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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Strep A infection

396 replies

Sallydimebar · 02/12/2022 14:07

Just heard on radio how 4 children have now died of this within the month . Advise is to seek urgent medical care if worried .

How worried should we be about this infection? And am I being unreasonable in thinking it’s so hard at hospitals to seek urgent care . The poor 5 yr old who was sent away with tonsil infection as no bed was available died .

Are antibiotics working?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
AzureOrchid · 04/12/2022 22:17

Rinoachicken · 02/12/2022 16:03

It’s not something I would have been worried about ordinarily - but now…when it’s close to impossible to get in front of a GP without 6 week wait and no beds available in hospitals for those who need them…that causes me concern.

Not so much that they might get, but that if they are very unwell there will be no help available.

this is my exact fear , it’s not the infection , it’s the access to care…

ofwarren · 04/12/2022 22:18

Sallydimebar · 04/12/2022 22:15

It’s not so much the fever outbreak I worry about . It’s me sending him in school knowing this is now circulating. Ds friend very poorly now . I don’t want the fever but that’s not in my hands . The biggest concern is relying on a broken very over stretched health service .
knowing also a five old was turned away not long ago as no bed and no doctor available and I can believe it . It also seems to come on very quickly and decline is very quick .
I would hate to be depending on a ambulance at this time and it seems it’s a lottery with 111as to when you get call back . Also in these years I’m sure we hadn’t just come out of 2yrs of hell with a world pandemic.

This, exactly
It wouldn't be as scary if you knew you could guarantee to be seen and get antibiotics straight away.

Tonkerbea · 04/12/2022 22:19

EUwannabe · 04/12/2022 22:14

From Jan 2020
to May 2021- ONS report that 6 children (under 9) died from Covid. So it’s even more shocking knowing this, when those children had to go through so much upheaval when some thinking that has killed 8 children in a short space of time is getting no response at all from govt or schools. I for one will be asking my DC’s school what they are going to do to try to reduce any possible spread (eg informing parents if there is a case in school). Why is nothing more being done about this?

Very much this. I'd wear a mask again if I thought it might save a child's life by breaking a chain of infection.

Original poster
Sallydimebar · 04/12/2022 22:19

Ds is 12 has awful history with virals/ bacterials always needing I v antibiotics they never know why , I’m just told some children are like that . I can’t keep him locked up but it just seems at the moment if NEVER ends .

OP posts:
Beebz · 04/12/2022 22:29

Sallydimebar · 04/12/2022 22:19

Ds is 12 has awful history with virals/ bacterials always needing I v antibiotics they never know why , I’m just told some children are like that . I can’t keep him locked up but it just seems at the moment if NEVER ends .

Sounds like my DD, she was so sick with a virus for three weeks at one point they were preparing us for the possibility it was leukaemia and I am still traumatised by it. Sending them back in tomorrow feels like it's going against all my parental instincts, but I know it won't magically go away after Christmas so I don't feel I really have a choice.

AzureOrchid · 04/12/2022 22:29

RainbowCat26 · 02/12/2022 20:45

This is interesting as I needed amoxicillin to today for my toddler for an infection and the pharmacy didn’t have stock then the next one only had sugar free which I took (toddler hates it but needs must!), I thought it was bad luck but maybe not!

I had similar last week , youngest DC had tonsillitis, first batch of penicillin liquid was the sweet liquid , as it was a ten day course , had to go back to have more made up half way through the week , they had only sugar free available, obviously extremely grateful but it is bitter tasting for DC.
There must be shortages as that’s a few of us have similar stories.

Original poster
Sallydimebar · 04/12/2022 22:57

@Beebz it’s awful last time it was some secondary infection after covid . Thought it was meningitis so started on antibiotics then tests came back what ever they use score for meningitis is 21 he was 18 so relieved at that but still high and really poorly a little more worried as don’t know what it is. Still had to do lumber who’s is awful .
Even then with suspected men he was still left waiting hours . 3 times now he’s had to be admitted over the years . Dd fine and his friends seem to brush illness off , but as one friend now quite poorly I’m dreading these next 2 weeks .

OP posts:
ThaiDye · 05/12/2022 00:40

@Tonkerbea wearing a mask would help. Certainly anyone going to A& E or GP should be wearing one (N95, not cloth or surgical) to avoid spreading whatever illness they've got but also to avoid catching everything else that's raging on top of their current illness. And anyone still recovering from covid should be in an N95 outside the home. I've got it right now, day 3 was a raging positive and day 5 very quick positive, that's peak infectiousness, crazy that kids are being sent back to school after 3 days. The NHS is never going to recover if we don't lower the baseline of infections between each covid wave, which currently is trending up.

Sallydimebar · 05/12/2022 02:04

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

ofwarren · 05/12/2022 07:06

This reply has been deleted

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

You are not wrong Sad
So many people saying their kids are ill with Strep too.

Beebz · 05/12/2022 07:12

Started to cry this morning knowing I have to send all three DC's to school for two more weeks while this situation possibly gets more and more terrifying. I know that sounds unreasonable and dramatic but I have such a strong sense of dread.

Autumnmoonshines · 05/12/2022 07:14

The Sun Thais morning is reporting on the difficulties of getting hold of Amoxicillin in some parts.

Autumnmoonshines · 05/12/2022 07:15

@Beebz sqme.

3 girls to 3 separate nursery/schools. :(

ChristmasJoysuckers · 05/12/2022 07:17

N95 masks where compulsory when I went to Italy at the tail end of restrictions.
I never understood why not here.they strictly enforced mask wearing as well whereas here it was all wishy-washy, we can ask but we can't force etc

Beebz · 05/12/2022 07:20

Autumnmoonshines · 05/12/2022 07:14

The Sun Thais morning is reporting on the difficulties of getting hold of Amoxicillin in some parts.

Nightmare situation

ChristmasJoysuckers · 05/12/2022 07:21

Yes the thought of having to battle 111 for help or receptionist at doctor is painful. Very stressful.

DD had strep a or b a few years ago and it was late after an enormous painful battle we got her antibiotics which she immediately through up. I couldn't go back to the doctor to say this and can we have new ones.
I had to go all the way back through to 111 because a new symptom had appeared and do all the " have you traveled abroad", stuff as well. Just to get a different type of antibiotics.

lollipoprainbow · 05/12/2022 07:39

Feeling full of dread this morning too. Sending my dd to school but worried sick.

ofwarren · 05/12/2022 07:43

My child who is cev has what is looking like a chest infection. He has a bad cough which has got worse over the past week and is needing to use his inhaler.
I'm ringing the doctors this morning and I know he will be allowed to stay off school. I'm almost relieved.
My other DS who's 6 will have to go in though.
If there is a case of scarlet fever in the school then because of my cev son, I'm allowed to withdraw them. Same with chicken pox and other notifiable diseases.

Squiff70 · 05/12/2022 07:50

I posted earlier in this thread to say I believe I have strep A. I still believe that to be the case although no diagnosis has been made as the GP dismissed my concerns during a telephone consultation last Monday. She didn't even let me list all my symptoms. I did say at the time I was concerned about strep A but she said the treatment would be the same regardless. She prescribed Phenoxymethylpenicillin for what she called 'tonsillitis'. I'm on day 11, still very unwell and still having fevers. It is NOT just tonsillitis.

ofwarren · 05/12/2022 07:56

Squiff70 · 05/12/2022 07:50

I posted earlier in this thread to say I believe I have strep A. I still believe that to be the case although no diagnosis has been made as the GP dismissed my concerns during a telephone consultation last Monday. She didn't even let me list all my symptoms. I did say at the time I was concerned about strep A but she said the treatment would be the same regardless. She prescribed Phenoxymethylpenicillin for what she called 'tonsillitis'. I'm on day 11, still very unwell and still having fevers. It is NOT just tonsillitis.

You should be feeling better at this point for sure.
I'd be ringing back or ringing 111 at this point.
You need a throat culture done to make sure you are on the right antibiotics.

WeWereInParis · 05/12/2022 07:57

Squiff70 · 05/12/2022 07:50

I posted earlier in this thread to say I believe I have strep A. I still believe that to be the case although no diagnosis has been made as the GP dismissed my concerns during a telephone consultation last Monday. She didn't even let me list all my symptoms. I did say at the time I was concerned about strep A but she said the treatment would be the same regardless. She prescribed Phenoxymethylpenicillin for what she called 'tonsillitis'. I'm on day 11, still very unwell and still having fevers. It is NOT just tonsillitis.

If you're not better after taking the antibiotics you should call back. But Phenoxymethylpenicillin is what they would give for scarlet fever.

WeWereInParis · 05/12/2022 07:58

Sorry, I meant Phenoxymethylpenicillin is what they would give for Strep A (which obviously includes scarlet fever).

Redkettle · 05/12/2022 08:08

Trouble is its a viscious circle the GPS will be dishing out penicillin incase of possible strep a which in turn will make it difficult to get meaning more kids at risk. When my daughter had swine flu it was the same, couldn't get antibiotics foe her anywhere. I imagine this will be the same tenfold . I feel for all parents with little ones in schools right now. Awful stress

Squiff70 · 05/12/2022 10:18

WeWereInParis · 05/12/2022 07:57

If you're not better after taking the antibiotics you should call back. But Phenoxymethylpenicillin is what they would give for scarlet fever.

Show quote history

I've had another telephone consultation with a GP this morning. She has prescribed more penicillin but not sure which one til I collect it from pharmacy. She agreed they need to see me in clinic which they can't accommodate today but can tomorrow. I asked if they can do a throat swab or blood culture to determine a diagnosis. She wasn't keen but did say they'll discuss that with me tomorrow.

What doctors don't seem to be taking into consideration is the NEED for some people to have a diagnosis because they'd rather just save money on diagnostics by just treating the symptoms. The problem is I'm an adult and a mum of two - a three month old baby and 3 year old child.

IF I have strep A it would obviously have many more implications than a normal virus or infection. Can my daughter go to nursery? Can I go to appointments? Should I even leave the house?

It's like being in the depths of the pandemic again. I have been isolating - partly because I've been too unwell to go out but to protect others (especially children) from the potential strep A IF that's what I have. When I have had to go out I've worn masks and gone overboard on the hand sanitiser. I'm not legally obliged to do these things, but I feel morally obliged. I'm supposed to be taking my baby to baby massage today having missed two weeks and really don't know if I should be there. I would NEVER knowingly put babies or children at risk... and I don't even know if I am a risk. If its strep A, is it even contagious on day 11???

It's all madness and they're not taking it seriously enough. It worries me that they're saying 7 children have died but stating it's still rare. How do they know its rare if they're not confirming or ruling out diagnosis?

BewareTheLibrarians · 05/12/2022 15:11

I just came across this on Twitter and thought it might be useful.

“The scarlet fever rash is historically described as bright red, but on people of color this can clearly be inaccurate; the rash may simply be flesh colored along with the characteristic sandpapery feel and appearance.”

These links have pictures:

mobile.twitter.com/BrwnSkinMatters/status/1599444104903290880

mobile.twitter.com/BrwnSkinMatters/status/1596250414554681344