Parents who want to get their kids tested for COVID-19 don’t need to panic. To avoid you stressing out and also scaring your child, here are a few things you need to know.
When to Test Your Child for the Virus
It’s a good idea to contact your pediatrician first if you want a professional healthcare provider’s advise first before you get your child tested. However, there are a few factors that your child’s doctor will consider first before they recommend that you get your child tested.
First, they’ll likely look at the symptoms that your child is experiencing. They’ll also check if your child recently has gotten exposure to someone who was positive for the virus. Lastly, they’ll also see what the environment is like or if there are other factors to consider, like the flu season.
Since there are a few other viruses that show the same symptoms, your child’s pediatrician might recommend getting other tests that aren’t just for testing for COVID-19. These tests should help narrow down the choices considerably.
Types of COVID-19 Testing:
If you’re considering getting your child tested, consider what the types of testing are first.
Looking for a Current Infection
If you want a solid diagnosis of a current infection of the virus, then there are two tests that your child can take: an RT-PCR test or an antigen test.
RT-PCR Test
The RT-PCR test is the most reliable and accurate test out of all the tests for COVID-19. It requires the samples to go through a lab examination, so the results can take a while before you receive them. However, this is the test that provides the best results in terms of quality, so if you want to get the surest diagnosis, then this is the test that you want to get your child to take.
Antigen Test
Another type of viral test that can also diagnose current infection of the virus in your child would be the antigen test. This test provides results after a few minutes, and you can take them anywhere. Plus, you can get a test for less than £3 for a single test and can even buy one in bulk.
The only drawback is that it’s not as sensitive, so if there’s not much viral load, it can generate a false negative result.
Looking for a Past Infection
If you want to find out if your child had been infected by the virus before and isn’t as worried about current infections, then you should consider letting them get tested with an antibody test.
Antibody Test
An antibody test looks for the presence of antibodies in your body that it generated after coming into contact with the COVID-19 virus. Since it can only let you know the presence of your body’s response to the virus and not the presence of the virus itself, you can’t use it as a diagnosis for the virus.
Where Should Your Child Get Tested?
Once you’re determined to get your child tested for the virus, you might be wondering where to get them tested. There are plenty of options available:
- At-Home: You can order antigen tests online nowadays so you can take the test at home. If your children are a little older, then it might be okay to get an at-home test kit like the Healgen COVID test if you’re confident that you can adequately get a sample from them.
- On-Site Testing Location: If you want to get an RT-PCR test, then you need to get to a dedicated testing location for that. They can send your results through an email after. At on-site testing locations, there can also be antigen tests available.
Depending on the test that you want to take, you might need to head to a physical location, but if you want to, you can also take a test at home.
What to Do If Your Child is Positive for the Virus
For younger children that can’t be left by themselves, make sure to wear a tight-fitting mask and to wash your hands before and after interacting with your child.
Always keep your child isolated from the other members of the household. Keep them isolated for five full days. If their symptoms decrease or disappear, you can test them to be safe to see if they still test positive for the virus. However, if they feel well, they should be good to go.
However, if your child has a health condition, consult with their primary care provider first.
Overall
By educating yourself on COVID-19 testing for your kids, you should be better equipped to handle any concerns that your child has as well as the rest of the family. Calm down, relax, and don’t stress so that your child stays calm throughout the process as well.
Father of four home schooling kids.