| Easing your child’s anxiety and fear about getting tested may be tough – especially if you’re also nervous. Here are some tips that may reduce worries for the whole family:
#1 😷 Prepare for the test by role-playing the entire process, even wearing a mask for the person playing the medical professional. Going through the motions, especially for younger children, will help them reduce their fears about the experience.
#2 🪄 Describe the swab as a magic wand used to find tiny, invisible viruses that may be lurking in people’s noses. Explain that the swab used is similar to a Q-tip and it might feel a little strange or itchy.
#3 🧸 Bring a stuffed animal, blanket or special toy for them to hold during the test.
#4 🥶 Play Freeze! with young children before the test to prepare your child to hold their head still so that staff or a parent can carefully swab them.
#5 🔟 Practice counting to 10, the typical time it takes to swab both sides of the nose. Let your child know that it’s okay to not like getting tested, but that it’ll be over quickly. |
