I'm getting my baby tested today - dreading it.

[Spoi]

Has anyone else tested a young baby?

He has a cough that I'd like him to see a GP about as it's keeping him up at night and there's been a few times where it sounds like he's been choking! But obviously they won't see him without a negative test so I've booked him this morning.

He's only 3 months old I can't imagine it is actually Covid as no one else at home has any symptoms and we've barely been anywhere but you never know I guess.

Yes, it’s only the nose you need to do on the little ones. Tbh I think it’s probably easier to perform on a baby than an older toddler/child. You only put the swab up until you meet resistance and then give it a twiddle for a few seconds. If their first lot of baby vaccinations are a 10 covid tests probably rate about a 1 or 2.

Have you had a test yourself? It’s really not that bad at all although if your dc is anything like my dd was they’ll be outraged by the sheer audacity of anyone fiddling about with them!!

Good luck.

Thank you that's reassuring!

I haven't been tested myself no, I don't have any symptoms at all.

Was it recently you tested your children PP? Do you know how long the results took?

Thanks

My DD was 10 months when tested. She wasn't happy but it was over quickly and she was fine again. She was much more upset with her jabs!

Results are often within 24 hours op.

Perfect, thank you

At least a 3 month old won’t know what’s coming! Hopefully by the time they’ve realised and registered their displeasure it’s all done

I tested my daughter at about 7 months and it was honestly fine.

Will you be taking your baby to a drive in or walk in? Either way, just take your time and don't be rushed. If walk in, can you bring someone else to hold your baby while you swab? If baby is in a car seat it will help keep them still. You need to swab one nostril only. As a pp said, put the swab up until you feel resistance, then 10 seconds of twiddling.

Just a note of caution, if you are in any of the London boroughs where surge testing is happening, you may have a long queue despite booking a specific time slot.

Results can take 72 hours but are coming back within 24 normally at the moment.

Hope it goes well.

It's a drive in so he'll be in his car seat.

And no, not in London. Live quite rurally but our small town has a testing site so hopefully not too busy.

Fingers crossed I can get him to GP for Monday then 🤞

Brilliant. That sounds the perfect environment. Good luck with the test and the GP.

Was it recently you tested your children PP? Do you know how long the results took

Dd (5) last had a test mid-March and the results were back in about eleven hours. This is Essex and keep an eye on your emails because we had that back really quickly but the text didn’t come through till some hours later.

Thanks. His test is at 10, it'd be great if I could catch the walk in tonight which closes at 8:30pm here but I think that's probably wishful thinking!

I thought you did both nostrils if not doing the throat

Apologies, yes both nostrils if not doing throat.

You’ve had some great advice here, but I would just add to test yourself at the same time incase you have it asymptomatically/can see the GP quicker. Saves you worrying about if you did the test correctly or not on your baby if you both get tested