My son got diagnosed with strep last Friday. His doc gave Amoxicillin and we started that Friday. Been taking it for 4 days (Monday now) and he still has high fever and chills. Took him back to the doc today. We did xray and flu test to rule out flu and pneumonia. They changed his antibiotics to Cefdinir. Took the first dose tonight and he still woke up with a 103 fever and really bad chills. He has had strep before but it was never this bad. Any advice? I’m about to cry!
Thank you guys for your comments and advice. He is 6 yrs old. As of this morning, he is fever free. The Cefdinir is working. Our next plan of action was to take him to the hospital if it didnt improve. I have been reading a lot about amoxicillin and found out that it’s the lowest grade of antibiotic and most kids that are prescribed that have a high percentage of going back to the doctor within 3 weeks. This is his 3rd strep this year, and he has been given amox and the strep might have built a resistance to it.
When we went back to the doc, he actually showed me his throat and it was still pus filled with no improvements at all. So it was like he wasn’t taking anything at all for the first 3 days.
welcome to mamapedia, M. J.
Call your doctor/pediatrician. Then suggest he get his tonsils out as well as his adenoids.
It can take 24 hours for antibiotics to work. If he hasn't improved within 24 hours, call the doctor and see what can be done to help him.
Keep him hydrated. keep him cool - that means cool compresses and/or ice packs on the head and neck area.
I have no advice.. so sorry you are going through this! But antibiotics do not bring fever down. Did the dr tell you to stop fever reducers ( Tylenol, Advil etc). Hydration is a must! Maybe getting smart water ( it has electro lights without the unnecessary sugar like Gatorade)
I say call his dr and ask.
Also antibiotics ruin adults stomach lining ( flora) .. i can imagine what they can do to a kids! I suggest to eat yogurt I think 2 hours after a dose of antibiotics.
I suggest when your child gets better to be super strict with hand washing as soon as you guys come home. I also have a hand sanitizer in the car ( but hand washing when walking in is a must). And this one surprised me.. about a year or two after my kids started sports ( oldest was a little after 4 we had them in sports. Their immune system was soo weak.. it seemed every week they would get something! But I kid you not it has been years and years since they took antibiotics or any medication.
I hope he feels better and soon! And try not to stress!
I would be on the phone with the doc's 24 hour nurse/advice line.
there are lots of different kinds of strep, and it's possible your son has a viral type, not the bacterial type which responds to antibiotics.
poor little fella. all you can really do is treat the symptoms and keep him as comfortable as possible while it works itself out. he should be mostly through it by now.
cool washcloths. blankies from the dryer. sage tea and spoonsfuls of honey. icie pops. ice cream for dinner if he wants it.
how old is he?
khairete
S.
I would call the dr's office or if your insurance has a nurse hotline you could call them and see what they say. Since they changed the meds the first one was not working so this is basically starting at the beginning as if he'd never had anything. I personally would give fever reducers unless you dr said not to. I would also have him take a lukewarm bath. You didn't say how old he is. if he's old enough to sit in the tub on his own (without you holding him) let him play in the water till it's cold. Make sure he's drinking enough. If it will not go down with the bath and the meds I would take him to the ER. If you are not confident in regular ER's around you take him to Texas Children's Hospital it might be a little bit of a drive but they usually have a much better bedside manor and make the child and parent more comfortable. Unless there is a children's hospital closer to you. (That is if you are really in Tomball)
Unfortunately some bugs are becoming pretty antibiotic resistant.
It's fine to try amoxicillin first - just in case it will work - but in your sons case it didn't and they had to try a stronger med next - which is now working out fine.
As more bugs become antibiotic resistant - and I still think this has more to do with how antibiotics are used in animal feed rather than over use in the doctors office - dealing with infections is going to take longer and be more stressful.
After your update: So glad to hear that he is responding to the medication! Three times in a year having strep is troublesome. If he still has his tonsils, please consider having them removed. His little body is working so hard to overcome the state of his tonsils. My folks didn’t “take the hint” with me, and after years of tonsillitis, strep and then mono, I finally got my tonsils out at 17. SO PAINFUL! It’s a much easier surgery on a child.
Original:
I think I might be taking him to the hospital to have bloodwork done and to rule out meningitis. I’m so sorry you all are going through this. Don’t let it go on too long without pulling out the ER’s bigger guns, so to speak.
He might have a peritonsillar abscess in his throat. This is what happened to me with a strep throat that did not improve and high fever. I went to two doctors, primary and urgent care and they both failed to actually look down my throat. My throat closed and was rushed to ER. I couldn’t swallow and had an abscess. An ENT doctor had to do emergency surgery. This could be life threatening really monitor your son.
I also found that drinking white grapefruit juice helps with strep throat.
