What would you do?

[EAMom]

Is it amoxicillin or something stronger?

 

We cancelled our Thanksgiving plans in a similiar situation. I also told a friend (well her mom actuallY) of my non-pandas dd that the friend couldn't come to a slumber party at our house b/c non-pandas dd's friend had strep (would have been just over the 24 hour mark on abs.)

[EAMom]

Can you up your son's abs for a few days?

[wornoutmom]

EA mom - Ds is on 1000 mg of Biaxin a day and has been for 3 months. Don't think I could up that could I? Friend's doc didn't prescribe. Their older daughter was given a pill script yesterday but almost choked taking them so went in for the shot today. When we told our friends about our greatest fears that the one not on abx might be harboring the strep, they said - well we've still got the abx pills - lets just give them to our younger daughter too - and promptly did!. So not great docs but great friends. Who medicated their child just to protect yours? Truly brought tears to my eyes and brought on the decision to go. Still a little concerned about my youngest son. We have some left over Omnicef from Canada and thought about just starting him on that but he doesn't take pills so I'd have to break up the capsules into food - yuck. Does anyone know dosing on Omnicef for an 80 pound 11 year old? Figure if they can medicate theirs I can medicate mine? Or should I add the Omnicef to older son's Biaxin? any thoughts?

 

 

LLM- thanks for the kind words.

[TessaKrista]

It is ultimately your call. I am fearful of kids who are sick, because I don't want my son to get sick, which it appears that he has gotten sick because of their presence. Parents often don't even tell us when their children are sick. It was nice that they told you. You will have to decide whether or not the contact with the family will be close enough that it will jeapardize your son's well-being. Can you send a message to the doctor who did the work with your son, and get his/her opinion? Maybe you can check in with Dr. K via e-mail, and see what he has to say.

 

I would want to stay home out of fear. I would research it first to find out about the risk to your son and your family, and determine whether or not the risk outweighs the benefit.

 

How will your son or your family react if you do not go? Will they understand how important prevention is to your family? Is everyone on board? Some things to consider...but before you do, ensure that you have consulted with the professionals who deal with pandas. That would be my number one suggestion, and then you ultimately decide from there. It is your child's health and your family's well-being.

 

All the best!

[LNN]

For what it's worth, my sons' best friend suffered from chronic strep all last fall. We didn't find out until I met the dad at a birthday party in January after the boy had had a T&A. Never could figure out why my DS kept having vague, up/down issues all fall with no strep in the house. Then the light bulb went off. The dad felt really bad. But neither of us knew. To do it over again, I'd have taken more steps, done a better job at educating the class parents about our situations. But keep him away from this boy? No. That would have done far more damage to both boys. You need to be cautious, but you can't become a hostage.

 

So despite my first post about making a different decision than you're making, I do fully understand and support your decision. The whole family suffers from this disease. If R&R with truly good friends is what you need, and everyone is doing all they can to take preventive measures, then I agree with your attempt at balancing paranoid and stupid

[matis_mom]

Well, your friends are going to great lenghts to make this visit a go. I think you are right to go. Everyone is doing their best, you are all aware.

So, I would just add to all the cleaning and treating people, etc, just bring along something to gargle with (either colloidal silver or chlorexidine or even just salt water), and gargle a couple of times a day just to be extra safe.

 

And of course... PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

 

Have a great weekend!

[sptcmom]

I wouldn't go. Heard too many stories of not giving IVIG a chance and reexposure too soon. 24 hours is not enough for Pandas kids I feel. Its just too much of a risk. I would go if it was 4 to 6 weeks post not so soon. I understand the balancing aspect but I feel friendships can survive health priorities as they should. Either ways wish you the very very best.

Edited July 2, 2010 by sptcmom

[Stephanie2]

That is a tough call but maybe the decision comes down to the size of your wallet and if IVIG is covered!! If I paid out of pocket for one of my kid's IVIG I would not knowingly put them at risk in the time following it. I'm sure the child is not contagious anymore, but strep lives in the environment for a long time. He could get it from a doorknob or something (if it is at the child's house).

[momto2pandas]

Dr. B told us that our kids could go back to school the day after their IVIGs, and we have not restricted them at all in average-risk situations. He said that they would be protected by the IVIG and antibiotics. Needless to say, they have been around a bunch of sick kids in school, etc., though none with confirmed strep that I know of. They have been fine. We might have seen a bit of moodiness and a couple of tics for few hours when they've been around sick kids, but to me, the balance has been fine - I (and they) are willing to react a touch rarely in order to not feel too restricted. So if it were us in your case, I probably would also opt for staying elsewhere, using a lot of purell and limiting physical contact, and gathering outside - and hopefully having a great time. I know that may be an unconventional attitude here but it honestly is what we would do.

 

On the other hand, my kids get IVIG monthly now, and insurance pays for almost all of it. And their PANDAS has always been pretty mild. I do agree that the situation would be different if one had to pay out of pocket or travel, or if it was hoped to be a one-shot deal, or if one's child tended to react severely. In our case, we are never too far off from the next booster, and my kids' episodes have been more a pain in the @#$ than disabling.

[parents4eyes]

x

Edited July 17, 2010 by parents4eyes