If you are still unsure if your child needs a test, call their pediatrician, an infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital. Said Christine Moffitt. You can also take the CDC’s clinical assessment tool, which can be used for any family member, including children.
What types of tests are available for children?
Virus testing for children, for the most part, is the same for adults. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of two basic categories of diagnostic tests. Are the most vulnerable people Molecular PCR tests, Which detects the genetic material of the virus and can take days to deliver results (some places give results similar to days). The second type of test, this Antigen testing, Find fragments of proteins that are found on or inside the coronavirus. Antigen tests usually give results quickly within 15 minutes, but may be less sensitive than molecular tests.
The way your provider collects your sample may vary. For example, regardless of whether you receive a PCR test or an antigen test, the collection method can be any of the following: nasopharyngeal swab (a long swab with a brush at the end of reaching all the way to the nose towards the throat); A short swab that is inserted into the nose about an inch long; A long swab of tonsils at the back of the neck; Or squeeze a short swab on the forehead and cheeks. New saliva tests, which are still being tested, you have to go in a sterilized container, which can be difficult for young children.
Fastmed Urgent Care, which has a network of more than 100 clinics in Arizona, North Carolina and Texas, currently uses a long swab for rapid antigen testing and a short swab for PCR testing, said Dr. Lane Tassin. One of the company’s chief medical officers. Jane Trombeta, the company’s chief clinical officer, said MedExpress, a separate emergency care group with clinics in 16 states, examines all patients with short nasal swabs while performing PCR or antigen tests at its 200 emergency care centers.
What diagnostic test should my child get?
The type of test your child gets depends largely on what is available in your area, how long it takes to get the results back, and why the child needs it, the experts said.
Some day care centers and schools only accept PCR results for school return clearance, so it’s best to double check their rules first.
Long swab molecular testing is considered the “gold standard”, but other less invasive testing methods are also reliable. For regular testing, Dr. Jay J.K., Senior Adviser for Public Health at New York City Mayor’s Office Fees. Verma said short swabs are “basically long and deep deep swabs. The same is true of both adults and children.” In fact, he added, New York City’s public hospital testing sites start moving from long swabs to short swabs during the summer.
