How to test a 5 year old

[brightblueskies80]

Any tips for swabbing a 5 year old who does not want to? I've let her lateral flow herself but doubt how well she's actually swabbing. We have a PCR booked for the morning and I don't want to pin her down, nor do I think I'd be able to if she resists- she's tall and strong!

FWIW a cursory tickle up the nostrils of my 6yo was enough to show positive on both LFT and PCR tests.

Was her LFT negative? Can you isolate for 10 days so that you don’t need to test?

I would try letting her do it herself. Take your time, be calm and see what happens. If she won’t do it then she will have to stay home for 10 days.

I have only done the nose swab when testing dd.

Thanks for the replies. Lat flow was negative but she is coughing and has a sore throat. Three of her classmates have tested positive in the last week. She'll happily poke it up her own nostrils at her own pace but won't twist it. She won't let me near her!

@brightblueskies80

Thanks for the replies. Lat flow was negative but she is coughing and has a sore throat. Three of her classmates have tested positive in the last week. She'll happily poke it up her own nostrils at her own pace but won't twist it. She won't let me near her!

Just let her do that a couple of times. Get her to practice with a cotton bud tonight if you can.

We pin DD down. It’s not nice but it’s over in 20 seconds.

Pin down and a promise of some chocolate has been our strategy.

My daughter is also 5. There's no way she could do it properly, you might as well not bother with the LFTs if you're getting her to do it herself.

When we have had to test her, we did the drive through so she was already in the car seat and semi restrained. Held her head still and did it, over in a few seconds. Then gave her a new sticker book and some chocolate buttons and she forgot all about it.

(Incidentally the test was postive)

My 10 year old is very resistant to any sort of intervention - even having nails cut. They have had to be PCR 'd 3 times. I was at the centre an hour the first 2 times - 1/2 an hour the last time. We get there in the end because I stay calm and understanding, we do deep breathing exercises, and there is an understanding that if we go home, there will be no devices until they return and do it. You are in the lucky position that she will put a swab up her nose, say she's got to count to 5 each side, and consider yourself having done your best. It's not worth pinning down or traumatising by getting annoyed etc because this is something she may be asked to do many times in the future.

Up and around both nostrils is what I did with mine

She'll put the swab up each nostril a good few times. I don't think I can hold her and swab safely and don't want to risk hurting her. I'll see how tomorrow goes and will choose to isolate if I think the result will be unreliable. I wonder if a home test would work if she was asleep but I doubt she'd stay asleep with a nose swab?! When I swab myself it makes me sneeze repeatedly!

Please consider signing this. Other countries have much kinder ways of testing children

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/598824?fbclid=IwAR1RVQgLwMn0fajsolp2T0qiARzoeO9mWDdNrJaF7hJkbUcXt5ilAPHMZVc

I could have written this. My 5 year old is exactly the same. I'm sorry I have no advice to offer but am watching for suggestions.