decreasing response to strep?

[Crunchfly]

In past years, my son has always had typical strep symptoms...headache, stomachache, sore throat, fever. When we started down this PANDAS slope this year with recurring /chronic strep, I have noticed that his strep symptoms are less and less each time. The last time he had strep, he did not get a fever, but had a headache, sore throat and stomach ache. When he tested positive again last week, he only had a headache and his fever never went above 100. If his tics hadn't increased the day of the headache I would never have even checked his temp.

 

Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon with recurring strep?

 

I'm afraid he will eventually have no symptoms when he has strep, which would make catching it so much more difficult.

[airial95]

Once both of my children were dx with PANDAS - neither of them have gotten typical strep symptoms since. No fevers, headaches, tummy aches - nothing. Once, my daughter said her throat was itchy (and she was positive) - but that's about it. Only way we know it's strep is the increase in behaviors. My son has a few solid "tells" (ie wetting the bed = positive for strep every time), my daughter is a bit more subtle.

[JPdad]

My DS has only ever had strep twice that we know of. The first time was before PANDAS, and he was 3. He had an awful sore throat, high fever, and was miserable for 3 days but had no PANDAS symptoms. The second time he got strep he had no sore throat, fever, or any other symptoms. Instead he developed tics, OCD, and hyperactivity. That was the beginning of his PANS journey.

 

I wonder if it is different strains of strep that might be responsible for the PANDAS reaction.

[mommybee]

My child has never had a positive strep test. He gets sore throats. He gets fever. He feels awful, but the culture always comes back negative. We treat and he gets better. Only weeks later when we'd run the blood work,do we know for sure whether it was strep or not.

Edited June 7, 2013 by mommybee

[peglem]

We ended up just checking for strep whenever behavioral symptoms began to flare...+ everytime. We also checked when she was doing relatively well and got neg. results. We don't even check for strep anymore though- just treat when behaviors flare.

[Mayzoo]

Only symptoms we get now are the behavioural issues and vocal tic.