If your child has symptoms of COVID-19 or has been exposed to the virus, it’s important to have them tested. You need a viral diagnostic test that detects current infection. This test checks specimens from your nose or your mouth to find out if you are currently infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Viral tests can be performed in a laboratory, at a testing site or at home.
There are two types of viral diagnostic tests: molecular (this includes PCR and NAAT tests) and antigen tests.
Molecular tests:
- Most accurate results.
- Done by a healthcare provider.
- Usually processed in a lab.
- Results may take up to 24 to 72 hours.
Antigen tests:
- Less accurate than molecular tests.
- Good option for quickly finding positive cases.
- Results in about 15 minutes.
Given these differences, our experts recommend that if you test your child using a rapid antigen test (this includes at-home antigen tests), you may need to confirm the results with a PCR test administered by a health professional. A positive result from a rapid antigen test is almost always reliable, but a negative result from a rapid antigen test may need to be confirmed.
See an in-depth comparison of the kinds of COVID-19 tests and when to use them.
Real-world scenarios:
Let’s say your child has symptoms of COVID-19. “In this case, it’s important to get your child tested as soon as they have symptoms. If your child gets tested with a rapid antigen test and they test positive, you can safely assume the results are accurate and follow isolation guidelines,” Dr. Cataldi says. “But if the results of the rapid antigen test are negative for a child who is having symptoms, then they should get a molecular or PCR test at their doctor’s office, here at Children’s Colorado, or at a community COVID-19 testing site to be sure.”
Now let’s say your child has been exposed to COVID-19 at school but they do not have symptoms. Do they need to get a COVID-19 test?
“This becomes more complicated because it depends on vaccination status and each school district does it a little differently,” Dr. Cataldi explains. “Sometimes the recommendations for what to do when exposed at school may be different from exposure outside of school. You should look to your child’s school district and ask your school nurse about whether they were truly exposed, whether they need to stay home from school and whether they need to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to the classroom.”