My almost five year old has had strep four times in the last year. Afterwards he started exhibiting some strange behaviors like tics, bedwetting, borderline OCD Like behaviors. There is a condition called PANDAS that he was never officially diagnosed (It's very complicated disorder that not much is known about). With this condition, these symptoms and behaviors can worsen with each strep infection. However, most of his sympstoms went away and didn't seem to worsen. So anyways, LIke all kids, he hates getting the throat swab test, and it's pure torture trying to get him to do it. The last two times the doctor just wasn't able to complete the test. This is with me holding down his arms and literally holding his nose so he has to open his mouth. It's heartbreaking, he just clamps down his teeth and breathes through his nose. So the doctor said even though he was unable to get the swab test, because of history of strep infections, he would recommend a ten day course of antiobiotcs. Last night he had a 103 fever, but today he is doing so much better. So i'm wondering, do i go ahead and give him the medicine not knowing whether he even has strep?? Do i go to a different doctor and try again to get test? i just hate the idea of medicating him unnecessarily.
So i gave him the medicine. His fever had peaked on saturday, so we had to take him to a clinic to get tested and not his normal pediatrician. I don't care for this doctor whom i'm seen before but we didn't have a choice as it was saturday night. I've had serious talks with him before testing (he's tested a number of times negative and five times positive so he's been through this so many times, but he still puts up the craziest fight ever. I had a similar talk with him, as someone suggested getting down to his level, and I tried to explain how important/serious it was but we just couldn't do it this time. This particular doctor also misdiagnosed my niece, so YES i do have reason to doubt his "diagnosis". On sunday he woke with only a 99 fever and seeemed almost totally better but because strep can soemtimes be (and has been with him) asymptomatic, i gave him the meds which was what my gut was telling me. I'll never know if he had it, but he's fine now and i'm going to look into the tonsil removal recommendations at his 5 year check up in a few weeks. i also appreciate some of the pandas information because it is, as i mentioned really complicated, and i haven't been able to get anything close to a diagnosis. thanks mamas
Well....since untreated strep can be fatal and overuse of antibiotics is not, I'd go for give them the antibiotics.
My son has PANDAS, and got it through strep when he was in kindergarten. He's now in 3rd grade. He's been on antibiotics for two years, and will most likely be on it for the rest of his life. I can't risk an infection as each exposure the symptoms are worse. Folks who get scarlet fever are on antibiotics for their entire life as the risk is too great. Scarlet Fever attacks the heart/joints, strep for some kids, attacks the brain. I am fortunate to be near the PANS clinic at Stanford.
I would give him antibiotics.
S.
If you can't get your child to cooperate for his own good I'd give him the antibiotics.
At 3, he is old enough to comprehend that he MUST comply if he doesn't want to be sick.
Go ahead and give him the antibiotics.
Strep is worse for him than the meds.
As for worrying over antibiotic mis use - I never worry about what ever we get from the doctors office.
Four fifths of all antibiotics produced goes into animal feed - that's where they get a huge profit on volume for using them and that's where it gets misused.
A microbe could not care less whether it gets strengthened on a chicken or cow or pig or a person.
If a doctor launches into his misuse speech with me - I tell him what I know - they never argue with me - they know it's true and what they tell us is a half truth.
They also usually prescribe the antibiotics if I feel the situation calls for it.
A fever that high is a very clear indication of SOME kind of infection, strep or not. Get those antibiotics into him, now, and make sure you give him the entire course of them -- do not stop them once he "seems OK" to you. He must have all of them, even after his fever is gone and he appears OK.
Why don't you trust your pediatrician's judgment, which is based on your son's very clear and documented history? Why the concern about "medicating him unnecessarily" when he has needed meds before under the same circumstances?
Please ask the pediatrician about why kids can appear to be "doing so much better" when they actually still are carrying an infection in their bodies. Give the meds and give them all, no matter how many days the prescription runs.
Untreated strep can turn very serious. It can be fatal.
Oh good heavens. Give him the antibiotics!!! 103 degree fever and Pandas? The last thing I'd worry about is medicating him "unnecessarily". The Pandas is frightening, and not treating strep, which he has a pretty bad history of, can cause scarlett or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can ruin him for life. My sister had scarlett fever because a doctor misdiagnosed her - she was 5 years old and her skin looked like it was MOLTING. She couldn't walk for 3 weeks because it affected her joints. This was long before "zombies" were popular and THAT'S what she looked like. If that doctor had given her antibiotics instead of just passing it off, she wouldn't have gone through that.
Does your son still have his tonsils? Sometimes removing tonsils can really help. I had mine out at 17 years old because of multiple tonsillitis and strep infections, as well as mono. After that, I rarely got sick. Having my tonsils out that old was REALLY hard - it is SO much easier to have the surgery done as a child. You should talk to a pediatric ENT about this.
Give him the antibiotics. Strep is NOTHING to play around with.
Maybe you could try reading some books (library has a lot) or watching some videos (try youtube) on going to the doctor and what to expect. Even though he already knows, it might help him to see or hear about someone having a positive experience. Talk with your son about how he can cooperate with the doctor so the doctor can help him. Be honest with him, say "I know it's uncomfortable but you only need to open your mouth for a few seconds and it's over!" Also, is there something fun that you could do with him after the appt. as a reward if he cooperates? Like get an ice cream and play at the park? If you like the doctor and felt that he or she was being helpful then I'd stay with him, but if not I would consider going to a different doctor. There are 3 pediatricians at my son's office and there is one that my son does not care for, so we always go to the other two. I notice my son is particularly cooperative with the female, she's just really nice to him. I wouldn't be too h*** o* him for this either, he doesn't feel good and having a strep test isn't fun. I hate getting them as an adult. I also think I'd probably give him the medication if I couldn't get the exact answer, seems like the better choice.
I don't think I would go to a different doctor - I'm not sure why you aren't trusting his advice. I think it sounds bang on. If your son has a 103 degree fever, waiting to see another doctor and hoping your son will do better with opening his mouth... I wouldn't chance it if it was me.
There are ways to get kids to open their mouths for tests - I think it's worse on moms than the kids (so you may be adding to his anxiety). My son had to be restrained as a toddler which was hard to watch, but it's doable. They do it in hospitals all the time. In future, just tell your son either he can open his mouth and it will be over in less than a minute, or he'll be forced to. If he has a history of strep and possible PANDAS he's going to have to get used to this.
My kids had severe ear infections resulting in hearing loss in one of them. I got pretty good at trusting my mom instincts. Your son's had 4 this year, so you know what to look for - that, plus your doctor's recommendation - to me it outweighs the concern about unnecessary medication.
Good luck :) Hope he feels better soon
My son, at 10 continues to get fidgety when they do a swab test too. However, he ynderstands the need for one. If it is inconclusive but he shows all signs of strep- and has a high fever, then, yes, he most likely has an infection to the point of requiring antibiotics.
Strep is one of those infections I don't mess with . Any child who has a terrible sore throat more then three days that intensifies in pain and fever - I take to Dr. If in fact they determine it to be a possible strep infection - I given antibiotics.
It's also contagious, so if he may or may not have it, but you don't treat and others end up getting sick- that's another indication plus he has infected other kids.
If it is Strep and he doesn't get the medicine, Rheumatic Fever isn't fun. My dad had it when he was a kid, and has many heart problems still.
Hi E.,
There are many natural antibiotics that don't have the side effects and don't breakdown the immune system like the synthetic ones. With pharmaceutical antibiotics, the body needs stronger and stronger ones...
My father was bedridden and on a feeding tube (from age 87 to age 94) and developed aspiration pneumonia 6 times in the last 7 years of his life. We got rid of it every time without the use of synthetic antibiotics. His body was in too fragile a state to use the synthetics. The MDs don't understand the natural aspect and that's just not their wheelhouse. If you go to a naturopath or a clinical nutritionist you can resolve the strep infections without the damage of antibiotics.
God bless!
M.
Principled chiropractic care can also build the immune system...
i'm sensitive to over-medicating. my ped recommended that my boys be on prophylactic antibiotics to battle their never-ending ear infections, and i just couldn't do it. i'm glad i didn't, either. resistance to antibiotics is hugely on the rise, and i didn't want my boys to be screwed if and when antibiotics are needed for serious infections.
and it sounds like you've got one.
has your doctor done something to warrant your lack of trust?
khairete
S.
Why does your son think (know) he can get away with not doing the test? No, it's not enjoyable for anyone of any age, but it's not optional. Nothing is at the doctor's office for a 4 year old. Sorry, but you as the parent should not allow him to be refusing testing.
But I would treat my child as though they had strep if all of the signs were there. Last year my 5 year old tested negative with the rapid test but I was 100% sure he had it, his new doctor wouldn't give me medicine for him. Two days later when the test they sent out was still not back I brought him back in. He had to be given a dose of steroids because he was so sick...and the rapid test then was positive immediately. Yep, you read that right, my 5 year old did it 3 times in a matter of two days. He got his meds and he hasn't had it since.
He needs the test, but I would still treat him for it either way since he very clearly is fighting something.
What does the child's breath smell like? That was always the first sign of mine having strep - ick breath!
