Did anyone else's child have diagnosis of strep in infancy?

[AmySLP]

My daughter, Allison, was diagosed with her first case of strep at 7-8 weeks old.. I remember her doctor doing the test a second time b/c this was so odd. We assumed that the strep was passed to her by someone who attended her baptism, held the week prior to the diagnosis-i felt terribly guilty for letting so many people hold her that day. But then, over the next year, she had a few more positive streps. I think I counted at least 5 before she was two years old.

 

As I had mentioned in my first post here, I believe she has PANDAS. Prophylactic ABX seem to be keeping symptoms reduced for the last few weeks. We are seeing a pediatric immunologist/infectious disease team next week and I'm curious to see what they think about these early episodes. I'm wondering if these support the whole "carrier" idea. Just wondering if anyone else's child has a similiar history?

 

Amy

[EAMom]

We'll never know...neither of our kids were even ever tested for strep until last year when we demanded it (PANDAS dd was in the hospital at the time). Both girls were positive (almost 5 years and 7.5 years).

 

IMO docs don't test infants and young toddlers for strep so a lot of cases likely go undiagnosed.

 

PANDAS kids are supposed to get strep easier than other children.

 

Our younger dd is a strep carrier and I think our PANDAS dd is as well.

[michele]

Wow seven months is so young to get strep! I had a hard time getting a strep test from Dr's on my son at one year old. That is when he had his first strep infection. My daughter who was five was having repeat strep infections back then before her tonsils were removed. He must have picked it up from her. He began chorea finger piano playing movements and eye blinking right away. The fevers were high also 104 degrees. He became very fussy and hard to console and wouldn't eat well. His symptoms lasted for about six weeks. Then in about a month he had two ear infections back to back and the same symptoms returned. After that everytime he got sick he had a repeat flair up with the same symptoms that would last about two months. Then at age four with a flu shot and immunizations he got much worse. It was at that time the compulsions and ADHD started too. The tics grew worse and he had major temper issues and fears of falling asleep and being left. Plus the urinary frequency started too. We sought out neurologist and immunolgists early on, at age 1, but all wanted to wait and see. It was a hard thing to do.

 

Things have gotten worse as he aged though. Now at age seven he has been on prophylaxis for two years. I wish we would have done it sooner like you have. They never suggested it even though we sought many Dr's opinions. I think the repeat PANDAS episodes might have left some damage to his basal ganglia. Now he is having some learning and attention issues plus mood swings and tics and compulsions most of the time. It is harder now to pinpoint an illness or something that brings it on. If you want to talk more I'd be happy to share with you. I can remember being so desperate for help and answers in the younger years. The behaviors just seem to wax and wane like toureetes does. However, maybe this was just because he was going to have tourettes genetically anyway. We have now added some other meds too for the symptoms. I guess we will never know what brought it all on.

 

Your in my prayers.

Michele

My daughter, Allison, was diagosed with her first case of strep at 7-8 weeks old.. I remember her doctor doing the test a second time b/c this was so odd. We assumed that the strep was passed to her by someone who attended her baptism, held the week prior to the diagnosis-i felt terribly guilty for letting so many people hold her that day. But then, over the next year, she had a few more positive streps. I think I counted at least 5 before she was two years old.

 

As I had mentioned in my first post here, I believe she has PANDAS. Prophylactic ABX seem to be keeping symptoms reduced for the last few weeks. We are seeing a pediatric immunologist/infectious disease team next week and I'm curious to see what they think about these early episodes. I'm wondering if these support the whole "carrier" idea. Just wondering if anyone else's child has a similiar history?

 

Amy

[colleenrn]

No, But more than one doctor "assured" me that it is almost impossible for a child under the age of 2 to get strep, which is NOT TRUE. I know that my 3rd child had it before the age of two, but I am pretty sure, based on physical symptoms, my older children had it by age two, but FIRST culture was not until age 5 on my daughter.

[browneyesmom]

How can they make such a claim, when their immune systems are not even developed until they are about 2? Surely, one would think this would make them MORE susceptible, not less!

 

No, But more than one doctor "assured" me that it is almost impossible for a child under the age of 2 to get strep, which is NOT TRUE. I know that my 3rd child had it before the age of two, but I am pretty sure, based on physical symptoms, my older children had it by age two, but FIRST culture was not until age 5 on my daughter.