Differentiating Strep from viral sore throat

[thereishope]

My kids don't get strep symptoms either. For my PANDAS son, it has been the behavioral that has led us running to the dr. However, if he should ever have anything that makes me think a physical symptom could be a hint of strep, I'll take him. These kids are different. I can't be sure one day he won't start showing physical symptoms, even if they are atypical physical symptoms. I think someone on here said they had a child that use to be symptomless, but then had one bout of strep with a sore throat.I also take my kids when I know they have been directly exposed to strep.

 

I know others experience this too. It's so stressful to think I can have 2 kids (that don't have PANDAS, but still show no physical symptoms of strep) be walking around the house as a ticking bomb waiting to give strep to my PANDAS son.

[JAG10]

Can you tell me where we buy the home strep test?

 

Google it...they're around. Amazon, ect.

[Doug]

Let me ask this.....

 

In a non-pandas individual, can strep "go away" on its own without antibiotic treatment? Or could you know it is strep because it won't resolve without treatment?

 

Does strep result in the person developing a greenish mucus they cough up eventually? Does viral sore throat do the same thing?

 

I don't know/remember ever having strep throat. But, I had my tonsils removed when I was 21 due to "chronic pharyngitis." I would have thought that the difference is a viral infection simply has to run its course, but a bacterial one the body cannot defeat without the assistance of abx....is that right?

 

I'm home sick today, btw...low grade fever, fatigue, my throat feels a little better, but I also developed some mild congestion so I'm thinking viral.

A healthy immune system can clear strep w/o abx. I read somewhere that abx only shortens recovery time by a few days.

 

YES...so if you have doctors saying "you need to have a,b,c symptoms X number of days before coming in or before they will treat you, that falls in line with what you just wrote, Peg. Which I guess would be fine if we weren't worried about exposing our kids..... IDK, dr. K just told me to focus on behavioral symptoms in my girl, not physical illness ones if there is no change in behavior. I've never been much of a germaphobe before and I'm having a hard time adjusting

Oh we are so much the germaphobe family my dd has told me several times to stop watching her (for her behavior changes)