COVID-19 has been in a lot of distress and chaos for the past two years. It has affected adults and has also made its way to the children. Usually, children do not get affected by viruses easily because of their rapid immune system, but COVID has shattered this concept worldwide. Kids are also susceptible to this virus and require testing for detection, just like adults. Read on to know more about COVID testing for your child.
Need of Test
These are the reasons that your child needs a COVID test:- Watch out for symptoms; parents usually let go of COVID symptoms in children by thinking of them as viral or seasonal flu. Do not rule out the possibility that your child could be asymptomatic and be the first family member who has caught the virus.
- Suppose anyone in the family or friends has tested positive or come in contact with a person who later tested positive. In that case, your kids are sitting on the “most probably COVID positive” chair. It would be best to keep an eye on your children’s health. Any minor symptom shouldn’t be taken lightly, and you have to get them tested right away.
- Prolonged illness – if your child is COVID negative but still isn’t recovering from illness, then it might be a sign for you to get him re-tested. As COVID testing methods are not 100% efficient, there is a chance that the virus went undetected during the first test.
Breakdown of COVID Tests
There are two types of tests to detect the viruses in the body- SARS-COV-2 and Antibodies. Both tests are safe for your children.1. SARS-COV-2
It is a diagnostic test that determines if the body is currently home to the virus or not. It is done when the symptoms are severe as it shows whether the virus is in the body or not. The test takes 24-48 hours to develop results.2. Antibodies
This test detects if the body has formed antibodies as a defense mechanism to the virus. It determines if the virus had already affected the body, not tells the current presence of the virus. This test is rapid and gives results in a few hours.Where To Go
There are many places where you can get the test done. However, getting your child tested from a pediatric clinic can be a better choice. As pediatric clinics cater to kids day and night, they are familiar with handling and managing kids efficiently; the environment is kid-friendly, so your child wouldn’t feel weird. The presence of a pediatrician in the clinic is a plus point if you need any consultation.