Strep A

Author
Discussion

fourstardan

Original Poster:

5,014 posts

151 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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I've got a two year old and this is scaring the bejesus out of me.

Do we restrict what he does in terms of Nursery, Swimming, Days out with other kids OR just keep going until the government step in?


Taita

7,724 posts

210 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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8 kids out of how many million?

Very sad, but keep some perspective.

Peanut Gallery

2,523 posts

117 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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Please just check your child, if happy, eating, drinking and playing, all good. Temperatures happen, but if your child stops eating and drinking then jump about.

Not to be ignoring it, but roads take 5 people a day and injure 84. (latest numbers from brake.org - sorry!)

I am a dad of a 5 and a 2 year old, with LOTS of bugs going around (and they are very generous and give them to me) - please do not worry, but trust your instinct.

HughG

3,612 posts

248 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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We have 5 and 6 year olds. The younger was ill last week, off her food, temperature, lethargic - after 3 days off to the docs and given antibiotics which perked her up within 24hrs - that was Tuesday - but still needed to rest up the remainder of the week to recover. Not sure if it was strep, possibly.

Now the boy has similar, still eating, higher temperature that calpol isn’t touching but ibuprofen
does. He’s been like this since mid-morning Sunday, was going to wait until tomorrow to call the doc but his glands and tonsils are slightly swollen this morning so we are going shortly.

My take on the strep situation is stay vigilant for signs that it is anything other than a normal fever, and if so speak to/see the docs as quickly as possible. Keep good notes so you have more to tell them than “child has a temperature” which they probably hear hundreds of times a day.

s1962a

5,722 posts

169 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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Taita said:
8 kids out of how many million?

Very sad, but keep some perspective.
We know of a family that lost a child due to a bacterial type infection - this was a few years back, but it was so sudden it was shocking. Ahealthy child that came down with an infection and died within days. I don't think they'll ever get over it.

You are right about perspective though, but no harm in discussing any precautions we can take whilst they are at school, or more at risk.

fourstardan

Original Poster:

5,014 posts

151 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
quotequote all
It is a worry BUT I am always at the back of my mind saying it is Social Media and News Outlets now making this situation bigger then it is. (As said 8 out of squllions).

Boy was snotty and eyes crusty last week, and last year was horrendous, we all had non stop sinus infections going on the AB's where we've rung the docs. He's blown 39 before now and gone down in hours....

I guess I'm walking the tightrope now of parenthood until he worries about me more lol.

Silvanus

6,063 posts

30 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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As said above, it's desperately sad when a child dies. But as also mentioned, other than the usual precautions there isn't much you can do (schools affected will be given antibiotics).

The fact is the news outlets (looking at you BBC) and social media are causing unnecessary panic using terms like 'outbreak', which are whipping up a frenzy when it isn't needed.

Muzzer79

11,063 posts

194 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
quotequote all
Taita said:
8 kids out of how many million?

Very sad, but keep some perspective.
This

K77 CTR

1,620 posts

189 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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A really useful website is healthier together. I send a link to all my patients parents. We have had a significant rise in patients presenting with sore throat and fever over past 48 hours. The media isn't helping but think public health England need to step in soon with some form of plan.

People need to be sensible, this is a really good YouTube https://youtu.be/vJ6E8WAnbHM

ashleyman

7,059 posts

106 months

Tuesday 6th December 2022
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My younger sister works in a school and a child went off with Strep. Couple days later my sister left work and came home very sick. She’s just got back from A&E with a strep diagnosis and some ‘strong’ antibiotics that she’s been told she needs to start taking to stop it progressing into something more serious.

fourstardan

Original Poster:

5,014 posts

151 months

Wednesday 7th December 2022
quotequote all
It's becoming an utter joke

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-63857...

Headline - Boy in Coma
Story - Some dad with nothing better to do than getting his mug on the BBC and the boy out of said Coma nearly a month ago.

Missus down with a cold and I've got a scratchy throat, I think we'll just carry on with our lives.

The C words done this...nothing else.

HRL

3,349 posts

226 months

Wednesday 7th December 2022
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I’ve seen people correlating Strep infections as a side effect of the Flu nasal spray that was given to primary school aged kids two weeks ago. It is listed as a known possible side effect so who knows.

My youngest is currently in bed and off today with a nasty cough but he hasn’t had a temperature at all. Day three now for him, if it gets worse I’ll get him checked out but Calpol seems to be working so far.

Was woken up by my eldest at 6:15am this morning as she’d just been sick, thankfully all over her already dirty washing. First time I’ve been pleased that she had dirty washing all over the floor.

Think my health is at risk this week TBH, but what can you do!

fatboy b

9,576 posts

223 months

Wednesday 7th December 2022
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The media are there to scare the bejesus out of us.

m3jappa

6,587 posts

225 months

Wednesday 7th December 2022
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What i don't get is this isn't new is it?

Why the sudden drive of fear?

I am sorry and ready to be flamed but after 24hr news for a couple of years of covid killing everyone i no longer believe anything the news tells me. Which is a real shame as one day, possibly even now i should be worried.

We have all been ill here this week, ranging from chest infection type stuff to being sick. Yesterday i was sick and in bed all day, haven't been that ill in years.

Megaflow

9,926 posts

232 months

Wednesday 7th December 2022
quotequote all
Taita said:
8 kids out of how many million?

Very sad, but keep some perspective.
fourstardan said:
It's becoming an utter joke

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-63857...

Headline - Boy in Coma
Story - Some dad with nothing better to do than getting his mug on the BBC and the boy out of said Coma nearly a month ago.

Missus down with a cold and I've got a scratchy throat, I think we'll just carry on with our lives.

The C words done this...nothing else.
What they said.

BabySharkDD

15,078 posts

176 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
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Just be observant. The media thrive on creating fear, it gets clicks and gets people to buy their papers. I imagine they were told to just put out a warning so that people are aware of the symptoms, but instead decided to go mental as usual.


There’s a good piece from Dr John Campbell here detailing symptoms and treatment

https://youtu.be/HPD1IVdzvro


vixen1700

24,213 posts

277 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
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Niece is a teacher out near Basildon and said yesterday eleven kids in her class were off with various things including Scarlet Fever. Is that the same/similar thing to Strep A? confused

Kids are all under 11 btw.

Badda

2,902 posts

89 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
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m3jappa said:
What i don't get is this isn't new is it?

Why the sudden drive of fear?

I am sorry and ready to be flamed but after 24hr news for a couple of years of covid killing everyone i no longer believe anything the news tells me. Which is a real shame as one day, possibly even now i should be worried.

We have all been ill here this week, ranging from chest infection type stuff to being sick. Yesterday i was sick and in bed all day, haven't been that ill in years.
It’s not new but the rates are different 3-4 times the rates of recorded instances of strep a infections and death by iGAS year on year. Almost certainly down to a change in socialising post covid I’d imagine.

So, not new but kind of newsworthy I feel. No need for worry however, just a level of awareness of what it is and what to look out for.

otolith

59,140 posts

211 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
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OH (GP) says she's seeing a lot of worried parents with kids with minor illnesses.

lemonslap

971 posts

162 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
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I just visited my local pharmacy to pick up a prescription and there was a lady with a poorly toddler trying to get a amoxicillin prescription fulfilled unsuccessfully. Apparently there is a shortage, the poor mother had already tried 6 other pharmacies, not good with this going around…