Who wants to play doctor?

[faith]

My son has a little cold, hes been stuffy for tow days now. I've been looking in his throat and asking him if his throat hurt. he's been saying no. today after school I look with a flashlight and oh! a little patch of red dots. I know thats what it looked like when the ped showed me it a couple years ago (the only confirmed time he had it and was treated with abx). The office was closed when I called so I will go in tomorrow.

 

But here is the confusing part. if it is strep, why doesn't he have a sore throat? I feel that the ped will pretty definitely think it is strep (actually, really good timing here, since I wanted to get abx as a trial but was afraid to ask, lol). Anyhow, imagine if he takes a swab and it comes out negative? could that happen?

 

The other part is that I have always noted (and we have discussed this on the TS board) that when my son is sick (which is rare anyway), his tic symptoms seem to settle down during the illness, (and others noted this too.. not talking about strep per se, but just being sick in general) but these times it was either a cold or a 24 hr. virus with nausea and vomiting and maybe a little fever. In those past times, however, I would worry that being ill would cause a flair of his tics, I looked for it but didn't see it. But what I didn't really do was KEEP looking. From all your experiences, do your kids increase symptoms AT THE TIME of illness, or BEFORE or AFTER? could it be even like a month later that tics or other symptoms flair? We've had alot of waxing times, but I guess if they were a month or so after being sick, I probably didn't think it was related. But now I'm wondering what will happen. I will go in tomorrow and see. I'll post afer that here.

 

Right now his symptoms have been a vocal sound that is pretty loud, and some head turning/shaking. This has been going on all summer. This past week, I actually felt like his vocal was at least going quiet for longer intervals, and the head shake was softer (was this due to his getting sniffly and now having a cold?) but today I think the head stuff was going a little more. I know he tries to not let me see when he's really stretching it. he's not 'acting up', no other wierd behavior, but his usual irritability and the separation anxiety (if he hears the front door open and I go out to do something, he follows me, or won't go upstairs to his room unless I go too).

 

Thanks for any insight.

 

Faith

[Stephanie2]

My son has had a positive throat swab when he didn't have a sore throat (but he did have a swollen lymph node in his neck and a fever). Also, the throat swab could come back negative and then you would need to ask the doctor to do a throat culture (72 hour culture).

 

BTW, my son gets a stomach flu 2-4 weeks before getting strep throat - EVERY TIME! I have never understood it! Anyway, he is usually great during the time of the flu/fever and then his symptoms act up for a few days...then they go away until he gets the full-blown strep. Very weird pattern...

 

Stephanie

 

My son has a little cold, hes been stuffy for tow days now. I've been looking in his throat and asking him if his throat hurt. he's been saying no. today after school I look with a flashlight and oh! a little patch of red dots. I know thats what it looked like when the ped showed me it a couple years ago (the only confirmed time he had it and was treated with abx). The office was closed when I called so I will go in tomorrow.

 

But here is the confusing part. if it is strep, why doesn't he have a sore throat? I feel that the ped will pretty definitely think it is strep (actually, really good timing here, since I wanted to get abx as a trial but was afraid to ask, lol). Anyhow, imagine if he takes a swab and it comes out negative? could that happen?

[KeithandElizabeth]

Stephanie:

 

Could this mean that he has strep in his gut as well? I know some people get a stomach ache with strep, but the stomach flu seems a bit different.

 

Elizabeth

[ilovedogs]

Hi Faith,

When ds had strep 2 years ago he was sick really quick and was diagnosed that afternoon. It started with a headache, progressed to vomiting, and then a sore throat ending with a 104 degree fever at the docs office. He tics like crazy when he has a fever, too. When he has a cold I don't see a change in his tics or anything. Let us know how it goes if you go to the doc's office!

 

Bonnie

[monarchcat]

The other part is that I have always noted (and we have discussed this on the TS board) that when my son is sick (which is rare anyway), his tic symptoms seem to settle down during the illness, (and others noted this too.. not talking about strep per se, but just being sick in general) but these times it was either a cold or a 24 hr. virus with nausea and vomiting and maybe a little fever.

 

My son's tics definitely quiet down when he is actively sick. They don't really change with a mild cold, but with strep, a fever, or a virus with fever, nausea, etc. they will be pretty much gone for a day or so if he really feels lousy.

 

In fact, the one really truly "Aha! It's PANDAS"! episode where he got sudden severe tics right before coming down with strep, I noticed the tics stopped while he was really ill (several days after the tics started) then they started up again after he was feeling better.

[thereishope]

What does strep look like?

 

In my kids, strep looks like a healthy throat, no swelling,no spots, no streaks, no fever, and w/ my 2 non PANDAS kids...you have smile and laughs while taking them to the dr to get swabbed. My PANDAS son only symptoms are his PANDAS symptoms.

[Suzan]

Hi, if you have not gone in yet, I was going to also suggest you indicate that he has had sinus infection symptoms for a few weeks so even if the strep test comes back negative, maybe he would be more willing to put him on antibiotics.

 

HUGS and I do hope it's not strep but I do hope you get the antibiotics!

 

Susan

[bubbasmom]

Hate to tell you but NONE of my kids ever get classic symptoms. My one with PANDAS hardly gets symptoms at all. Usually the belly thing, a lot of lymph node thing, NEVER a fever. If you are worried about PANDAS take him! Also, I don't know what Walgreen's is like where you live but they have a clinic open 8-8 and they will do a complete culture for you and if its positive they will send it to your pediatrician. I've used them several times.

 

 

My son has a little cold, hes been stuffy for tow days now. I've been looking in his throat and asking him if his throat hurt. he's been saying no. today after school I look with a flashlight and oh! a little patch of red dots. I know thats what it looked like when the ped showed me it a couple years ago (the only confirmed time he had it and was treated with abx). The office was closed when I called so I will go in tomorrow.

 

But here is the confusing part. if it is strep, why doesn't he have a sore throat? I feel that the ped will pretty definitely think it is strep (actually, really good timing here, since I wanted to get abx as a trial but was afraid to ask, lol). Anyhow, imagine if he takes a swab and it comes out negative? could that happen?

 

The other part is that I have always noted (and we have discussed this on the TS board) that when my son is sick (which is rare anyway), his tic symptoms seem to settle down during the illness, (and others noted this too.. not talking about strep per se, but just being sick in general) but these times it was either a cold or a 24 hr. virus with nausea and vomiting and maybe a little fever. In those past times, however, I would worry that being ill would cause a flair of his tics, I looked for it but didn't see it. But what I didn't really do was KEEP looking. From all your experiences, do your kids increase symptoms AT THE TIME of illness, or BEFORE or AFTER? could it be even like a month later that tics or other symptoms flair? We've had alot of waxing times, but I guess if they were a month or so after being sick, I probably didn't think it was related. But now I'm wondering what will happen. I will go in tomorrow and see. I'll post afer that here.

 

Right now his symptoms have been a vocal sound that is pretty loud, and some head turning/shaking. This has been going on all summer. This past week, I actually felt like his vocal was at least going quiet for longer intervals, and the head shake was softer (was this due to his getting sniffly and now having a cold?) but today I think the head stuff was going a little more. I know he tries to not let me see when he's really stretching it. he's not 'acting up', no other wierd behavior, but his usual irritability and the separation anxiety (if he hears the front door open and I go out to do something, he follows me, or won't go upstairs to his room unless I go too).

 

Thanks for any insight.

 

Faith

[KeithandElizabeth]

So, why do our kids usually not have typical strep throat symptoms? To me, this shows a problem with your immune system because a healthy immune system will tell you when you are sick with a fever, etc..... So, do our kids not show symptoms because their antibodies are not attacking the strep invasion?

 

Elizabeth

[Suzan]

So, why do our kids usually not have typical strep throat symptoms? To me, this shows a problem with your immune system because a healthy immune system will tell you when you are sick with a fever, etc..... So, do our kids not show symptoms because their antibodies are not attacking the strep invasion?

 

Elizabeth

 

I've wondered this so often! We don't have classic strep infections here either....

 

susan

[faith]

thanks for your replies. I'm going in at 11:30 this morning, so I'll let you all know what happens.

 

he still says his throat doesn't hurt, if I didn't see this patch on the back of his throat, I would NOT be one to go to the doctor for just a cold. And I'll mention again, my son's bad tic for the better part of the summer has been a shrilly vocal tic, (altho he has had vocals of other type sounds for a few years which wax and wane) and the past few days he has been quieter by I'd say 60% or better (that is a big difference from the every 5 seconds he had displayed in the past).... he is eating breakfast right now and I havn't heard a sound. altho I do see head movements.

 

maybe illness 'depresses' the immune system for a bit and everything kind of slows down for a bit? but then....boom, sort of like the calm before the storm? maybe the antibiodies are trying to fight the illness for a bit, and maybe they are succeeding for a bit, but THEN, they start going awry, and that's when they start erroneously attacking the basal ganglia. maybe they need a little time to get there. ..... ... you know, I'm likin my theory!, lol..........

 

Faith

[faith]

...The Plot Thickens............

 

okay, I'm back from the ped. Let me first just reiterate again, my son has a little patch of red rash dots on the back of throat, its there, I'm not seeing things. the doctor saw it too. maybe its not all over his throat, but that little cluster is there and he did say upon examining him that his throat looks red.

 

okay, so we do a rapid and a culture. the rapid is...........negative....

 

see what I mean? how weird is that.

 

Well the good news is that gave me the abx anyway, he usually just gives it and would rather treat right away in case the culture comes back positive. AND I got him to give me 2 refulls.

 

Even tho he could see my son was ticcing in the office, and he is aware that we previously talked about PANDAS (altho I am not naive enough to believe he knows my son's history without being reminded, I am not there that ofen), he did make a point to tell me that there are LOTS of neurologists out there who do not buy into this, and that right now its just a theory. He did go on to say that if you see a pattern where the child gets strep and he gets better on abx, then great, but if he gets better once and not the rest of the times, then its probably a coincidence. I tried to tell him that some have found that they need higher strenghths and longer term but I could see he had his own ideas about it and was saying how some docs think they should be on abx for 60 days and bla bla bla, and how tht's not good, you could get yeast infection, bla bla bla, .... you get the picture. I just listened intently and kept saying "Oh I know, I understand"...... To top it off, he mentioned that he had two patients who had the same thing (tics I guess) and they did get better on the abx. but with that, does he act like he's interested in the whole premise? doubt it. I can see that he is only in the box that thinks that if one has a corrrelation and history of strept and tics, and the abx works, lovely. done. if not, then its something else. See, that's what tics me off, the doctors who read the memo only know minimal about it, not the whole picture. oh well.

 

Well I got my Augmentin so I'm going to start giving tonite. (and good thing I checked, because the pharmacist did not put the refills on the bottle, I had to remind him there were 2 refills.....Do I have to watch everyone like a hawk???.... )

 

Also, there is no question that this kid is INCREDIBLY acting up and irritable, even as I am typing this, he is going on and on and carrying on about wanting to call a friend, and he just wacked me on my behind with a wooden spoon. he has been driving me nuts since before we left the house, won't sit still or be quiet, keeps carrying on about everything. Now this is not really new stuff here mind you, but I am now beginning to broaden my scope and recognizing that he may well indeed have all the sypmtoms you all have talked about, but that I have just gotten used to as "him".

 

Another weird thing is he keeps making this groaning sound like someone does when something like a fly is buzzing around them and annoying them, I asked him in the car what it was about (in the store he kept saying it was because his pants kept coming up over his shoe and it was bothering him), and now he told me that was true, but when he goes "Uggh" (something like that), he didn't want to tell me, but he said it was because he keeps thinking about someone sucking in their breath and he pictures someone pushing on the person's chest and it like breaks, and its disgusting"..... so he keeps thinking of this thought over and over? holy moly, now he's got obssessive thoughts?......

 

thanks for listening. I guess I just need validation that I am on the right path and better not let anyone push me off the train again.

 

Faith

[bubbasmom]

Just ALWAYS insist on it being sent off for 48 hour culture. My 10 yr old (not the one with PANDAS) just had a negative rapid and positive culture last Sunday we got the call. Also, do you know there are different kinds of strep just like different kinds of flu. There is strep A,B,and C. (So I'm told) Rapid only tests A.

 

...The Plot Thickens............

 

okay, I'm back from the ped. Let me first just reiterate again, my son has a little patch of red rash dots on the back of throat, its there, I'm not seeing things. the doctor saw it too. maybe its not all over his throat, but that little cluster is there and he did say upon examining him that his throat looks red.

 

okay, so we do a rapid and a culture. the rapid is...........negative....

 

see what I mean? how weird is that.

 

Well the good news is that gave me the abx anyway, he usually just gives it and would rather treat right away in case the culture comes back positive. AND I got him to give me 2 refulls.

 

Even tho he could see my son was ticcing in the office, and he is aware that we previously talked about PANDAS (altho I am not naive enough to believe he knows my son's history without being reminded, I am not there that ofen), he did make a point to tell me that there are LOTS of neurologists out there who do not buy into this, and that right now its just a theory. He did go on to say that if you see a pattern where the child gets strep and he gets better on abx, then great, but if he gets better once and not the rest of the times, then its probably a coincidence. I tried to tell him that some have found that they need higher strenghths and longer term but I could see he had his own ideas about it and was saying how some docs think they should be on abx for 60 days and bla bla bla, and how tht's not good, you could get yeast infection, bla bla bla, .... you get the picture. I just listened intently and kept saying "Oh I know, I understand"...... To top it off, he mentioned that he had two patients who had the same thing (tics I guess) and they did get better on the abx. but with that, does he act like he's interested in the whole premise? doubt it. I can see that he is only in the box that thinks that if one has a corrrelation and history of strept and tics, and the abx works, lovely. done. if not, then its something else. See, that's what tics me off, the doctors who read the memo only know minimal about it, not the whole picture. oh well.

 

Well I got my Augmentin so I'm going to start giving tonite. (and good thing I checked, because the pharmacist did not put the refills on the bottle, I had to remind him there were 2 refills.....Do I have to watch everyone like a hawk???.... )

 

Also, there is no question that this kid is INCREDIBLY acting up and irritable, even as I am typing this, he is going on and on and carrying on about wanting to call a friend, and he just wacked me on my behind with a wooden spoon. he has been driving me nuts since before we left the house, won't sit still or be quiet, keeps carrying on about everything. Now this is not really new stuff here mind you, but I am now beginning to broaden my scope and recognizing that he may well indeed have all the sypmtoms you all have talked about, but that I have just gotten used to as "him".

 

Another weird thing is he keeps making this groaning sound like someone does when something like a fly is buzzing around them and annoying them, I asked him in the car what it was about (in the store he kept saying it was because his pants kept coming up over his shoe and it was bothering him), and now he told me that was true, but when he goes "Uggh" (something like that), he didn't want to tell me, but he said it was because he keeps thinking about someone sucking in their breath and he pictures someone pushing on the person's chest and it like breaks, and its disgusting"..... so he keeps thinking of this thought over and over? holy moly, now he's got obssessive thoughts?......

 

thanks for listening. I guess I just need validation that I am on the right path and better not let anyone push me off the train again.

 

Faith

[faith]

I'm trying to figure out what dose of Augmentin I have here. it says Amox TR K CLV 400-57/5 susp.

 

does the 400 mean 400 mgs.? I'm guessing the 57 means the amount of clav? and the 5 means per 5 ml. which is 1 tsp? the dose says 1 1/4 tsp, twice daily. Am I correct in thinking he will be getting the 400 mgs. twice daily (actually a little over it with the 1 1/4 tsp., so basically adds to 1000 mgs. daily?)

lol, I kept saying while he was writing the rx, "give me the highest dose for his weight"......

 

 

thanks

Faith

[colleenrn]

Faith,

Yes it is 400 of Amox and 57 of pot. clav. How much does yor son weigh?

 

Colleen