Strep ?

[MyTwoCherries]

5 year old son started with what we thought was a cold/flu Friday night. Had a fever Saturday/Sunday, seemed to clear Sunday night. Yesterday was tired, but playing fine, etc. Last night fever came back and he was miserable.

I took him into the pediatrician this morning for a check and he's positive for Strep through a throat swab. He was prescribed and antibiotic. We've never had strep in the past and ds hasn't taken an antibiotic recently, he's been healthy.

After the pedi. getting on me a bit for bringing him in too slowly (really?) he told me that our younger kids, daughter (3) and baby (9 months), need to be on antibiotics as well, 10 days prescription. Neither child has had a fever or been sick . . .

I'm sure it's just preventative, but do we really need to do the medication for them? Is it common for younger kids to also get it? Can I wait until they show symptoms?

I ask because the 9 mo. had his first antibiotic a few months ago and had terrible diarrhea, he was miserable and it was awful. I feel like making him go through that as a preventative is not worth it? unless he really has been exposed and needs it?

Help . . .

Pedi also lectured us on being in to see him for flu tests (since we don't do flu shots) with fevers within 24 hours . . . blah. Maybe it was just an off day for our pedi. but I was really bummed w/ him. :(  I wish I could find a more natural doctor. :( I don't have a problem with medications, but don't want to jump on them just because.

[zebra15]

As someone who just went thru streph w my ds a couple months ago I definately would get the little ones checked.  My sons streph went from streph to scarlet fever and he is still recovering from that. (skin and nail problems).  We ended up in the ER for several reasons and that was just a horrible week for everyone.  So YES get your other 2 kids tested and its very possible the baby was allergic to the abx you were given, ask for a different brand for her.  Streph is something you don't want to mess around wtih.  I'm not trying to scare you but it was just awful for me  (and I'm an abx type of person)

[la mamita]

I've never heard of doing preventative antibiotics for other members of the family with strep, but I would get them tested for strep to see if they are coming down with it. I have had strep twice this year and no one else in my family caught it, nor did my doc recommend preventative antibiotics...

[sbgrace]

I, too, haven't heard of family members treated "in case" essentially. Young kids are less susceptible than your oldest as far as I understand.

If you will do probiotics a few hours after each dose of antibiotic (culturelle is a good one) you will have less chance of the stool issues antibiotics can bring. The antibiotic kills off all the good bacteria and then the bad ones can take over and cause those symptoms.

Your pediatrician seems a little reactive to me? Is he always like that? Most kids for example will have no issues with flu and most doctors wouldn't want to see a child on day two of an illness. I'm wondering what's behind the pediatrician's response essentially as it's very different than the pediatricians I've encountered (which is, for various reasons, four at this point). . Is he super uncomfortable with your vax status perhaps?