Back-to-School: Rapid Antigen Testing Tips for Parents
With school back in session for 2022, it is important to prepare for the high potential of having to test your child during this school year.
As COVID-19 is still surging in the US, we wanted to provide parents and guardians with an easy guide for performing Rapid Antigen Tests on your child. Along with other questions that may be raised by your child.
How are viruses transmitted?
Infectious diseases are usually transmitted through the following pathways:
Droplet Transmission
Contact transmission
Therefore, it is crucial for both adults and children to always follow appropriate hygiene practices, including wearing a mask, washing hands, covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, followed by throwing used tissues in the trash and washing hands.
Having a balanced diet, keeping a regular routine, and getting adequate sleep are also important to strengthen your immune system.
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What are the symptoms of infection?
Some of the common symptoms are as follows:
| Mild Symptoms | Severe Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Fever, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue | Persistent fever (>101.3o F) or hypothermia (<95o F), convulsions, shortness of breath, loss of mobility or inability to stay wake |
Why should you test your child?
It is common knowledge that with kids back in school, children bringing home germs is a regular occurrence. You can know you and your child's infection status through performing rapid antigen tests regularly.
Become aware of appropriate medical treatments, and quarantine protocols in case the COVID-19 results are positive, so that the risk of transmission to other students, teachers and staff can be diminished.
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What should parents and guardians know prior to performing Rapid Antigen Tests on children?
Reserve enough time for testing
Personally demonstrate the test or with toys
Use TV/toys as a distraction
Consider a small reward or appreciation afterwards
Ensure that the swab is not touched by your child, in order not to affect the test result.
Remember to be gentle and patient, gently hold and tilt your child’s head back, slowly insert the swab. Stop swabbing if you feel resistance to avoid the risk of bleeding.
If necessary, allow your child to sit on the caretaker’s lap, and then gently hold your child to adjust his/her position for another caretaker to perform the rapid antigen test.
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How to use INDICAID Rapid Antigen Tests
Tilt the head back, rub the swab against the wall of each nostril 4 times in a large circular path
Stir the swab into the buffer solution and twist back and forth 20 times
Drip 3 drops of solution into the oval opening of the test device
Leave for 20 minutes (less than 25 mins) at room temperature and read the results
What should I do if I tested positive?
According to the CDC – here are the recommended steps to take if your test comes back positive:
- Isolate and quarantine for 5 days after your first positive test result
- By day 6 – do a “self-check” on how you are feeling
- We recommend by day 6 to test yourself again to ensure your COVID-19 status. (It is common that though your symptoms have subsided, you may still be positive and transmissible)
- Continue to wear a mask around others for an additional 5 days after (total of 10 days from first positive test)
- Do not travel for 10 days
INDICAID® Rapid Antigen Test
- Approved for use of 2 years and up (Ages 2-14 to be administered by an adult)
- FDA EUA Authorized
- 93.4% overall accuracy
- Able to detect COVID-19 virus variants (incl. Delta & Omicron)
- HSA/FSA Eligible
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