What would you do?

[WornOutDad]

We have fourth of July plans to visit some friends for the entire weekend. Our son is 18 days post IVIG and is on a steady course of antibiotics. The friends just called and said their daughter was diagnosed with strep yesterday and has been medicated for 24 hours and is feeling better.

 

What should we do:

 

1) Not go at all

 

2) Go but stay outside of their home

 

3) Go and stay in their home

 

Thanks

[wornoutmom]

I am a little freaked out over this decision right now. Am I being paranoid because strep is everywhere and you can't keep them in a plastic bubble? ?? Or would knowingly taking our son into a home with strep be like the stupidest thing I could ever do right now?? I was so looking forward to this weekend and now I am just kind of sick to my stomach......

[tired mom]

We have fourth of July plans to visit some friends for the entire weekend. Our son is 18 days post IVIG and is on a steady course of antibiotics. The friends just called and said their daughter was diagnosed with strep yesterday and has been medicated for 24 hours and is feeling better.

 

What should we do:

 

1) Not go at all

 

2) Go but stay outside of their home

 

3) Go and stay in their home

 

Thanks

I would not go. You and your family have been through alot and there will be many more 4th of July partys to attend in the future. Just my opinion.

[kimballot]

So sorry to hear that you have this dilemma - you needed a good weekend after all you have been through!

 

If you go you will likely question everything that happens with your son from that point on, wondering if it is strep.

 

If you do not go, you will be sad for the weekend and miss your friends and you will need to make some alternate plans with them.

 

I am not an expert on strep and my son has never had IVIG, so I cannot say for certain what I would do, but I don't think I would risk it.

 

 

 

We have fourth of July plans to visit some friends for the entire weekend. Our son is 18 days post IVIG and is on a steady course of antibiotics. The friends just called and said their daughter was diagnosed with strep yesterday and has been medicated for 24 hours and is feeling better.

 

What should we do:

 

1) Not go at all

 

2) Go but stay outside of their home

 

3) Go and stay in their home

 

Thanks

[Ellen]

WornoutDad, these kinds of decisions are always difficult, but I don't think 24 hours of medication would be enough to give me peace of mind. At 18 days post IVIG I would want to do everything possible to give the IVIG a chance to do its best work. It was nice that the friends were considerate enough to let you know. Even though it will be a disappointment, if I were in this situation, I would not go at all. I look forward to hearing about how your son does over the next couple of months.

 

Ellen

 

 

We have fourth of July plans to visit some friends for the entire weekend. Our son is 18 days post IVIG and is on a steady course of antibiotics. The friends just called and said their daughter was diagnosed with strep yesterday and has been medicated for 24 hours and is feeling better.

 

What should we do:

 

1) Not go at all

 

2) Go but stay outside of their home

 

3) Go and stay in their home

 

Thanks

[forjpj]

I don't think I would go, but I know it is a tough call. Nice of your friends to warn you!!

Sarah

[matis_mom]

We have fourth of July plans to visit some friends for the entire weekend. Our son is 18 days post IVIG and is on a steady course of antibiotics. The friends just called and said their daughter was diagnosed with strep yesterday and has been medicated for 24 hours and is feeling better.

 

What should we do:

 

1) Not go at all

 

2) Go but stay outside of their home

 

3) Go and stay in their home

 

Thanks

Oh, that's always such a tough decision! We have two families that we've been meaning to get together with and we've had to postpone over and over because of strep. I'm starting to feel like we'll loose all our friends over this! But, then I think, it's not going to be forever. One day will look back at this and see it's only just a brief period of our lives. And, if your friends are kind enough to let you know, then they will totally understand.

I think going and staying outside is probably a good alternative. But the problem is that there may be other family members carrying it/incubating it. If your friends have only the one child, I would not be too worried. If they have a whole bunch, I would probably not go, since it's hard to keep kids from close contact with each other.

[saidie10]

We have fourth of July plans to visit some friends for the entire weekend. Our son is 18 days post IVIG and is on a steady course of antibiotics. The friends just called and said their daughter was diagnosed with strep yesterday and has been medicated for 24 hours and is feeling better.

 

What should we do:

 

1) Not go at all

 

2) Go but stay outside of their home

 

3) Go and stay in their home

 

Thanks

 

so sorry you have to make this decision! i was put into a similar one a in early May and wanted to bring my kids so bad for a week to see their cousins and play all day at their grandparents but my youngest nephew tested positive for strep one day after getting to my parents. we opted to not go. it was not worth it to risk another exacerbation in my oldest son and we were confident that my youngest had just had his initial onset during a bout of strep he had just gotten over in April.

 

you guys are in a more fragile situation i would think being so class to IVIG. as hard as it would be to not live in a bubble so to say, you may want to protect him a little longer....

[wornoutmom]

See, I was actually thinking he might be more protected right now because of the IVIG? And the fact that he's been on full strength Biaxin for 3 months? Is that naive? They have one more child who may or may not be incubating it, and actually I was worrying over my other son (age 11) who is not protected by antibiotics. But then there have been plenty of times when one of my kids has had strep and the other doesn't ever get it. Right now I am leaning towards staying in a hotel room and just visiting outdoors. I really don't want to be stupid, but I also don't want to be so paranoid and overprotective I can't live life. I'm really "wornout" on the tough decisions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LNN]

I generally try to keep balance - you can't bubble wrap them. We are 14 days post-ivig and although we juggled jobs to keep him home for the past 2 weeks, next week he'll have to start camp. Sometimes it can't be helped. But in this case, with a confirmed infection, I have to agree with the others - it's not worth the risk of losing the IVIg benefits if it can be avoided.

 

The one additional comment I have is to make sure you say something to your son to explain that this isn't his fault and it isn't a forever thing. That staying home is a way to protect him while he heals. That being cautious now gives him a better chance at having a "normal" reaction to strep exposure in the future. That your hope is to go to lots of celebrations once you've beaten this thing. He wouldn't go water skiing 18 days after he broke his leg. Let him know you don't want to treat his brain with any less care than a leg. You want to make sure he doesn't feel "punished" for having Pandas.

 

I'd also try to do alternative things that make happy lasting memories. Don't just let everyone sit around. Go tubing down a river, hike, go camping in your backyard or in your basement, build a fort - things that keep him away from crowds, but make him feel involved, not isolated. Spend real quality time together. It may take some creativity, but turn it into a gift if at all possible.

[amy s]

If it were me?

 

I would have no problem with not going at all

[Doug]

I would stay home!!!!!!

after all of the money and time with having ivig

I know we can't keep out kids in a bubble

BUT you can keep them in it for a while

you need to give the brain time to heal

if he get's strep right away you will just be back in the same boat

and you need to think about if there are other kids in the home that

could have it but haven't had any signs of it yet.(untill you get there)

BUT that is just my thinking

 

Tracie

[bubbasmom]

NO WAY WOULD I GO! It is soooooo not worth it! My son had IVIG 10/28, took 6weeks to recover (mid Dec) and ended up getting strep again 2/1 and we were absolutely at square one. Had to do IVIG again, took a few weeks again, went thru all the same symptoms again. We are very clear with people ANY sickness is a deal breaker for everything. We don't even go around people with sniffles. NO WAY.

[wornoutmom]

So we called our friends back. Turns out its not confirmed strep but the doc is treating it as such (why wouldn't he do a rapid test anyway??!!). She had one dose of abx yesterday and then went in this morning and got an abx shot. They put their younger daughter on abx this morning for US! They are disinfecting their home.We are bringing vats of Purell. We are now staying at a hotel and limiting our contact with their family for another 24/48 hours. And then holding our breath and hoping for the best. This is our happy medium between paranoid and stupid. Of course, if he contracts strep, I will let you all know and will expect you all to beat me over the head saying "I told you so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[LNN]

Your friends have a doc who will put a child on abx just to protect a visitor who has Pandas? Forget about visiting them - move in with them and make their pediatrician your own!!!

 

No, we will not ever say told you so. You know your own child best and your own needs best. If this is what you have to do for balance, then never second guess yourself. None of us walks in your shoes and no stone throwing allowed.

 

Hope you have a great trip!