Any medics about - Scarlet Fever, 111 wait times...

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

I'm suspect ds has scarlet fever, he had a high temperature for 3 days, developed red rash over torso and arms Friday evening, although temp came down yesterday still glassy eyed and lethargic, white followed by red tongue and white patches on tonsils.

Called 111 yesterday morning early, had callback 4pm from someone who said 'it could be strep' but they couldn't prescribe so I had to wait another 6 hrs from someone who might prescribe antibiotics. No call since but another text saying they're so busy and can't meet waiting times. I assume they will call at some point today (hopefully).

In the meantime ds twin has developed a temp and glassy eyes. Dd had 1 day of temp earlier in the week but no other symptoms.

The twins have a school event on Tuesday afternoon they are desperate to attend.
We are due to have Xmas next weekend with my elderly parents.

From what I've read online (NHS website) if strep is not treated with antibiotics the patient continues to be infectious for 2-3 wks after they recover.

Questions for any medics who happen to be around and willing/able to answer:

• If ds feels better today when they call will they still give antibiotics to stop him spreading it around?
• Will they give some for his twin who is now obv coming down with same thing or will I need to call again and restart the interminable wait times for twin separately?
• Will they give antibiotics for dd, assuming since she is in same house and unwell at same time as ds she must have had it but fought it better - to stop her spreading it around?
• If they don't give all dc antibiotics should they not go to school and/or not do Xmas at grandparents, to avoid potentially spreading it to vulnerable people?

I'm feeling a bit frustrated, because assuming their info about continued infectiousness is right then surely promptly giving antibiotics will prevent a whole raft of new cases being created and further overwhelming the 111 service?

Bump

Forget about school events, that's gone right out of the window now.

Do you not have an out of hours near you?

Urgent treatment centre.

My local pharmacy will test for strep A then give antibiotics if indicated. Worth seeing if yours will (I'm in Scotland)

I took ds to our local urgent care centre yesterday afternoon. He was given their last bottle of penicillin for suspected strep A. After 2 doses yesterday he's a different child this morning. Yesterday he couldn't walk he was so weak. I hope your dc get better soon. Our urgent care centre is over in the next county but it's the nearest walk in centre so it's worth googling to see if there is a less obvious choice of place to go.

I'd keep them off school now til next term!

Forget school and 'events'!

Is there a walk in centre or ooh centre near you?
Also please do not send your children into school for these events! You are risking the health of other children and families!
Everyone has plans! But sometimes plans have to go out the window

Can you afford a private GP service?

Ring 1111 back for goodness sake if they said they would call back and didn’t regardless of getting text saying they are busy. Your child has all the symptoms of strep a and they need antibiotics. Ring your local urgent care and say you child has the symptoms but have not had a call back and what should you do. Or ring your local chemist and ask how you get antibiotics if no luck from nhs 111. Just keep ringing medical people local to you and ask their advice on how you can get them antibiotics.

So if they get better without antibiotics then they won't stay infectious? Because that is not what the government info seems to state. I have 3 dc in the house who I would have to take along to any ooh service or pharmacy, potentially spreading germs with them. I'm not sure there's any point in calling 111 again because as far as I understand it that won't move us up the queue, we'd just get added as another case at the end of the queue again?

If we get antibiotics then they could still attend their event because you are not infections from 24hrs after 1st dose - again according to government/NHS info.

But 90% cases are under 10 so why would the stats only relate to the 10% of older cases? Not saying you're wrong, I just don't understand why that would be as it seems crazy.

If we get antibiotics then they could still attend their event because you are not infections from 24hrs after 1st dose -

.....And no longer have a fever...

Also just because they have had abx for 24 hours doesn't make them well enough to go to school especially when your saying they are unwell, lethargic etc

I can’t believe you’d even consider taking a child with scarlet fever to school antibiotics or not. They are unwell. Keep them home. I’ve missed my sons first school nativity due to pneumonia and my daughter missed her Christmas party due to a bad cough this year. It’s not fair to potentially spread germs to others. Gutted about it yes but plans change. It’s life.

Also 111 gave us a 6 hour wait time last weekend and it took them 24 hours to call back at which point it was Monday morning and we had a doctors appointment. The service is under huge pressure.

Get to your local pharmacy some can test for step analysis prescribe antibiotics etc (I work a in a GP surgery )

@GenderNormans sorry - maybe I've misunderstood, you said the stats for infectious window don't include the kids? If I can be sure that once they are better they will not remain infectious that would be great - but it does not appear to be what the government website says. If they may remain infectious then we would not be able to see their grandparents next weekend if they don't get antibiotics.

Obv I wouldn't send unwell and feverish dc into school but twin 1 temp went yesterday morning and hasn't returned. He has a rash, and is still tired but less so today, so it would not be beyond the realms of possibility that he might feel well enough on Tuesday to go to his event, assuming he has had at least 24hrs antibiotics.

My main concern is this 2-3 week infection window if not treated with meds even if they have recovered without - I really don't want to spread it around, but I also don't want to keep everyone inside isolated for up to 3 weeks.

I'm not sure I'm being very clear or making any sense.

Anyway - there is an ooh nearish, so I will drag all 3 along there if I don't hear from 111 within the next hour.

TBH I’d go now OP in case you have to traipse around for antibiotics.

The variety of care provided seems bonkers. I had a young family member triaged by pharmacist, seen by GP and have first dose of antibiotics within 90 minutes, last week. I realise I was lucky.

I doubt they would prescribe ABs for children who don't have symptoms yet. If you do get an appointment you could ask if they can swab for strep A.
Please please don't take any of your children out this week. Your children's school activity is not more important than everyone else's Christmas - spreading it around will ruin other people's Christmas.
We're going up to my parents on Friday and trying to minimise going out so no soft play etc as other parents ruin it for everyone else by taking their sick children out

Hope all your kids are feeling better and that you have managed to see someone at ooh. None of the children can go to school/event, scarlet fever can be serious and is a notifiable illness, need to be 7 days clear before allowed back to school/ nursery etc if I remember correctly. Don’t think you’ll get anti b for your 3rd child, unless she’s currently ill with symptoms.
Hth

I wouldn't bet on antibiotics meaning they can attend school events. My DS who has scarlet fever but pretty well in himself had to miss all pre school events last week becuase the antibiotics gave him diarrhea.