're getting out of cold season soon!

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss I haven't said I won't, I'm just venting frustrations. 'May not be pleasant for a few seconds' is an understament for little ones, they don't understand why on earth we are sticking a swab up their nose!

I really feel for you. My colleague had to test her 2 year old because she told the nursery she had had a runny nose over the weekend and they wouldn't take her without one. She had to pin her down and swab her throat while she was screaming and crying. It's been two weeks and she still screams and cries when they pull into the nursery car park because she thinks it will happen again. How the hell do you explain COVID testing to a two year old?

@HazeyJaneII I know you swab just the nostrils, that's what I do.

Yes it's horrible, she won't let me near her nose anymore.