Just diagnosed with strep

[mmazz]

Hi all,

 

For the past week my son was/is clearing his throat. So I said ok its just a tic dujour. But in speaking with other class moms strep was going around. So I checked his throat and found little red spots on the back of his throat and got him swabbed ASAP. Well, it was positive and the tic dujour was really a sore throat. So with script in hand and a yeast issue I need some of that ACN Forum. Is there any advise for better control of the yeast while on antibiotics? Supplementaion while on meds? Any advise?

 

Marie

[Chemar]

so sorry to hear of your son's illness Marie.

 

It would be a very good idea to use a potent probiotic at this time and be sure to give it at least 3 hrs after the antibiotic, as otherwise the anti just wipes out the pro.

 

Also a good idea to use the immune boosting antioxidants now too....my favorites are grapeseed extract(pycnogenol) and bilberry, along with bioflavinoids and of course good old vitamin c.

 

If your son can handle yoghurt, plain yoghurt is very beneficial while on antibiotics

 

As far as I know, none of the regular vitamins and minerals will be contraindicated with the antibiotics.

 

 

Dont forget the superb nourishment and healing that also comes from homemade chicken soup and lemon/honey tea

 

Sure hope he has a rapid healing from this.

 

[mmazz]

Hi Cheri,

 

Good advise about the 3 hour deal with the acidophilus, I never thought that the time would be an issue. I have him off of dairy as it promotes his tics so I guess the yogurt is out. But I will push the spinach juice to replace the intesinal flora. The doc has him on Duricef. I read the insert and it comes with a laundry list of sde effects mainly the common ones. I was concerned about the side effect of seizure. Although rare, I am concerned since this neurological stuff is so intertwined. I never gave a script for antibiotics a second thought, but I am having a hard time placing the spoon full in his mouth. I've worked so hard to keep the immune system strong. If not for the throat clearing, you would have never guess he has strep??? As they say here in Jersey "go figure?".

 

Thanks again!

 

Marie

[kim]

Marie,

 

We just went through a month of the strep and viral throat thing. It's such a bummer to worry about the increase of tics, wondering about effects on basil ganglia and all that. I think you probably read the link someone posted about study of viruses, even if it's not strep affecting people with neurological problems. My youngest son was much ticcier at the onset of this, and still is. I don't think it affected my older son-tic wise, at all. Youngest was put on amoxycillian until the culture came back. The white spots were all over his tonsils. Our cultures take 3 days to come back. Since I'm worried about yeast with him, I hated this. We took the antibiotic, and the culture was negative. Dr. said to finish the antibiotic anyway since his throat looked bad, and it was the second round of the same thing in a month.

 

Hope your son is feeling better soon.

 

Chemar, I need to learn about probotics, is there any certain brand, or is what you can get at health food store ok in regards to the acidophilus, and the others you mentioned? He will not eat plain yogurt, even if I add fruit. He will only eat the sprinkles kind or the trix, which is probably worse than none, with the sugar content and colors.

 

kim

[Guest Guest_efgh]

A very basic question - what are the symptoms of strep throat? how different is it from the normal viral sore throat?

 

thanks

[mmazz]

Hi EFG;

 

Strep can have many different symptons. The obvious of course is a really sore throat. But sometimes its a headache or fever or even a facial rash and/or a cobination of many of thesee symptoms. What really is scarry is that sometimes the symptoms are so mild that left untreated things can get nasty. In my son's case it was just a throat clearing thing that made me look in his mouth to see some little red spots in the back of his throat. With all of his friends on antibiotics for strep I brought him in for a culture. The doc told me to look for the swollen lymph nodes next time, which are present but I didn't notice. It was a shame to keep him home today since he really does not act sick, but no sense in spreading it around.

 

Thanks for all the info...

 

Maire

[Ronnas]

People with strep throat infections have a red and painful sore throat with white patches on their tonsils (you don't necessarily need to see white patches, though). A person may also have swollen lymph nodes in the neck, run a fever, and have a headache, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain can occur but are more common in children than in adults.

 

Once people become infected, they pass the infection to others for up to 2 to 3 weeks even if they don't have any symptoms. After 24 hours of antibiotic treatment, and there is no longer a fever a person will no longer spread the bacteria to others.

 

For more information about strep throat:

 

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/strep.htm

 

http://www.emedicine.com/aaem/topic420.htm

 

 

STREP SCREEN:

Throat Swab (Rapid Antigen Test): The doctor or medical assistant wipes the back of the child's throat with a long cotton swab. In the lab, the swab is placed in a test tube with a chemical mixture that extracts part of the strep germ (the antigen) from the swab. This extract is then combined with antibodies to group A strep antigen (these antibodies are protein molecules that attach to the group A strep bacteria's surface antigen). When a third substance that detects the antigen-antibody combination is added to the tube, the liquid changes color if strep germs are present.

 

Culture and Sensitivity: The specimen for a throat culture is taken in the same way, but the fluid from the swab is put into a culture dish in which the bacteria from the specimen must be grown for 2-3 days before strep germs, if present can be identified. Some labs only grow the culture for 24 hours. I always have the doctor write on the requisition to make sure and grow the culture for minimum of 48 hours!

 

The strep screen is about 75-85% accurate.

 

A rapid strep screen can offer results in minutes, whereas the throat culture takes 2-3 days.

 

The symptoms of strep throat usually improve even without treatment in 5 days, but you are contagious for several weeks and there is a risk of developing complications. Lack of treatment or incomplete treatment of strep can lead to various complications.

 

Infectious complications:

-the active infection may occur in the throat, skin or in the blood.

-skin infections of the skin or soft tissues.

-scarlet fever is caused by the toxins released by the strep bacteria.

-toxic shock syndrome.

 

***During the infection, the antibodies (diseases fighting chemicals) are produced. After the organism is cleared, these antibodies can still cause disease in body organs (for example, PANDAS, Sydenham's Chorea etc,).

 

-rheumatic fever

-glomerulonephritis

 

About 10-20% of people are carriers of strep, meaning that the bacteria lives in the back of their throat without causing infection. And although the strep is not causing any problems, if you test someone who is a carrier, the test will be positive. The best way to avoide being overtreated with antibiotics when you are a carrier is to avoid being tested when your child does not have classic symptoms of strep throat. Your doctor may also decide to use a stronger antibiotic as treatment so that your child is not a carrier anymore (usually clindamycin).

 

Tonsillectomies used to be done much more than they are now. The current indications for a tonsilectomy for recurrent strep throats is having 5 or more episodes of strep throat in a year, or having 4 episodes each year 2 years in a row.

 

BLOOD TESTS

 

Streptozyme: Detection of multiple antibodies to extracellular antigens of streptococcus. While the streptozyme is of some diagnostic value it should never replace more standard tests such as streptolysin O antibody (ASO) or DNase-B antibody. These antibodies may be detected in patients after streptococcal pharyngitis, rheumatic fever, pyoderma, glomerulonephritis, and other related conditions. In evaluating a patient with suspected acute rheuamtic fever or nephritis, determination of ASO, DNase-B antibody, and streptozyme will likely yeild a postive reult in 92-98% of cases.

 

Streptolysin O Antibody (ASO): The ASO test is used to provide serologic evidence of previous group A streptococcal infection in patients suspected of havinga non-suppurative complications, such as acute glomerulonephritis or acute rheumatic fever. Use of the ASO for diagnosis of an acute group A streptococcal infection is rarely indicated unless the patient has received antibiotics that would render the culture negative. An ASO performed on serum obtained during the presentation of a non-suppurative complication that shows a titer two dilutions above the upper limit of normal is evidence for an antecedent streptococcal infection. It is recommended, however, to use a second test such as the anti-DNAse B to confirm antecedent infections. Elevated serum ASO titers are found in about 85% of individuals with rheumatic fever. When both ASO and anti-DNAse are used, the result is over 95%. Skin infecitons with group A streptococci are often associated with a poor ASO response.

 

Reference Interval:

0-1 year: 0-200 IU/Ml

2-12 years: 0-240 IU/Ml

>13 years: 0-330 IU/Ml

 

DNAse-B Antibody: the majority of group A streptococci produce significant quantities of DNAse-B, while most other groups of streptococci do not. High levels of neutralizing antibody to DNAse-B are commonly found in patients following a group A streptococcal infection. Since it persists longer than other streptococcal antibodies (2-3 months), it is the preferred test in patients with chorea suspected due to rheumatic fever. Since it is not influenced by the site of infection, DNAse-B antibody is more reliable than the ASO test in providing evidence for streptococcal infection in patients with post-impetigo glomerularnephritis. Elevated titers are strongly suggestive of recent or current infection with group A streptococci. Fourfold increases in titers between acute and covalescent samples tken approximately 2 weeks apart are confirmatory.

 

Reference Interval:

 

1-6 years: <1:60

7-17 years: <1:170

18 years and over: <1:85

[kim]

Ronnas,

 

Could you be a little less vague, please?

 

What an excellant response. Thank you so much!

 

Could you tell me if you have ever heard of PANDAS being recognised in kids with gradual onset of symptoms?

 

Kim

[mmazz]

Ronna,

 

You certainly know your strep. Great response!

 

Marie

[mmazz]

Okay, so he now developed that barky cough that he had in October when they hit him with injectable steriods. He woke this morning with in and I sat him outside for a while until it lessened. Any thought?

 

Marie

[kim]

Marie,

 

I wish I could offer a suggestion, but I have never used anything but OTC medications, and oldest son had arbuterol a couple of times. We haven't had any bad coughs since I have been reading here. Don't think I would want arbuterol now, either. Maybe Chemar will pop in with a natural remedy. I will make a note of it also, if she does. Thoughts are with you and your son.

 

Kim