Strep Throat questions

My son and daughter stayed at my in-laws last week.

I heard that on Tuesday my daughter started coughing.
Then on Friday she woke up from her nap with a fever so my mother in law brought her to one of those CityMD places.

They "said" she has Strep Throat (I do not know if she got tested, but I assume she did) so they put her on a course of antibiotics for 10 days (amoxicillin in liquid form)

She came home on Saturday - she still had a fever on Saturday (went up to 103 ish at one point). Her fever is gone now.

My questions:
1. She never had a sore throat or rash or anything. She seemed normal except she slept for a bit more and she had a fever and a lot of coughing while sleeping. (I heard sore throat is common but coughing is not with Strep).
Does the diagnosis sound weird?

2. Does strep go away on its own without antibiotics?
She is on antibiotics, but I was just wondering for my own informational purposes.

Thanks

Re: Strep Throat questions

I don’t have kids, but I had strep a lot as a child. It was pretty bad, and I probably should have had my tonsils removed, but whatever. I’m talking 4-5 times a year.

I can remember having a really high fever (104) and not having a sore throat. It all depends on the throat culture (I’m not a doctor). I’d question the doctor a bit more.

Strep Throat questions

My kids both just had it. My older child (who is able to tell me what he is feeling) wasnt complaining of anything. He also had high fever, and at the same time allergies, post nasal drip, cough and an ear infection. The cough could be completely unrelated to the strep.
Strep could go away without medication but they do not advise that bc it could lead to rheumatic fever AND then your kid is walking around contagious for up to 3 weeks. Umm no thanks!

Re: Strep Throat questions

Symptoms of strep in children are a lot different and more subtle than in adults.
As an adult there is no mistaking the horrendous sore throat. It was excruciating for me, I couldn't even swallow my own saliva.

In children it can present as nothing more than a stomach ache with a fever, or justh a fever.

If they said she had strep at City MD that means they tested her for it with a rapid strep test.
They wouldn't diagnose or give meds without that.

Strep generally will not go away on it's own and it can progress to something worse if untreated

Re: Strep Throat questions

If you do not treat strep with a full course of antibiotics there can be other harmful complications. I would just finish up the antibiotics. I would imagine they did a strep test that was positive. Can you call them and ask?

Re: Strep Throat questions

In City MD they will test for it by swabbing her throat, they wont prescribe an antibiotic just like that. I would call them to confirm though.
Also as above poster said she should finish the 10 days of it to avoid other complications.

Re: Strep Throat questions

Also with strep the symptoms can go away rather quickly once you are on the antibiotics.
I know myself I felt better in about 24 hours and great within 48 hours. But you have to finish the course because even though the symptoms are gone, the infection is still very much active and alive in your body and if you stop the meds it will come back with a vegence

Re: Strep Throat questions

My girls have been treated for strep based on doctors examination even with a negative strep rapid test. They send out as rapid test isn't always accurate.

Strep Throat questions

My son had strep with no symptoms. My husband came down with it. He had a fever, sore throat, and was miserable. I was pregnant, so we decided to spend the co-pays and get everyone tested to be safe. I was negative. Our pediatrician looked at us like we had two heads when we asked to have our two year old, who was running around the office and clearly felt fine, tested, but wouldn't you know if came back positive.

Re: Strep Throat questions

My kids have had strep a few times. Definitely antibiotics will hell fast. Usually within 24 hours of being on meds they're back to themselves and with no fever should be noncontagious, but they need to finish their meds. Strep is bacterial and will not go away on its own. A virus goes away without meds.

My boy's symptoms are usually lethargic, headache, they throw up and fever.

Strep Throat questions

Thanks for all the replies.

I was just surprised at the 'no sore throat' thing.
Reading on the internet it said that common symptoms are sore throats and fever and coughs are rarely associated with strep throat.

I do know that when I was young (after 4th grade) I cannot remember ever going to the doctor.
My parents and I did not have medical insurance, so I must have had some bacteria sickness before and it must have cleared up on its own.

But the reason I ask is DS. He is a very picky eater and once he decides he won't do something its impossible to get him to do it.

When he was young he rarely (even now) eats, the doctor prescribed stomach medicine and he wouldn't eat it. We tried giving it straight, hiding it in food, dessert, drinks, etc - he never took it other than twice.
First time - we finally got him to drink it from a spoon straight, he threw it right up.
Second time after coaxing we got him to eat it with apple sauce then he threw it right up.

So my concern is that if he gets sick then it would be impossible to get him to take the antibiotics.

For example the other day, he wouldnt eat dinner and kept asking for Mac and Cheese. We made it and tried to hide some ground up chicken in it. (he refuses to eat meat). He wouldn't eat it until we got some that didn't have the chicken (he actually wouldn't even try it even though the chicken was not visible, not sure how he knew about it). When we tried to give him the one with chicken he just started crying.

I know some people say if he won't eat it then he doesn't eat - but he is already pretty underweight so as long as he eats - we'll take it.

Message edited 6/18/2018 3:05:53 PM.

Re: Strep Throat questions

Bacterial infections do go away on their own. The body's immune system will fight the bacteria, antibiotics just get the job done a lot faster. So instead of being sick for 2 weeks, you're feeling better in a few days.

If your son did get sick and won't take the meds, more than likely he'd eventually get better on his own (as long as he doesn't have a compromised immune system to begin with). Worse case scenario, he'd end up on an IV antibiotic.

You could always try getting the medicine down in a drink. Just ask the doctor what it can be mixed with. When I was younger my mom had a hard time with my brother taking meds. So she'd mix the medicine with a drink and pretend it was hers. She told him he wasn't allowed any of it. He was so defiant, he would drink the whole thing when she turned her back.

She'd have to do it convincingly or he'd catch on lol. Being your son knew there was chicken in the mac and cheese without tasting it, he's probably catching on to your facial expressions or he's able to smell it.

Re: Strep Throat questions

Strep throat could go away on it's own. It also could lead to rheumatic fever. It's much safer to take the antibiotic. Plus, strep throat HURTS!

Re: Strep Throat questions

Strep Throat questions

She was brought to CityMD on Friday the 15th and diagnosed with Strep.

Given a prescription for Amoxicilian - 5ml twice a day for 10 days. (took only 1 dose on Friday)
It ran out on Friday the 22nd which is strange since that is like day 7

And I read the paperwork from CityMD - NO MENTION at all about going back for a followup test.
Weird

Anyway, she seems fine now. No fever after the first weekend (so about a week with no fever now) and no coughing since last week.

Strep Throat questions

My son just had strep and there was no need for a follow up test as long as he took his full course of medication

Strep Throat questions

Strep should always be taken very seriously. There are a lot of pretty awful complications that can result from untreated strep.

Her diagnosis does not seem odd but I’m not sure how you don’t know if she was tested? I know you weren’t there but your MIL would have seen the doctor stick something down her throat.

Regardless, she should finish the course of antibiotics the doctor prescribed.

Re: Strep Throat questions

1. Yes you can have strep without the common symptoms.

2. It has to be treated with antibiotics.

Re: Strep Throat questions

Strep Throat questions

Do not mess around with strep. Dd’s Friend had it before he got treated the dad got it. The dad felt crappy but didn’t go to the Drs because he was taking care of his sick kids. Dad ended up hospitalized because the untreated strep caused toxic shock. If he so much gets a cold now he has to go to a specialist.

Re: Strep Throat questions

My DS was diagnosed with strep last week and I know it’s going around now. For my DS his main symptom was he threw up I think 4 times in one morning and was extremely tired and not himself. He never even developed a fever though...... and I was definitely surprised when my DH called to tell me the ped said if was strep. By that evening he was acting 100% himself and the next morning it was like the strep diagnosis never happened.

I think the bigger issue in your kids case is that they were being watched by someone who you don’t trust is telling the truth about a diagnosis given. Is there a reason you think your MIL isn’t being truthful over this? It seems doubtful she’d even have the resources to get antibiotics prescribed under your child’s name unless it was truly warranted.

Re: Strep Throat questions

I’ve been battling with a post-strep immune response for a long time. These complications are most common in kids and in people who don’t treat their strep. I know I’m very prone to strep throat, so I’ve always treated it, unless I maybe I have had it and didn’t know it at all. The complications are not always easy to clear up. I wouldn’t risk the complications in a child and honestly, I’ve always felt that when people don’t treat strep, they are risking people like me who catch it easily & may have complications. I’m not saying that you are a person who is refusing to treat strep but I just wanted to stress that treatment really is crucial. From what I hear, some kids don’t get throat pain with strep. Can you ask more questions about whether there really was a strep test?

Message edited 6/28/2018 2:17:40 AM.

Re: Strep Throat questions

I have to echo what was said. I used to get strep like every 3 months as a kid & always had a crazy sore throat. My kids fortunately have had it once or twice a piece only, but i was stunned because they never got a sore throat. Fever, lethargy, body pains, rash, vomiting but no sore throat.

Also a negative quick test doesn't mean anything. I had it about a year or so ago & had a negative test at my primary. Sent home with no meds & told it was post-nasal drip. 48 hours later my doc's office called saying my antibiotics would be waiting for me at CVS because the culture was positive.

A month ago I had a bad sore throat & 102 fever. Negative quick test at City MD & was diagnosed with a virus & sent off with a steroid. Fast forward less than a week & my primary sent me to the ER like NOW for emergency IV steroids & antibiotics. Turns out I had severe bacterial tonsillitis (strep was infecting my tonsils) & my tonsils were starting to close up my throat to the point that they were touching each other. A course of antibiotics cleared me up nicely. I certainly was coughing because my throat was so swollen I was choking on my own spit & coughing to clear the discomfort. The quick test was wrong again.

So in summary, kids have odd symptoms. A negative quick test means nothing. And your body may fight off the infection, but it may not. Mine certainly did not. The diagnosis sounds plausible in my experience. Definitely finish the antibiotic & I hope she feels better!

ETA: My primary & pediatrician never recommend a follow up test unless symptoms persist after the antibiotic course.

Message edited 7/1/2018 11:45:53 PM.