Should I be doing more?

[Betty04]

Hi,

 

Just wondering if I should be doing more for my son. A quick summary, is that for the past 6 months he has been doing well on Augmentin 250mg twice daily. Over a week ago, a child had tonsillitis in his class and he began to have an increase in eye blinking and neck movements. I immediately double his Augmentin dose to 500mg twice daily. He has been on the increased dose for 10 days and his symptoms are worsening. I did take him out of school for a couple of days but let him go last week since it was spring break and his class size was small. I figured today was the day I should be keeping him home when everyone returns with new germs from vacations! Anyway should I try some children's motrin? I was afraid to over-burden his tummy with more drugs. He is on high dose probiotics and tolerates the increase in Augmenting very well but did not want to push it. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks.

[fuelforall]

might be ok to do 875mg Augmentin twice daily.

If your child is 50 lbs or more, should be fine.

[Betty04]

might be ok to do 875mg Augmentin twice daily.

If your child is 50 lbs or more, should be fine.

 

He is only 37lbs so I am not sure about going higher?

[Betty04]

might be ok to do 875mg Augmentin twice daily.

If your child is 50 lbs or more, should be fine.

 

He is only 37lbs so I am not sure about going higher?

 

 

Well the motrin did not seem to make a difference. I gave him a dose after lunch to see. He is going to a SF Giants game tonight with his dad so maybe that will help mix things up. At least it gives me an excuse to keep him home tomorrow after a late night. But with the increase in symptoms and no reported strep at school, I don't know what to make of this increase? It definately got worse after being at school today, so if I keep him home, when do I send him back? And would he get worse from an exposure at school in such a short time period? Sorry, just venting, there are no right answers!

[3boysmom]

might be ok to do 875mg Augmentin twice daily.

If your child is 50 lbs or more, should be fine.

 

He is only 37lbs so I am not sure about going higher?

 

 

Well the motrin did not seem to make a difference. I gave him a dose after lunch to see. He is going to a SF Giants game tonight with his dad so maybe that will help mix things up. At least it gives me an excuse to keep him home tomorrow after a late night. But with the increase in symptoms and no reported strep at school, I don't know what to make of this increase? It definately got worse after being at school today, so if I keep him home, when do I send him back? And would he get worse from an exposure at school in such a short time period? Sorry, just venting, there are no right answers!

 

 

 

Having the same problem here...no one has responded to my questions yet. Watching for some helpful replies. Good luck and prayers to you.

[MomWithOCDSon]

Sorry Betty and 3BoysMom --

 

Haven't responded earlier primarily because I don't have anything very useful to offer. But as I can hear your frustration in your posts, I thought I'd at least offer some solidarity.

 

My DS is 13 and considerably physically larger than your boys, so I don't know that any of what's worked for us will necessarily work for you. He's taking 2,000 mg. of Augmentin XR daily now, and it helps tremendously. Think it may have to do with the time-release qualities of XR as compared to regular Augmentin, but the XR seems to be much kinder to his tummy, though he's on lots of probiotics, also.

 

One thing to keep in mind: the ADULT dose of Augmentin XR for something like a sinus infection is actually DOUBLE this 2,000 mg. per day, or 4,000 mg. daily. So despite the big number and the conceptual "high-dose abx" tag assigned to his dosage, it looks as though DS13's dosage is actually pretty "average." Anyway, it is making a difference.

 

We also give him quercitin and tumeric or curcumin, all of which are supposed to be anti-inflammatories, though none of them will necessarily work quickly enough to take the edge off behaviors instantaneously. Have you tried taurine, which I understand has good results for tics? We've just started using it with the idea that it may help modulate the CamKII in DS's brain, though he doesn't have any major tic behaviors (only very minor ones, like throat clearing, though that has disappeared in the last 24 hours or so, as well).

 

Betty, it seems quite likely that your son has been re-exposed, if not to strep, then potentially to something like Myco P, given the tonsillitis in his class. Little immediate help, I'm sorry, but checking with the doctor to get a fresh strep test and discuss how much of an increase in abx (or possibly a switch, even, if he's gotten a breakthrough strep infection while on the Augmentin) is advisable.

 

Best of luck to both of you and hang in there!

[Betty04]

Sorry Betty and 3BoysMom --

 

Haven't responded earlier primarily because I don't have anything very useful to offer. But as I can hear your frustration in your posts, I thought I'd at least offer some solidarity.

 

My DS is 13 and considerably physically larger than your boys, so I don't know that any of what's worked for us will necessarily work for you. He's taking 2,000 mg. of Augmentin XR daily now, and it helps tremendously. Think it may have to do with the time-release qualities of XR as compared to regular Augmentin, but the XR seems to be much kinder to his tummy, though he's on lots of probiotics, also.

 

One thing to keep in mind: the ADULT dose of Augmentin XR for something like a sinus infection is actually DOUBLE this 2,000 mg. per day, or 4,000 mg. daily. So despite the big number and the conceptual "high-dose abx" tag assigned to his dosage, it looks as though DS13's dosage is actually pretty "average." Anyway, it is making a difference.

 

We also give him quercitin and tumeric or curcumin, all of which are supposed to be anti-inflammatories, though none of them will necessarily work quickly enough to take the edge off behaviors instantaneously. Have you tried taurine, which I understand has good results for tics? We've just started using it with the idea that it may help modulate the CamKII in DS's brain, though he doesn't have any major tic behaviors (only very minor ones, like throat clearing, though that has disappeared in the last 24 hours or so, as well).

 

Betty, it seems quite likely that your son has been re-exposed, if not to strep, then potentially to something like Myco P, given the tonsillitis in his class. Little immediate help, I'm sorry, but checking with the doctor to get a fresh strep test and discuss how much of an increase in abx (or possibly a switch, even, if he's gotten a breakthrough strep infection while on the Augmentin) is advisable.

 

Best of luck to both of you and hang in there!

 

Thanks for the support! I know everyone here can relate. If things continue to worsen I will check with the doctor about increasing the dose. I could take him to the ped for a strep test but honestly he has no illness sxs, had his tonsils removed,has never tested positive on rapid or culture and has never had elevated titers. So the germ exposure at the ped office doesn't seem worth the risk?

[matis_mom]

Hi,

 

Just wondering if I should be doing more for my son. A quick summary, is that for the past 6 months he has been doing well on Augmentin 250mg twice daily. Over a week ago, a child had tonsillitis in his class and he began to have an increase in eye blinking and neck movements. I immediately double his Augmentin dose to 500mg twice daily. He has been on the increased dose for 10 days and his symptoms are worsening. I did take him out of school for a couple of days but let him go last week since it was spring break and his class size was small. I figured today was the day I should be keeping him home when everyone returns with new germs from vacations! Anyway should I try some children's motrin? I was afraid to over-burden his tummy with more drugs. He is on high dose probiotics and tolerates the increase in Augmenting very well but did not want to push it. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks.

I know I may sound like a broken record, but have you checked everyone in your household (including grown-ups!)???

[Betty04]

Hi,

 

Just wondering if I should be doing more for my son. A quick summary, is that for the past 6 months he has been doing well on Augmentin 250mg twice daily. Over a week ago, a child had tonsillitis in his class and he began to have an increase in eye blinking and neck movements. I immediately double his Augmentin dose to 500mg twice daily. He has been on the increased dose for 10 days and his symptoms are worsening. I did take him out of school for a couple of days but let him go last week since it was spring break and his class size was small. I figured today was the day I should be keeping him home when everyone returns with new germs from vacations! Anyway should I try some children's motrin? I was afraid to over-burden his tummy with more drugs. He is on high dose probiotics and tolerates the increase in Augmenting very well but did not want to push it. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks.

I know I may sound like a broken record, but have you checked everyone in your household (including grown-ups!)???

 

 

You are not sounding like a broken record. My husband and I are both negative on strep tests and cultures. The dog was on Augmentin for 10 days for an eye infection so I think she would have been cleared if she had strep. I want to get mine and my husband's titers done but don't have a doctor willing to write a script- my son's doctor says he can only order bloodwork for him. We dont have primary care doctors since we moved a year ago. Anyone know how to get titers? My DAN doc also said no because we are not the patient. Maybe I can find a primary care doctor for a check up and convince them to run my titers? Frustrating because I see this has been an issue in some families homes!

[thereishope]

If he is responding from exposure, the antibiotics won't help with that. The antibiotics will help to try to prevent him from getting sick. If you are keeping him home, you may have to do so for a week to let it run its course in the classroom.

 

As for Ibuprofen, sometimes it works for my child, sometimes it does not. You can call the ped and see what the highest dose if Ibuprofen you can give him. It may be different than what is on the label.

[Betty04]

If he is responding from exposure, the antibiotics won't help with that. The antibiotics will help to try to prevent him from getting sick. If you are keeping him home, you may have to do so for a week to let it run its course in the classroom.

 

As for Ibuprofen, sometimes it works for my child, sometimes it does not. You can call the ped and see what the highest dose if Ibuprofen you can give him. It may be different than what is on the label.

 

 

Thanks Vickie. I kept him home today since I was too anxious to let him go. The school told me that strep was reported in another class on Friday and the weekend was when things started worsening, and yesterday they significantly increased after being at school. So I think I'll keep him home this week and call on Monday to see where the strep reports are at. Though I am still frustrated that most don't report since its preschool. What am I going to do once he gets to kindergarten and has to fight off the entire elementart school's germs!

[3boysmom]

Thank you all so much!! We are all going in for culture tests...including the dog!!! Thanks for your responses! GOOD LUCK BETTY!! Prayers to you!

Edited April 14, 2010 by 3boysmom