The wait times in our emergency departments are longer than usual due to illnesses like RSV and the flu. View our estimated ED wait times and learn more about where to get care for your sick child.

Tips to make COVID-19 tests more comfortable for children

Children’s Minnesota is one of many locations giving COVID-19 tests. As an adult, you may be able to understand and tolerate discomfort while getting a test, but for many children the test can cause pain, discomfort and uncertainty.

We talked with Abbey Menth, registered nurse clinic supervisor and COVID-19 test administrator, about ways Children’s Minnesota and parents can make COVID-19 tests easier for kids.

Children’s Minnesota’s COVID-19 tests for kids

At Children’s Minnesota, we do not use the same COVID-19 test for kids that is used for adults. We use a swab that goes in the nose and is twirled for 10 seconds. Our administrators do not do the Nasopharyngeal, or “NP,” swab that is typically used for adults that goes further into nasal passages.

Tips for parents to make COVID-19 tests more comfortable

  • Hold your child on your lap while the test is happening.
  • Patients ages 2 years and younger will likely cry, but remember, the test is quick.
  • Show your kids pictures before going to the test, including photos of what the test administrator will look like in personal protective equipment (PPE) – with a face shield, mask and gown.
  • Hold your child’s hands so they don’t try and push away the swab.
  • Try not to say “almost done” as the test is done on both sides of the nostril. Depending how the test went, a re-swab is possible or even another procedure.
  • Bring an iPad or phone to help with distraction while the test is being administered.

Tips from our administrators

  • “I like to tell patients this won’t hurt, but it will feel funny and tickle your nose.”
  • “I tell patients I am mining for gold, picking their boogers, cleaning their nose for them – basically, anything silly to ease the patient’s nerves.”
  • “I count out loud and recommend the patient counts with me. Or I sing a song while I am swabbing each nostril for 10 seconds.”
  • “I recommend picking a song to sing before you come for the test so you’re prepared when the time comes.”

More news stories

After a gun took her son’s life, a Minneapolis mom turned pain into purpose.
Princess Titus is a Minneapolis mother who turned her grief into a mission for change after losing her teenage son, Anthony, to gun violence. Learn about the incredible work Princess...
Baby Harrison defies odds, overcomes complication after complication
Jim and Vanessa Cody stayed at Children’s Minnesota for two months while they watched their son Harrison go through challenge after challenge. Harrison is now 2 years old and living...
Children’s Minnesota researchers make big strides in DICER1-related cancer findings
The International PPB/DICER1 and OTST Registries had a record-breaking number of rare tumor registry enrollments in 2024; over 150 individuals from around the world enrolled, bringing total enrollment to over...