What To Expect With Latimer?

[Stephanie2]

I have heard that she will want to do the Cunningham test (we already have several positive throat cultures and we will probably have the whole family cultured by then as well), but what else should I expect? I guess I am specifically wondering if she will set us up with the proper abx (with the proper dose and duration). I mean, I already know that my son is a great responder to abx therapy, but I don't think he has been given the proper dose for a long enough time. EVERY time he goes off, the symptoms come raging back.

 

I am pretty desperate for the proper abx ASAP! Will she come through on the first appt or will she make me wait until Cunningham? Also, what is her usual first-line abx and for how long?

 

Also, I am in Florida and our first appt is by phone. Do I need to go see her in MD at some point?

 

Thanks,

Stephanie

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[dee45]

Hi,

we saw her in August, she does a very thorough history and physical exam. She does like to have the Cunningham test done we did not. my son was already on antibiotics pen-v-k 250mg twice a day she does not like to jump to the bug guns i.e zithromax my son was not so bad at the time but I know for some she has started steroids right away in our case she wanted the blood drawn for the Cunningham test prior to steroids so that the results would not be skewed. hope this helps. she wanted him to stay on the pcn which we are still doing.

 

Deanna

[lss]

Stephanie,

 

Where in Florida are you? I may have some doctors for you. I don't think Dr. Latimer wil prescribe antibiotics over the phone without seeing your child first. We saw her back in August, then set up PEX for early in Sept. My son however, was already on antibiotics from a dr. here in Dallas.

 

Linda

[mom md]

We had drawn the Cunningham test but did not have the results when we went. She offered us steroids, IVIG, or PEX. Before that though she went through our history and EVERY thing I brought (even private school testing). I let her know I was ready to be aggressive and she was very receptive. Good luck!

[Stephanie2]

Hi Linda, I am on the south east coast (miami/broward/palm beach), but am willing to travel...would love some names.

 

Stephanie

 

Stephanie,

 

Where in Florida are you? I may have some doctors for you. I don't think Dr. Latimer wil prescribe antibiotics over the phone without seeing your child first. We saw her back in August, then set up PEX for early in Sept. My son however, was already on antibiotics from a dr. here in Dallas.

 

Linda

[lss]

Stephani,

 

I have sent you a pm.

[Kayanne]

We took our dd6 to her on June 5th. Also with us, she went through the history, did a physical exam, spent time looking at my dd's kindergarden journals of before and what was current at the time.

 

She felt that steroids were our current option because our case was not severe enough. She did say, however, that if she was not recovered by the month's end then we would need to consider PEX or IVIG.

 

I asked her about the cunningham blood test, and she said that it wasn't necessary (our dd's case was very uncomplicated), but if we wanted to do it, then we would have to postpone treatment with the prednisone. That was not an option for us. She told us then that if there is another episode, then it is something we should do.

 

I think there are some guidlines regarding prescribing medications only for your patients, so I'm not sure if a phone consult qualifies...

 

I can't really say if she has a specific antibiotic protocol. From reading this forum, I've gotten the impression that she does consider each case individually, so I think if you make a good case for full strength antibiotics, she will consider what you have to say.

 

Good Luck,

Karen

[bronxmom2]

I think if you work with her via phone consults only, you will need to have a very good pediatrician who will read her report and implement her recommendations (antibiotics, prednisone, etc.)-- but most of us don't have that, which is why we're reaching out to her in the first place.

 

My feeling is that she's not a big believer in antibiotic therapy-- she's more interested in the steroids/PEX/IVIG side of it.