Are You Afraid of Scarlet Fever? - Page 3

[hollytheteacher]

I had scarlet fever when I was 10 and it was AWFUL. However, I still wouldn't recommend anyone get vaxed for it.

If you catch the strep before it mutates into scarlet fever you can just prevent it from happening (antibiotics).

What happened to me was i was sick with a fever and sore throat. My mom kept calling the ped to get me an apt and they kept saying "no, we are overbooked already, besides there is some virus going around it's probably just that."

So I didn't get in to see the dr. and then that night my temp went up to 105.5. All i remember from the whole thing was that it hurt so bad to even blink. You know that really awful fever feeling where your whole body hurts just to function normally. I also had that awful rash all over my body (mostly groin and underarms though). Anyway, my mom ended up calling back in the night and telling the dr. and he told my mom to give me tylenol and a cold bath if my fever didn't go down. I guess he must have also called in the antibiotics at that point...I dunno, i was in a daze.

So long story short, scarlet fever REALLY sucks...BUT it can totally be prevented by treating the strep that you get first. My mom is still annoyed at the dr. to this day that he did not allow me to come in and be checked out. So now she is always telling me that if I feel sick or think ds is sick to do whatever it takes to be seen!

so yah, i'm not scared of it, but it does suck, but i STILL wouldn't get the vax for myself or my family.


ETA: Oh, I forgot to mention that the dr. and my elementary school had a policy that required me to stay out of school for a WHOLE WEEK even while on the antibiotics. So i was "quarantined" i guess. I remember being REALLY bummed, because we had been doing a unit on China and that Friday we were going to meet two Chinese women and they were bringing us some authentic chinese food...

lol i'm still sad about that today

[Hopesmommy]

For my six year old, yes, I'm very afraid. He has an underlying condition, though. Strep can be really dangerous for him.
I also don't believe in just letting strep run its course without abx (for children) as an adult, that's your choice, of course. If left to progress, Rheumatic fever can damage the heart.

We selectively vax here, and if there was a strep vax and I felt that it was reasonably "safe", I'd consider it for him. I don't think the general population needs a strep vaccine, though.

However, something else I've considered, doctors often treat sore throats with abx without a positive strep culture. What happens when strep becomes abx resistant?

[Maggi315]

Strep is already becoming drug resistant, it's actually becoming a big problem in the hospital. the so called "flesh eating bacteria" is actually a form of strep. My 14yo has been battling a severe ear infection which spread to cellulitis and other problems, most likely strep, not cultured.

although i am still against the vaccine, I do think more needs to be done with strep and other bacteria in general and doctors need more pressure to culture. One problem I recognize as a HCP is that cultures take a few days and sometimes the infection is spreading so fast or getting too bad to wait those few days. people can be dead with some of these drug resistant bacteria by then, especially immunocompromised elderly and children. So I am totally sympathetic to the HCP's who feel the pressure.

How's that for sitting on the fence?

[thepeach80]

I know for the kids, their rapid strep test has always come back + when they have it and it's never come back + at the lab and not in the office. AJ was admitted to the hospital at 4 mos old w/ meningitis. The problem is, it does take up to 72 hrs before they can know for sure whether it's viral (what he ended up having) or bacterial so you're started on abx ASAP b/c 3 days later it might be too late. There are times when abx w/out really knowing if they're warranted is worth the risk. I wonder how many Drs give abx to parents b/c they want them, not necessarily b/c they need them? I know my MIL still thinks abx is the cureall and I've often seen her pop a leftover pill before. She's sick now and having a hard time b/c the Dr can't just look at her and dx her and can't just give her meds w/out knowing what is wrong. I hope her appt on Friday is better.