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PCR tests on small children

(41 Posts)
Flaxseed Thu 11-Nov-21 22:18:31

DGS (aged 4) started coughing and had a high temperature for a few days. School said they require a PCR test before he can return and drs won’t see him without one.
DD booked one and I drove her to the testing site so she could sit in the back with him (as no one is allowed out of the car)
She prepared him (using a cotton bud with a teddy), told him it would be quick, bribed with chocolate etc and he seemed to be ok……. Until he saw the swab sad
It was awful. Although strapped into the car seat, he kicked and thrashed out as soon as she went near him. I held his feet from the front seat whilst she tried to hold his hands down and complete the procedure as he was thrashing his head about. We all found it distressing and did the best we could.
The result came back today as ‘inadequate’ specimen so she had to take him back. I couldn’t go as I was working so she had to do it alone.
Bless him, he’s such a sweet, good boy but as soon as they turned into the centre he began crying and saying ‘No mummy. Please don’t do it’
She had to get permission to get out of the car to reach him in the back and had to pin him down (she’s 18 weeks pregnant) and do it all again - all the while he was screaming ‘Please stop Mummy’
She is so upset by it. She said she felt like it was legalised abuse.
He was ok after but asked her to ‘never take me there again mummy’
She said she was shaking for hours after and felt traumatised by the whole thing.
I feel so bad for her. I felt upset going just the once.
Surely there should be an easier way for children to be tested?

Sorry just offloading really.
He’s such a sensitive, well behaved little chap and it feels so wrong that we had to do this to him sad

Flaxseed Fri 12-Nov-21 19:33:18

My DD told them she had to get out of the car as she is pregnant and couldn’t climb over. They were sympathetic and just parked her at the furthest space from anyone else.

ElaineI Fri 12-Nov-21 18:19:16

Redhead parents or person with a child has to do it. Helps if they tell you that first. First time we went DD was in front - not allowed out car so she had to climb through to the back! Why were they sent to hospitals? No hospitals were testing in our area - just the test centres set up in different places.

MissAdventure Fri 12-Nov-21 14:58:57

It's horrible, but then life can be horrible.
It's soon done.

DiscoDancer1975 Fri 12-Nov-21 14:56:26

We’ve had this with some of our grandchildren. It’s horrible for them.

I don’t know if someone told me this, or I dreamt it. May have been a YouTube news video. Apparently, they’re working on a new test where you just swab around your teeth.

Much less distressing, and easier. Don’t know when it will be available though.

GagaJo Fri 12-Nov-21 12:55:23

Summerlove

PCR tests are not pleasant for children, but to call them “torture” is a bit of an overkill I think.

My thoughts exactly. And I've done 4 on my grandson.

This is a killer virus. We're lucky we have easy testing available now. I remember when my family thought they had the virus and there were NO tests available anywhere they could get to, and no postal tests available.

Summerlove Fri 12-Nov-21 12:35:21

PCR tests are not pleasant for children, but to call them “torture” is a bit of an overkill I think.

Josianne Fri 12-Nov-21 10:48:33

Excellent Flaxseed and I am pleased he will be seen by the doctor.
I guess it boils down to a case of being sensible with the testing and we need to comply. Fingers crossed the saliva test will remove the poking sticks in the future.
And to think this is going on with poor little children the whole world over!

Flaxseed Fri 12-Nov-21 10:39:53

Results came back this morning. Negative - thank goodness. So, the drs finally agreed to see him and he has infections in both ears.
So awful that they have to suffer until they have a negative result.
I work in a hospital and we can’t wait for test results before a patient sets foot in here. We wear our PPE and get on with it hmm

Urmstongran Fri 12-Nov-21 09:45:34

Well good news here. Our 4y old family member tested negative. Mum thought it would. She is off school, high temperature, hacking cough. I think we over test children.

ElaineI Fri 12-Nov-21 09:26:58

It is torture. DGS2 has now had 5 (different occasions) as childminder would not have him back unless he had one despite Scottish Government changing their regulations after concerns. He was 2 when it started, now 3 and has always involved being held down - arms pinned, legs pinned and head pinned. Alternative was Mummy not going to work as a nurse for 10 days or me having him for 10 days and DH had stroke in Feb. 4 were in car and 1 in a centre. First time was horrendous. The man taking the tests from us gave him a chocolate bar but we still had to watch trains and trams for 10 minutes from the car till he (and me) calmed down. Was at Edinburgh Airport. Next times we were more prepared. Nurseries are not as stringent as childminders. DGD is now 4 (3) at the start and has not had to stay off or have PCR and she gets a lot of coughs - needs a puffer when she gets a cold. Childminders are self employed though and have to protect themselves. Some are not paid when they are off though DD had to pay right through 1st lockdown even though we looked after him. She only looked after children of ITU staff no one else but they still had to pay.

Hetty58 Fri 12-Nov-21 08:27:18

Thank you Lincslass - the voice of reason.

Lincslass Fri 12-Nov-21 07:50:07

Urmstongran

Hmm. Read the link.
At the beginning Point 3 states:
^If for any reason you can’t do the test, please continue
to self-isolate as a household^

Right o.
That’s big brother missing school too, mum a teacher that’d go down well with the head and dad self employed - no work for 10 days and a mortgage to pay.
Not feasible.

There are also guides as to when you don’t have to self isolate, eg if vaccinated, if schoolchild under 18,
duckduckgo.com/?q=does+the+whole+household+need+to+isolate+if+child+has+covid&t=ipad&ia=web. I have read this. Find the NHS site useful if needed.

love0c Fri 12-Nov-21 07:48:49

Flazxxeed. Criminal.! You must never subject him to this again.

Flaxseed Fri 12-Nov-21 07:43:15

Welbeck

I really hope this is true as it will be far less traumatic

Josianne Fri 12-Nov-21 07:39:45

Poor little boy, and my heart goes out to you and your daughter. I think children especially, and rightly so, don't like the thought of anything being done to them. Our little son was the same about a lumbar puncture, had five nurses pinning him down and remembers it to this day. So not always soon forgotten.
I sometimes wonder whether we as a country are over testing at every little cough, sniffle, headache etc and especially in the case of young children who are often under the weather. I'm not suggesting it's a case of crying wolf too often because the very time we didn't test, sods law it would be covid. It's just that from a child's perspective it must seem like a truly horrible procedure with no benefits.
I hope you get a negative result back for him.

welbeck Fri 12-Nov-21 00:02:11

i read months ago that a british lab was developing a cheek swab test for covid, and that it would be more useful because it only caught the active infection, not residues from months ago.
haven't heard anything since.
where is it. give it A1 priority ! i'd happily pay for a cheek test.

welbeck Thu 11-Nov-21 23:59:12

it does hurt some people.
and psychological suffering can be quite as painful as physical.
no one can say that something does not hurt someone else.
we are not them. we are not having their experience.

GagaJo Thu 11-Nov-21 23:29:26

VioletSky

Oh no! Bless him. I'm hearing these stories a lot, stssrnge how small children will fit as much of there hands as they can get up there but a swab, no.

My youngest does not cope well either.

Soon forgotten though

EXACTLY!

Reminds me of the time he gagged when his mum tried to feed him his dinner. But was later quite determined to lick the toilet.

No logic.

Calistemon Thu 11-Nov-21 23:13:37

stssrnge how small children will fit as much of there hands as they can get up there but a swab, no.
???

VioletSky Thu 11-Nov-21 23:13:24

So many spelling errors, must be bedtime

VioletSky Thu 11-Nov-21 23:12:35

Oh no! Bless him. I'm hearing these stories a lot, stssrnge how small children will fit as much of there hands as they can get up there but a swab, no.

My youngest does not cope well either.

Soon forgotten though

Calistemon Thu 11-Nov-21 23:02:52

I mean it was agony for me ?

Calistemon Thu 11-Nov-21 23:02:17

GagaJo

Oh don't get me wrong. It IS horrible. No one likes it. But it isn't agony. I understand my grandson kicking off about not wanting to have it AND about having it done to him.

But he also kicks off about eating green beans. Or about putting his shoes on. So...

I do remember the agony of the eye drops - four times a day every summer and having to sit on her (well not literally, pin her down on the floor) to have to do it.

Redhead56 Thu 11-Nov-21 22:59:49

My three little granddaughters twins age four at reception and the youngest only two at nursery were all sent home. All granddaughters had head colds caught as soon as they started reception and nursery. Their parents were told to keep them away until tested.
The amount of stress this caused both sets of parents and granddaughters was unbelievable. My daughter has been very ill recently and my daughter in law also has a health concern herself.
They were sent to Walk ins and refused the tests staff didn't want to deal with the children. Then both sets of parents were referred to different hospital receptions they don't live by us but in different towns. My grandchildren witnessing drug addicts and drunks being abusive for hours on end in both hospital receptions.
I don't know what the solution could be in this difficult situation. But it does not seem right putting little children through this as it's distressing for all concerned.

GagaJo Thu 11-Nov-21 22:59:29

Oh don't get me wrong. It IS horrible. No one likes it. But it isn't agony. I understand my grandson kicking off about not wanting to have it AND about having it done to him.

But he also kicks off about eating green beans. Or about putting his shoes on. So...