Anyone rapid test an infant/toddler?

[Anonymous]

My toddler recently had COVID and I was able to swab the runny nose without going in deep at all and it read positive very clearly. It's probably not worth a doctor visit - if you have COVID and your toddler has symptoms, it's very likely they had COVID too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just go get a PCR.

I’m actually trying now but basically no one does tests on kids under 3. The pandemic has been rough as a parent of a baby/toddler.

I've been rapid testing my two kids myself (4 and 2) for over a year. My 4yo asks to swab himself now.

Just don't stick it too far in. (3/4 of the white of the qtip). If there's a lot of gunk in her nose, this will be an easy sample retrieval.

[Anonymous]

Update, we did try the rapid and did a PCR. Both were negative. She had a high fever (103) and a red throat, according to her pediatrician. He said it was a virus but wasn’t sure which one. Surprise, now she has a pretty distinct rash. It’s hand foot and mouth.

[Anonymous]

I did it on my daughter when she was 18 months old. My husband held her head still. We were traveling out of the country and didn’t really have another option, as she was symptomatic at the time. We didn’t put the swab in too deep. She was positive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Either you stay home or your husband stays home. Keep the child away from grandparents. In all likelihood, the baby is positive.

+1 I saw your update that it’s HFM, not covid. She’s still contagious and has a high fever. Take care of your own such kid and leave the grandparents alone. Why would you prioritize your employer over the health of your family members?

[Anonymous]

I've tested my 16 month old many times with a rapid test throughout the pandemic, particularly when we actually had covid when he was 7 months old. Sadly he doesn't even seem to react that much anymore... I think over the last 16 months, he and I probably have taken the same amount of covid tests :-/

[Anonymous]

PM Pediatrics definitely tested my kid at 12m and 14m with rapids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have not tried this (because by the time the baby is sick, we are all already sick, and the grown ups can all test for covid properly), but I have wondered whether I could use the blue bulb (or nose frieda, or whatever) to suck out a wad of snot, and then rub the swab in that for a good long time, and then test off that. Someone should try it and report back!

A nurse at children's national suggested doing this for under 2s when using a rapid at home