Age appropriate covid testing for children

[Michellehurd77]

Hi, I have started this petition in Wales and just wondered if anyone would consider signing and sharing.. I would like the government to consider adopting a different method to testing children for COVID, an age appropriate PCR test nicknamed the lollipop test. All the children need to do is to suck on a cotton swab for about 30 seconds which is a much less distressing experience for them. It’s what they use in Germany. I have had so many bad stressful experiences of testing my children and wanted to try and do something about it.. petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/244972

Today will be my fourth time testing my 18 month old, this time because her temperature spiked for less than ten minutes (came down without intervention) but bad timing it happened at the Childminder so without a negative test she can't return and I can't go to work.

The first two weren't bad, I ordered the home kits and swabbed her while she slept. The last one I could have cried, ordered the home kit and they'd changed the swab - she's tiny and the swab was bigger than her nostril, she screamed and screamed and I honestly couldn't tell you whether I got a decent sample - I just wasn't gonna force it anymore. When the negative result came back I went back to normal and stopped self isolating but is that the right thing to do if I'm not sure the sample was right?!

The current tests were not created with children in mind (given the size of the swab!) and I wish there was a better way - my DD is really good with most things but this utterly traumatises her. Signed both petitions in this thread.

I'm in England so can't sign but what a great idea. I didnt know that was a thing!

My 3 year old sometimes has nightmares shouting 'no mummy please don't put it up my nose' 😭

And when he sees a swab becomes hysterical now, I imagine a lot of pre-school age children will be traumatised by PCRs - too young to understand it all, but old enough to remember 😞

@anxiouswaiting apparently you can and also england one on thread
I have signed and will share later

Just signed both.

My DD has Tourette’s and her tics take one look at the test and are like “you can fuck right off with that”. It’s been pretty impossible to test her

I bought a couple of saliva tests online for when she went back to college but they’re £££. It sucks

Thanks for sharing

Not just age appropriate but appropriate for those with special needs/sensory issues. I can't test my 11yo, I tried and believe me it's never happening again

@firef1y

Not just age appropriate but appropriate for those with special needs/sensory issues. I can't test my 11yo, I tried and believe me it's never happening again

Can totally empathise with this. My 10 year old autistic son is the exact same!

Absolutely agree. I’ve put that into my petition which is the English version to the OPs Welsh one if anyone has missed it - people of all ages with additional needs or sensory issues would also benefit, not just children.

Can I shamelessly ask people to share on their social media as well as signing? 320 is a good number but without sharing further it won’t get anywhere near the 10k needed to be looked at.

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