Are anyone else's kids getting distressed with all the testing?

[musicalfrog]

Our LA has asked that all children ages 2 and up are LF tested twice weekly.

My child age 8 hates getting tested, we've done it about 5 times in as many weeks due to symptoms and close contacts, every time it's been negative. I really don't want to put my kids through it any more. Anyone else feeling the same?

I imagine the majority of parents are not testing twice a week as it's such a shitty procedure to do on young children. If it is distressing your DCs that much just do PCR tests when they have symptoms.

If it is really traumatic I wouidnt do it unless symptomatic

These anecdotes are awful 😢

I remember a few weeks ago some poster blithely advising an OP that the car seat was very helpful with testing her toddler. You can picture the scene, can't you? Will the same poster be back wondering why her toddler has developed a screaming phobia of the car seat and asking what to do?

@Iggly a stick up the nose might be a massive deal if you're two or three years old. It's not a nice feeling as an adult.

@Iggly

It’s kind of the reality of still being in a pandemic then.

People can’t have it both ways of refusing to have sensible mitigations in place vs not testing.

The LFT tests are just up the nose. Not a big deal.

Are you doing LFTs twice weekly on your preschoolers?

OP my two under 4yo find them very distressing. I do PCRs for main symptoms but I don’t do asymptomatic testing on them

@RichTeaRichTea

I don’t have preschoolers but yes on my primary school and secondary school DCs and myself.

The other option is better mitigation. Masks, ventilation and social distancing. For some reason our government is failing to do this.

IMO if you have a child who is really traumatised by taking tests then I wouldn’t test unless it was strictly necessary (PCR due to symptoms/ close contact).

But in my experience most young children don’t much like it but are placated by chocolate buttons.

As long as it is advisory not mandatory I don’t see the problem - people with DC who really struggle can opt out but even if only half of children are taking regular LFTs it will catch infections and reduce spread.

My DC (3 through 7) have got better at taking tests over time and it’s no worse than other things that they dislike doing but we have to do (strapping in to car seat, teeth cleaning, cutting nails, etc)

Ok so you haven’t had that experience then. I do regular LFTs on myself, I don’t find them distressing.

“ strapping in to car seat, teeth cleaning, cutting nails”

My children don’t find any of those things distressing. They do find LFTs and PCRs very distressing. I do the PCRs when required.

I would do a PCR if absolutely necessary but I would absolutely not subject my three year old to asymptomatic testing twice a week. Not a chance

Mine are highly entertained by it. I think they'll take your lead, emotionally.

I agree with this for NT children. My 7 year old has been doing them herself all along, so when she was 5 to begin with. The resultant sneezing IS a bit funny for her, we talk about nose picking and so on. I don't go anywhere near her throat. It's not ideal, but there we go. A saliva test has been patented I've heard.

Oh just definitely don't do it. I have never and will never do it to my children.

If they have symptoms I'll keep them off school like with any minor illness.

@fungussingstheblues

What do the chemicals do to the nose lining?

Oh noes, the chemicals.

Which chemicals are those?

My children don’t find any of those things distressing

My 7 year old would choose a LFT over getting his nails trimmed any day of the week. We have to pin him down and he screams like he’s being tortured.

My 4yo (who was 3 when he first had to take tests) doesn’t much like LFTs/PCRs but it’s on a par with teeth brushing which he also hates - protests and whimpers a bit while it’s happening but it’s all forgotten within seconds.

I’d like a PP I had child who was get hysterical over taking tests then there’s no way I’d entertain asymptomatic testing but loads of young children will tolerate it and some people doing it is better than no-one doing it.

A 2 year old won't have known a world without covid. That is bad enough without twice weekly testing.

@tedsletterofthelaw

I would do a PCR if absolutely necessary but I would absolutely not subject my three year old to asymptomatic testing twice a week. Not a chance

This.

I've done one PCR on DD, and that was horrible enough. The other times, I've picked up the same bug at the same time and have just tested myself instead.

Also when DD went for her flu vaccine, the nasal spray, the nurse said they'd had way more hysterical kids than usual because they thought it was another Covid test

Nope I refuse to distress my son, if the vulnerable don't need to shield we should be able to cope with the small number of cases generated from kids. To be fair the only places he goes is other places with kids or to adults who aren't vulnerable and have had it recently.

If they have symptoms I'll keep them off school like with any minor illness.

One of my DC is currently positive and wouldn’t have been ill enough for any time off school if not for the isolation requirement. He basically coughed a few times. I don’t think relying on “keep them off if they are ill” is enough.

@Starcaller

Also when DD went for her flu vaccine, the nasal spray, the nurse said they'd had way more hysterical kids than usual because they thought it was another Covid test

😞

Gosh, what LA is this?

I didn’t think we were supposed to be LFTing anyone under high school age.

@Iggly

It’s kind of the reality of still being in a pandemic then.

People can’t have it both ways of refusing to have sensible mitigations in place vs not testing.

The LFT tests are just up the nose. Not a big deal.

I agree, I would suggest the kids are picking up on the parent's anxiety about it. How do you administer eye drops/ antibiotics etc? If a kid can happily pick their nose (and they all do!) a quick swipe of a cotton bud isn't going to be that traumatic for the majority of children. It's not even like you have to do the throat swab now

Do it at night if it's easier when they're asleep!

@vickyc90

Nope I refuse to distress my son, if the vulnerable don't need to shield we should be able to cope with the small number of cases generated from kids. To be fair the only places he goes is other places with kids or to adults who aren't vulnerable and have had it recently.

loads of cases are transmitted via kids. And they tend to have mild illnesses so asymptomatic testing has particular value as it’s less likely to be picked up through symptoms alone.

Not saying it follows that all children should be subjected to regular tests if they are very upset, but if they just find it unpleasant it’s worth persevering.

My 7yo was hysterical the first time we tested him but now does LFTs without any fuss.

I don’t know if this will help anyone, but if you are LFTing, be aware that there are 2 different types of test; the older ones with the long swabs for throat and deep nose that give 30 minute results and the new ones with the short swab for just inside the nostril only and 15 minute results.

My little nephew has to do these regularly for his after school childcare and so I’ve been swapping some of the new tests my high school aged DC had been given with the long-swab ones my nephew had. He’s now much happier to (as a PP said) “pick his nose” with the little swab and my older DC don’t mind using the older tests too much.