Testing 20 month old

[dopeyduck]

I'm sure this has been done before but I can't find a thread. Please feel free to link if someone else can.

My 20 month old has a cough and a low grade temp so is booked for a PCR this morning (as are the rest of the household). Amazingly, he's only ever been swapped whilst in hospital for other things so I've not had to test him.
I test regularly so comfortable with the procedure but how on early do you test a very young toddler. He is going to resist it and not co-operate naturally, he's too little to explain the test or bribe. Does anyone have any tips?

Also can someone tell me please if it's throat and nose for an under two or if not what is it?

Test is booked for a couple of hours time and is at a site (I think drive thru).

We had to test DS when he was 10 months. We swaddled him, but maybe by 20 months you could strap him in his car seat and give him something to hold so his hands are busy? One of us held his head still while the other one swabbed his nose.

It sounds awful but I was definitely more traumatised by doing it than he was!

Well we tried again this morning. I've made the decision that if it's invalid again then I won't test a 3rd time and he'll finish the isolation period. Not really sure there's any other humane way.

Both his Dad & I are fully vaccinated so we don't have to isolate so we will both have to use a mixture of leave etc to try and cover it, our PCR's were negative and we're now daily testing with LFT.

It's all a complete bloody disaster. Fingers crossed we get a result this time around.

DS symptoms appear to now be getting better not worse - his temp is down to 37.5-38.5 without calpol, he is just snotty and coughs when snotty - tbh I don't really think it sounds like covid and is not a dry cough. I'm sad that he might end up isolating for 10 days over a cold - what will winter be like?!

Equally I don't really want to test him for every cold but not sure there's another option.

Work are less than impressed with the situation.

Urgh!

Rant over.

Could you do a quick up the nose swab whilst he's breast feeding?

Oh nooooo. That's really shit, I'm sorry. Can you wrap in a towel or something to keep him more still?

My partner and I have a routine now - we strap 2.5 year old into the buggy, he holds down his legs and swabs while I hold his head and arms still. We give him a phone with Go Jetters on.

Oh that’s so unlucky OP! Hope it’s a negative this time 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Negative results through at 5am. I'm pleased, but DS does seem to be getting worse not better now. High temp a heavy cold. He obviously has a sore throat but chest sounding mucusy now. Typical!

Reluctant to go to GP as he's still his normal self despite.

That's a relief! There's a lot of RSV illness around at the moment, do keep an eye on his breathing and heart rate - ours was in hospital with it recently and I know of two other families with the same this summer.

In the nicest possible way, he shouldn't be going to childcare with a temperature and snotty nose regardless of covid. Hope he feels better soon.