COVID-19 Testing Specialist

COVID-19 Testing services offered in Rockville , MD

If your child has a fever, a dry cough, or a sore throat, it’s crucial to schedule COVID-19 testing. Early diagnosis can reduce the risk of complications and prevent exposure to others. At Abdow Friendship Pediatrics, pediatric and adolescent medicine providers Victor Abdow Jr., MD, and Azra Jagani, MD, and the team provide COVID-19 testing to children and teens. To make an appointment for your child, call the office in Rockville, Maryland, or book online today.

COVID-19 Testing Q&A

COVID-19 testing determines if your child has the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

COVID-19 is an upper respiratory illness first discovered in China at the end of 2019. It’s highly contagious and presents a wide range of uncomfortable and potentially serious symptoms. If you’re concerned that your child has COVID-19, contact the team at Abdow Friendship Pediatrics.

If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, they can benefit from COVID-19 testing:

Fever
Chills
Dry cough
Shortness of breath
Headache
Sore throat
Muscle aches
Loss of taste or smell
Congestion
Runny nose

If your child has COVID-19, they might also experience gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

At Abdow Friendship Pediatrics, the team offers several types of COVID-19 testing, including:

Antigen testing

An antigen test analyzes your child’s mucus or saliva for the presence of specific viral markers, called antigens. If your child’s sample has COVID-19 antigens, antibodies in the test bind to them, producing a positive result.

Polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) testing

PCR testing is similar to antigen testing. The difference is that it analyzes your child’s mucus or saliva for genetic material from the COVID-19 virus. To enhance accuracy, PCR tests identify multiple viral genes instead of just one.

Antibody testing

Antibody testing doesn’t confirm if your child is contagious. Instead, it determines if your child was exposed to COVID-19 in the past or has had the vaccine.

When your child is infected with a virus, their body produces proteins called antibodies to defend against it. If your child has COVID-19 antibodies, it means they likely had COVID-19 at some point in the past, even if you didn’t know it.

COVID-19 testing is a quick outpatient procedure that takes less than 20 minutes. If your child needs an antigen or PCR test, their pediatrician collects a sample of mucus or saliva with a cotton swab.

If your child needs an antibody test, their pediatrician draws a sample of their blood. After collecting the PCR sample, your child’s provider sends it to a nearby lab for analysis. Antigen and antibody testing is done in-house, and results are given within 10-15 minutes.

As soon as the team receives your child’s PCR results, they call you and explain them.

If your child needs COVID-19 testing, make an appointment at Abdow Friendship Pediatrics by calling the office or booking online today.

We specialize in Pediatric and Adolescent medicine in Rockville, MD. Call us to book your appointment today.