AIBU to think there's not much else the doctor could do?

[vvviola]

DD1 had to go to out of hours doctor on Saturday morning (she complained about sore ear/throat on Friday night, and still seemed miserable on Saturday morning and had weird red circles under her eyes). Doc practically recoiled when she saw her throat - tonsillitis and strep throat. Gave her a 10-day course of penicillin and has us alternating ibuprofen and paracetamol.

Within an hour or so of seeing the doc DD's face started to get redder.

Now, Sunday evening, I've realised that she seems to have classic scarlet fever symptoms (red face, white around the mouth, very slight rash on her body and armpits - but no fever, possibly because of the constant ibuprofen/paracetamol, and her tongue seems normal).

I can send DH to the doctor with her in the morning if necessary, but the only thing as far as I know that you can do for scarlet fever is a 10 day course of penicillin - which she is already on.

Obviously if she gets worse he'll take her straight away, but AIBU to think we should give the antibiotics a bit of a chance to start to work first? Or should I be phoning to make an appointment first thing tomorrow anyway? (It isn't a notifiable disease here in NZ if that makes any difference)

My dd has a throat and ear infection, yesterday her face went quite red and I was wondering about scarlet fever myself! This morning though her face is back to normal and she has no other symptoms but I think I would do the same as you. Keep giving the anti biotics and keep a close eye on her
Get her checked if she gets any worse

Could it be an allergy to penicillin if the symptoms came on within an hour of taking it? That would be my concern if there's a rash. Allergic reactions to penicillin can be nasty.

Yanbu. Though if she's never had penicillin before then I'd check with 111 or a pharmacist about that possibility.

Ring dr and explain she now has a rash and ask would he prefer to see her again or just let her run its course.

Call the doctors or 111 if they're not open and ask what they want you to do as you suspect its something different they may want to take a swab to check.
My 8mo has scarlet fever at the moment and is on penicillin/Calpol, they said if it changes to call them first unless shes struggling to breath etc then hospital
have you checked for the "like sandpaper to touch" rash my Dr said it was a good indicator without the tests
hope your DD feels better soon

She's had penicillin before without any reaction (although we're waiting for tests back to see if her sister is allergic to it, and I'm allergic to it too, so it's probably not out of the bounds of possibility).

I'll give the doc a call in the morning and see what they say (unfortunately the out of hours doc here is a stand alone clinic so not connected to our usual GP - although I think they can access some notes).

She has a day of movies on the couch planned tomorrow, while DH works from home, so hopefully that will help with recovery. We've had a member of the household on some sort of medication every day since Halloween - I really hope this is the last one!

An allergic reaction to anything usually happens after second exposure to the thing, as I understand it. On the other hand, I am allergic to penicillin, and I know the rash I had was very much an all over the body affair. Plus, it did not come out immediately after starting the penicillin, it took a few days.

If I were you, I would definitely contact a doctor and explain that the symptoms have changed. Let them decide whether your dd needs to be seen.

Yep, DD2's reaction definitely took a few days to kick in, to the extent that we don't know which antibiotic she's allergic to as she was on two by that stage (long story), and mine was more blotchy and fast spreading rather than bright red and on face.

But yes, probably better to at least phone it in. They should give us frequent flyer miles we've been there so often recently!!

Dd developed an allergy to penicillin after taking it without any problems several times over 10 years.
I would second getting advise from GP to rule out an allergic reaction.

Yes, I didn't want to complicate my post, but I too was on 2 ABs by the time my rash had appeared. All these years later, I still don't know for certain that it is penicillin I am allergic to, though the general consensus it is IS penicillin as the other AB does not usually cause allergic reactions.

Don't worry about seeming to be in constant contact with heath care professionals right now. Most parents go through a phase like that at some time or another. I know I did!

Called the doctors office this morning - they want to see her relatively urgently! (As in this morning before lunch). They were quite concerned about the puffiness on her face.

DH is taking her down there soon. I think it's the first time one of the DC has been to the doctor without me as I'm usually the medical person because DH hates blood and needles

I hope she's OK - poor mite :(

The verdict is: severe allergic reaction to the antibiotic.

I feel utterly crap for not realising seeing as we went through it with DD2 just a couple of weeks ago :(

Don't beat yourself up over it. The important thing is that it is now handled by the professionals. We've all done/not done something to our dc's that we wish we would/would not have done! You clearly care about her, it's not like you said, "Oh, it's not worth the bother!"

Hope your dd gets better soon!

Don't feel bad. She might actually not be allergic to penicillin. My DD was diagnosed as allergic to penicillin but actually she is just one of those people who develops a rash very easily, especially if she has any kind of illness going on. It took a load more illnesses for us to work that out.

Thanks darkandstormy and wobbly

She looks awful. Puffy swollen red face and rash all over her body now. She looks like she has been sunburnt badly.

Doc wants to see her again in the morning to make sure the reaction is going down.

DH has been teasing her saying he feels left out now that she has "joined the rest" (DD2 and I are allergic to penicillin already). It (and the gingerbread man I brought her home) are about the only thing she has smiled about this evening :(

I was going to say it sounds like a reaction to penicillin. I'm allergic and so is my son.

Hope she feels better soon.

My DD had to go on antibiotics and had the exact same symptoms. This is a classic allergic reaction to the penicillin. And yes it did look exactly like scarlet fever / slapped face rash. Which was going around at the time so to this day I'm not really sure if it was a reaction or scarlet fever.

Anyway they changed her antibiotics immediately ( there are many different types, most of which are more effective anyway) and she recovered well.

My DD had impetigo.

I hope she is feeling better now.

I am pushing 60 & have had penicillin many times over the years. I had it last August, took one does & within 20 mins had a really nasty allergic reaction to it. Can happen anytime.

Sympathy to your DD - I just developed a penicillin allergy, and I'm 30! I had lots of ABs last year due to wisdom teeth, extractions, jaw surgery, and other illness. I had a rash all over my body the first time, violent vomiting the next time, and the last time (while taking an anti-emetic), a terrible burning rash with throat swelling. All the skin peeled off and it was agony.

I'm waiting at the GP this morning with another likely chest infection so will be emphasising that I really do have an allergy these days.

Hope your DD recovers very quickly.

daydreamer impetigo was what DD2 had a few weeks ago when her penicillin allergy showed up - and I think that might have skewed my idea of what the reaction looks like (it was hard to tell behind all the weeping spots)

DD1 is now sleeping (badly - because of itch) and has asked me to stay with her tonight. So I'm sharing a (thankfully double) bed with a wriggly itchy 7yo

I'd get her checked out again just to confirm that it is Scarlet Fever and not a reaction to the penicillin.

I had a one time alergic reaction to penicillin but have had it before and since with no adverse effects.

Hope she is feeling better soon.

Purplepixiedust - how did you get them to give you penicillin again after you'd had a reaction? I became allergic in my 30s having taken several probably hundred course over the years and they won't prescribe it at all now!

Allergic reactions are strange. My FIL adores seafood and has always eaten it. Then suddenly in his mid 40s he had a moderate reaction after eating paella. Couldn't be sure it was that so tried some prawns a week later and went into serious anaphylactic shock. He's suddenly massively allergic to seafood having never had an allergic reaction to anything in his life.

My Dad is allergic to penicillin too and always has been. He said even now 50 years later he can remember the itch of that initial reaction.

Are you all sorted with other antibiotics and something to calm the reaction? Have you tried anything to reduce the itch like an oat or bicarb bath? Aqueous calamine can help too. Medicinal gingerbread is very important.