Strep Exposure

[NMom]

I am with my family for Thanksgiving and my nephew has been on antibiotics for strep for almost 10 days. He has chronic strep but has never had any PANDAS symptoms. I felt pretty good about this trip because he was already on antibiotics so it seemed like a good time..and I know that my son (PANDAS - age 6) is exposed to everythign at school anyway but it still makes me crazy know that there is a specific exposure to strep. So my nephew woke up this morning with fever and sore throat (while on antibiotics). My sister immediately took him to a local clinic and they refused to do a rapid strep but did a 72-hour test...but also refused to extend his antibiotics until they have the results. She's already called his local pediatrician to ask about extending the antibiotics. So now what do I do???? He's on antibiotics and we're hoping to extend...I'm trying to keep them apart but anyone with six year old boys knows how well that works. I can hardly pack up, change our plane tickets and leave before the holiday and I'm not panicking yet but I'm definitely worried and watching. I've spent months waiting for the other shoe to drop...please don't let this be it.

[thereishope]

Oh, no! I want to start by saying that I'm happy your sister was honest with you about the strep in the first place. I often wonder if extended family will just omit telling us knowing we would abandon plans.

 

You're at the house already. I'm all about erring on the side of caution, but like you said you can't just up and leave right now. Is your child on antibiotics? I would probably stay there, but try to have them keep their distance. Remind him of washing hands, not sharing food or anything. If your sister doesn't hear back from the ped in a reasonable amount of time today, call back this afternoon. If you call tomorrow you may not get a response. If she gets a hold of tem, ask them to switch her son's antibiotics. I'm assuming he's on amoxcillin? Tell her to ask for a switch to Augmentin or Zithromax since it seems to be a stuuborn infection.

[SarahJane]

Geez. It seems the trip has already cost you (plane tix), but is there anyway you could stay the nights at a hotel & reduce exposure? There may be vacancy issues with the holiday but finding one with a pool could be a little reward. Or are there other relatives that would let y'all crash at their pad?

 

I thought it was the other way around...they'll do rapid tests like crazy but not grow a culture. Maybe they didn't do the rapid since he's on abx & could have a false negative...not sure that applies to cultures. It irks me that they wouldn't give abx tho'...if you think they might be sick then why not give the abx just in case & then fill it if test is positive?! Grrr. Also, did they check for an ear infection? I believe I read that they're common after strep throat. (My son got one after/during his last strep case & 2 doctors missed it...was urgent treatment that found it & didn't even do another strep test...we got zithromax after he'd been on onmicef/10 days for strep.) She could even try another clinic.

 

GOOD LUCK & Happy Thanksgiving!

[NMom]

Well the fun continues. My nephew is now at the ER with what looks like croup (woke up not able to breathe last night). My son is having terrible stomach pains (last night), diarrhea and nausea (this morning). He's been thinking he's going to throw up but has only thrown up a very small amount once. No fever. This seems so minor right now ... he's running around and seems to feel just fine now but I'm terrified about c-dif or colitis. I've been lazy about the probiotics while we were on vacation...just out of my routine and forgot with all the excitement. Does anyone have experience wiht C-dif? What are the main symptoms and how should we treat it? I'm terrified of c-diff b/c it means he'll have to come off the antibiotics.