I posted a few weeks ago about my baby's symptoms. We are going to Boston and she has her sweat test on Wednesday. I am really nervous and don't know what to expect. They said to bring warm clothes. How is the sweat test done? How long do the results take? Are they truly accurate? I am totally freaked out!
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We go for the seat test next week and I am scared!
- Thread starter anonymous
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Emily65Roses
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The sweat test is fairly simple and painless. I don't know exactly how it's done, but you could search that on the internet easily. Basically they make the child sweat, collect some of it, and then test the salt content. I don't know how long they take to come back either. I more wanted to answer your question on the accuracy of the results. Is your baby being tested at a CF clinic?? If not, you're a lot more liable to get incorrect results back. False negatives happen a lot in CF sweat testing. So if your baby is still sick and you get a negative result, I would recommend you going to an entirely different hospital and getting a second opinion... Have the test repeated. Like I said, your very best bet is to make sure the baby is getting tested at a CF CLINIC!!! Very important if you wish to get back accurate results. <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">
A sweat test is simple, first they put a positive and negative electode on the childs arm with a gel disk on it, they stays on for 5 minutes each arm. Then they take it off put a little disk on the arm where the electrode was at, leave it for 15 minutes, it turns blue as it collects sweat. The take it off put it in a little bottle. They then process it for results. I had my results in 30 minutes. Hope this helps. It is a painless test.
I had one that way Jinny but also had a small petry looking dish they taped to my arm to collect the sweat. Then put it in this microwave looking machine and had my answer in about 10 minutes. So they repeated it the other way and I still had it. That was at the U of M hospital in Michigan. Eva
Emily65Roses
New member
I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong), but you cannot get a false positive on a sweat test. You can get numerous false negatives, but not a false positive. In other words, if it came back positive, that's it, she's got CF. I'm pretty sure this is true. If not, someone call me on it. Feel free to contact me if you wish.
i just want to add something.. when my son had his sweat test we were told when the electrodes were placed to go for a short walk but to make sure we were back in 15 mins.... we were back in 10 but the one who was doing the test wasnt ready and we had to redo it.. so make sure you stay there and time it yourself... that way you will know its timed exactly.... the worst part of the test is the waiting.... cause when your dreading the results 15 mins feels like a hr...... keep your chin up and keep us all posted ill be thinking of ya....
To the poster with the 17 yr old dd. There are some other illnesses that can cause high sweat chloride results; however, they are extremely rare. A positive sweat chloride, in combo with symptoms suggestive of cf (which I'm assuming your dd has) is considered positive for cf. If you're still unsure, ask to repeat the test. Actually, they should for confirmation anyway. Make sure it's done at an accredited cf center/hospital. Also, assuming that's also positive, you can request genetic testing. I recommend using Ambry since they the full strand of DNA for mutations. Good luck.