They all have strep AGAIN!

[matis_mom]

Matias was melting down last night, so I took everyone in today. My little canary was right... three positive in the rapid, two with ear infections, and one all clear (but we'll see what the culture says). All six on Cefnidir starting today, sigh... hope it works! The doctor even swabbed the 2-month old, she is clear, thank God.

This again is looking like such an impossible battle. Back in December we treated and rechecked everyone. So i'm pretty sure it's a new infection, we probably got it from friends. At this point I get the idea, no matter what you do, we'll always be re-exposed.

Good thing is our PANDAS ds does not seem too bad off at this point, I did add Augmentin to the Zithromax until this storm passes, and that plus Advil seems to be working well. We still have a steroid script left, which for some reason I did not want to start right away. So, I will probably wait a few days and start that to un-do the damage from this latest outbreak.

 

I'd like to hear any ideas anyone has about when exactly to start the steroids, how long to keep up the Augmentin, what to do about re-exposure to friends who might not be aware they have strep, etc. It seems whatever strain is going around town is the sneaky kind, as most people report no symptoms. It's like "the silent killer"... yikes!

 

On top of everything, I pull tics out of two of my daughters yesterdays. Please, please, please God let them not get Lyme!

 

Isabel

[sf_mom]

Geez! I am so sorry.... its been our experience too that our son can determine in ADVANCE that someone in his class has strep. I'd keep up the Augmentin and Zithromax for a minimum of 14 days.... or perhaps until you can be assured the strep has cleared the household. REMEMBER to change all toothbrushes.

 

As for your little one.... hopefully, you are breast feeding? If you can, try to go two plus years it will be the best protection for her given the older kids and strep exposures.

 

-Wendy

 

Matias was melting down last night, so I took everyone in today. My little canary was right... three positive in the rapid, two with ear infections, and one all clear (but we'll see what the culture says). All six on Cefnidir starting today, sigh... hope it works! The doctor even swabbed the 2-month old, she is clear, thank God.

This again is looking like such an impossible battle. Back in December we treated and rechecked everyone. So i'm pretty sure it's a new infection, we probably got it from friends. At this point I get the idea, no matter what you do, we'll always be re-exposed.

Good thing is our PANDAS ds does not seem too bad off at this point, I did add Augmentin to the Zithromax until this storm passes, and that plus Advil seems to be working well. We still have a steroid script left, which for some reason I did not want to start right away. So, I will probably wait a few days and start that to un-do the damage from this latest outbreak.

 

I'd like to hear any ideas anyone has about when exactly to start the steroids, how long to keep up the Augmentin, what to do about re-exposure to friends who might not be aware they have strep, etc. It seems whatever strain is going around town is the sneaky kind, as most people report no symptoms. It's like "the silent killer"... yikes!

 

On top of everything, I pull tics out of two of my daughters yesterdays. Please, please, please God let them not get Lyme!

 

Isabel

[thereishope]

Oh my Gosh! I feel so bad for you. With our home, we had a "cluster" of infections. 3 infections in 6 months. Now, knock on wood, we have been strep free for a year. So, hopefully, once summer comes and school is out you will get a break and hopefully strep will not come back.

[matis_mom]

Thanks! I am hoping this does not keep happening. I am just so worried if we keep getting it we'll end up with more than one PANDAS child!

At least he is letting us know (with his symptoms) we need to get them checked. I truly would not have thought about it if it wasn't for him, no one had any symptoms. Maybe if we had waited a few days they would have, who knows, I'm not waiting to find out!

I am just thankful that the timing worked so well. If it wasn't that two of them were having pretty bad allergies, I would have just made a nurse appointment, but since we saw the doctor she checked everyone and found the ear infections.

And having them all on abx now also covers to a certain extent the two that I pulled tics from... Sometimes I feel like we need to move to an igloo in the middle of Alaska! Between strep, tics, and mosquitoes (my husband got both Lyme and West Nile Virus at the same time two years ago) the country life is not so appealing any more.

I am breastfeeding the baby and I'm thinking maybe after we are all done with the abxs I'll put everyone on the homeopathic remedy for strep.

[EAMom]

I agree with SFMom...breastfeed as long as possible!

 

I would also wait as long as possible to start the pred...I'd be worried it might decrease your son's ability to fight strep if there is active infection somewhere in the family.

 

You could try Avon Skin So Soft to help keep mosquitos away if you don't want to use deet all the time. If you do use deet, I like this product http://www.thisthatandeverything.com/Cutte..._p/dd157255.htm It's a stick so it's easy to control where you put it on...much better than a spray and works great (mosquitos absolutely love me!).

 

I also agree with Vickie...we had a "clsuter" of positives last school year, none this year. So, hopefully you're just having a string of bad luck.

Edited April 9, 2010 by EAMom

[thereishope]

Question...If you test + for strep and you are breatsfeeding, do you think it would be wise to pump and discard the milk until you get a negative test? I believe the antibodies your body will produce to eliminate strep will be passed on in the breastmilk.

 

Do we assume the mother has "good antibodies" that won't adversly affect the baby with a PANDAS sibling or do you think there's a chance the mom's antibodies would possibly activate PANDAS in the baby with a PANDAS sibling?

[Mary M]

So sorry for you. But, I am impressed that you are so attuned to your kids that you could see the behaviors and know...I hope the abx make a difference.

Mary M

[matis_mom]

Question...If you test + for strep and you are breatsfeeding, do you think it would be wise to pump and discard the milk until you get a negative test? I believe the antibodies your body will produce to eliminate strep will be passed on in the breastmilk.

 

Do we assume the mother has "good antibodies" that won't adversly affect the baby with a PANDAS sibling or do you think there's a chance the mom's antibodies would possibly activate PANDAS in the baby with a PANDAS sibling?

Those are good questions, wish I had an answer! So far I'm negative, but I'm waiting for the culture. I'm also going to ask my doc to run titers for me (I wasn't going to get into it with the nurse practitioner).