Your health care provider will ask about your child’s symptoms and health history. He or she may also ask about your family’s health history and will give your child a physical exam.
TB is diagnosed with a TB skin test. In this test, a small amount of testing material is injected into the top layer of the skin. If a certain size bump develops within two or three days, the test may be positive for TB infection. Your child may also need a chest X-ray and sputum test. A blood test called interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) may also be done.
A TB skin test is advised for children who:
- May have been exposed to TB in the last five years
- Has an X-ray that looks like TB
- Has any symptoms of TB
- Comes from a country where TB is common
Yearly skin testing should be done on children who:
- Have HIV
- Are in a detention facility
A child who is exposed to high-risk people should be tested every two to three years.
A child may get TB skin testing from ages four to six and 11 to 16 if he or she: