Strep in the classroom

[SSS]

Yep, I posted last week about keeping dd out of school, and I did on Friday, but we've had a very nice turnaround, and she has wanted to go- Monday/today Tuesday.

Just got a call from the teacher tonight: 2 kids have confirmed strep. Both have been out of school this week (Mon./Tues.)

Glad we were not there Friday.

We are on daily Azith. 200 mg. (although I skipped Monday) she weighs 40 pounds. We are also on Vancomycin 3x a day for the first time, I believe this is part of our recent turn around.

So, a lot of current antiobiotics, probiotics, and anti-fungal going on. Not thrilled with the prospect of upping the Azith.

WWYD?

Thank you for any replies-

[AmySLP]

I would speak to the principal and ensure the janitorial staff spend extra time in that classroom-for instance in my daughter's school they only wipe surfaces 1x/week. After talking with the principal and head custodian, her classroom gets surfaces wiped daily. Also, no use of water fountains at school (or anywhere for that matter!) I've also trained my daughter to use hand sanitizer everywhere-lunchbox, bookbag. Her teacher enforces this with all the kids after handwashing b/c of touching the faucet. These are simple things and some may feel they are a bit overboard, but I have to say, I get far fewer strep notices than I did last year before we put this into place.

 

Amy

Edited March 30, 2011 by AmySLP

[SSS]

Thanks Amy--there is hand santizer there, but the classroom is NOT clean- all the schools lacking money.

Thanks for the reminder about the drinking fountain!

I am so paranoid, I swear MY throat is starting to hurt. I spend 20 minutes in that class every day, up close and personal, helping the kids, they read out loud to me.

It is amazing my dd does not have germ OCD, because, I do now. And I'm having a hard time keeping quiet about it.

Ugh, ugh, ugh.

If she gets strep throat now (so soon after IVIG) I think I'll stab myself.

The teacher said the 2 with confirmed strep have been out both days this week, but today, I noticed there were a LOT of kids out today.

Edited March 30, 2011 by S & S

[airial95]

Did you notice an increase in her symptoms last week before you kept her out of class?? We've noticed a very significant pattern with my son that his symptoms see a rapid spike for about 3-4 days just when exposed. The thing is, he reacts before anyone in the class even has a physical symptom. (Our Dr. says that this is because the body can be exposed to the bacteria for 2-3 days before any physical symptoms appear, but the immune system begins to react immediately upon exposure - hence our ramp up in symptoms.)

 

If it's just exposure, his symptoms usually start to abate by day 4, and within a week or so after that he's back where he was before the exposure.

[dcmom]

So sorry you are going through this, I completely understand the stress.

 

Aside from taking the typical precautions, no water fountains, no sharing food/drinks, etc, you have to know you really cannot prevent your child from illness exposure. Since I have a daughter with ocd contamiation/ germ issues (when in an episode) I am very careful to let them just be kids. The best protection you have are the antibiotics.

 

That being said, since your daughter is so soon after ivig and still healing- I would not hesitate to pull her out if there is a lot of illness. Last year, my first graders class could not get rid of strep, they passed it to every student except her and one other, and some had it twice. She definitely reacted to the exposure, and after having the fourth child diagnosed in two weeks, I pulled her out of class for a full week. She was not happy, but thankfully the teacher understood. She had plasmapheresis, and I didn't want to mess it up.

[SSS]

Did you notice an increase in her symptoms last week before you kept her out of class?? We've noticed a very significant pattern with my son that his symptoms see a rapid spike for about 3-4 days just when exposed. The thing is, he reacts before anyone in the class even has a physical symptom. (Our Dr. says that this is because the body can be exposed to the bacteria for 2-3 days before any physical symptoms appear, but the immune system begins to react immediately upon exposure - hence our ramp up in symptoms.)

 

If it's just exposure, his symptoms usually start to abate by day 4, and within a week or so after that he's back where he was before the exposure.

 

 

It is hard to say, we have had an unusual last 30 days- HD-IVIG, and then our rage/tourette breakdowns did not abate- went on Vancomycin for the first time a week ago, and the last 4 days have been stellar- no rages, she has been happier. We have severe clothing OCD, frankly, I don't see that ever abating, it is so ingrained. Ordered some books (the 'What to do' OCD and anxiety ones) will try and read those with her in the upcoming future when they arrive.

Last night a little intrusive thoughts before bedtime- I was able to re-direct/she fell asleep.

I am keeping her out the rest of the week. Praying this strep exposure won't affect us.

((thank you))

[airial95]

I think keeping her out considering what she's been through is probably a good idea, although, we do take a similar approach to dc mom and try to let our son be as normal as possible, knowing we can't keep him in a bubble (although I'd love to try!!!)

 

I don't remember how old your daughter is, but we've had some problems with the residual OCD after all of the other symptoms have cleare as well. We're doing CBT/ERP for it, and it's working very well for us. Our son is only 3 1/2, and the way it's been explaing to us by various Dr's and therapists is that in younger kids, OCD can become a learned behavior. They may no longer feel the actual compulsion to do certain things, but since that's the way they've always done thing, that becomes their "normal".

 

The books have helped us a little, but I think my guy is still to young for some of them. His therapist has been great though, and we've even created the "Miss Jesse Rules" for when he gets stuck, we remind him of what Miss Jesse says and he eventually complies (begrudingly usually) because he wants to make Miss Jesse happy and proud.

 

We had therapy yesterday, and after two very bad sessions, on our way in he told me matter of factly that he wasn't going to be bad today, he was going to make Miss Jesse happy and have only 2 donuts for snack because that would make her smile. (we're working on not having to have all of our food come in 3's). And true to his word, he was an angel!!

 

It's something you might want to consider as she gets better. I don't think we would've started it in the midst of the chaos, but we kept it up during a recent strep infection and it did make things go "smoother" until the worst was over.

[dcmom]

I agree with arial.

 

My younger daughter has major clothing sensitivities/ocd. What I have seen, is that when the ocd comes on full force, almost overnight- it is truly a panic. At that point, we only try to function at a very basic lever; eat, sleep, stay calm, find some joy in the day. With treatment, things do start to improve. As our kids improve, we slowly raise the bar. The clothing issues take time for us, but my daughter can get over most of them. When she is comfortable in her own skin, and generally happy in life again, we start talking about the clothing issues. We do the workbook "What to do when your brain gets stuck". She first did that at 5, and it is amazing how she internalized the info. She can clearly identify ocd, and make her own plans on how to work on it. We did see a great therapist for a while who helped, also.

 

I think it is a very careful balance as to what to push them to do, if you push too hard, it increases the panic and backfires. When you get her well, you will see progress in the clothing department.