![]() Yes, kids of other ages can get tested for COVID-19, although doctors generally recommend consulting with your pediatrician about the process. "If they have no symptoms, we recommend a PCR on day five." Can kids get tested for COVID? "We generally use a rapid test if a baby has been exposed to a family member and has symptoms," Dr. Your baby’s health care provider will guide you on the type of test your infant should receive. "It can be rapid or PCR, ideally performed at a testing site or doctor’s office." Many pediatric practices also do throat swabs if that method is preferred. "Babies are tested the same way as everyone else, with a nasal sample," Dr. Meaning that it’s really best to work with your doctor or a medical professional to get your infant tested. The popular BinaxNOW at-home COVID test, for example, along with most other at-home rapid tests, recommend using the kit only on those who are at least 2 years old. Many at-home rapid tests have a minimum age requirement for use as well. "While a rapid test may be used, it can be difficult for parents to accurately administer it and some rapid tests are not as accurate with the Omicron variant," says Jennifer Schwab, M.D., a pediatrician at Connecticut Children’s Care Network and Rocky Hill Pediatrics in Connecticut, and chief of the Division of Community Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut. However, though these tests have improved in accuracy since the start of the pandemic, they sometimes have a higher risk of producing false results (mostly in the form of false negatives).Īs for the right type of test for infants, it depends. These tests can be done in a doctor's office, hospital or testing facility, as well as at home, with results available in minutes. Antigen tests (aka rapid tests): Also known as rapid tests, antigen tests look for specific proteins from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.Results can sometimes take a few to several days, though they can be ready much faster now. Most PCR tests involve taking a sample from the patient and sending it to a lab for analysis. ![]() This is considered the gold standard of COVID-19 testing. Molecular tests (aka PCR tests): This test looks for COVID-19's genetic material, and the most popular form is the polymerase chain reaction test (aka PCR test).There are several types of COVID-19 tests available, but the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) largely breaks them down into two groups: With the authorization of two COVID-10 vaccines for emergency use in children ages 6 months and up, protection against the virus has been significantly bolstered, so parents of babies and toddlers no longer need to rely only on testing and other measures when it comes to navigating the pandemic. Mayuri Morker, M.D., a pediatrician at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in Illinois, points out that "there is no age limit for COVID testing." So if you want or need to get your child tested, there’s no overall restriction that should keep you from doing so. "Even premature babies are routinely tested when they are born to a COVID-positive mother." ![]() "Babies can be tested right from birth," says Sunanda Gaur, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. ![]()
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