So scared of Strep A

[Whyemseeaye]

AIBU to be completely terrified by the reports of Strep A deaths.

I have two small children and feel beside myself with worry. I keep crying and am considering keeping them both off school until after Christmas.

I appreciate this may sound a bit dramatic but I really wish I had

You need to see your GP about your health anxiety before it starts to affect your children.

Yes you are being unreasonable, kids can get all sort a of illnesses that can end up serious.

Why would you feel more comfortable with them going to school in January compared to before Christmas?

Feed your kids a healthy diet, expose them to other people as normal, keep an eye on them and bring them to a dr if you feel they are actually unwell. Life as normal.

This.

I cant believe how many threads I'm seeing about this. People have lost their minds since covid.

Children die from Strep A every year. It’s not a new thing.

I'm so worried too, we had an email from the school telling us a child had Scarlet fever, then I'm reading about these deaths in the news. I'm terrified as I believe the two are linked

Are you ok? I'm not a prepper, have you mistaken me for another poster?

I have had those exact symptoms,many times in my childhood and several times as an adult ,was always told is was tonsillitus
But yeah antibiotics quick!t cleared it up.

I'm finding it scary because I remember hearing the news reports gradually building up from 2 to 6 cases exponentially. Rationally I know I shouldn't be concerned as 6 is a small number but covid has made me realize how quick things can spread

sanny11

Most people would seek medical attention for the symptoms though. Alot of illness requires treatment so whilst I do understand I also do think it's as I stated that it isn't usually serious and not something to be unnecessarily really scared of

If they become ill you get them to a doctor asap and get them on antibiotics.

If you do that they'll be fine.

Strep goes round my sons school every year. His friend gets it literally every single year. He's never caught it from him.

Every year is dramatic but in 10 years he must have had it atleast 7 times. Nearly every winter. Antibiotics and he's fine.

My child had scarlet fever last year. It was very easily identified at an early stage (by me), GP prescribed antibiotics, back at nursery a few days later their normal self. We are very lucky to live at a time where we can treat these things easily.

I get what you feel. The only thing we can do is ensure adequate nutrition, including vitamins etc, hygiene measures and seek medical attention early. Unfortunately we’re otherwise powerless

Thanks everyone, I do feel a bit calmer after reading the responses.

It's very easy to get b carried away reading the headlines

Hi OP, strep A has been around since forever. The likelihood is you wouldn’t tell the difference between strep throat and tonsillitis.

Yes you would because Strep A needs treatment with antibiotics. Tonsillitis usually just has to run it's course

@JoandLily scarlet fever is caused by group a strep?

op don’t keep your kids off
school. They need to get dirty and not be kept sterile so their immune systems get bolstered.

Kerp perspective
"Oh there is this strep a if If my child has temperature and rash i need to calll 111 "
Then carry on with your day
if xxx then yyyy

If your child is fine right now
No temperature
No rash
No need to panic

It’s not a new thing.
My daughter had it when she was 4 (she’s now 16), she was quite poorly because it was diagnosed until she had been unwell for almost 2 weeks, the rash was the last thing for her to get and it was the last time I took her to a GP (out of hours), she was given penicillin for 2 weeks and recovered pretty quickly.

As others have said “just keep an eye out for the symptoms and if worried call your GP” it’s easily treatable.

@moxarella apparently so

My son has a sore throat and feeling under the weather (he's 17 months old so who knows how he's really feeling as not talking yet).
My mother in law has always said if he's eating,drinking and has no temperature then probably just viral.
When I heard the cough I did think oh no strep a and he had a rash on his left cheek, but it's gone now.
He's not eating as much but who does when they're ill? I think as long as you keep checking tongue/throat and temperature you will be fine.

I'm so glad to have came across this thread. I've been following a couple of others which are full of people like me panicking and horror stories. This one has made me feel a bit better. I was in a right state last night worrying about it so voices of reason are what I needed!

@Bog I read last night that there is no couch present with strep.

My daughter is a TA, she had a severe bout of strep A about six weeks ago, she thinks she caught it at the school. Required two courses of antibiotics, she hasn't reported any issues since.

DS had it terribly when he was 4 - needed iv antibiotics and a stay in hospital

the problem of course is that the solution is to see the doctor/go to A&E and get some form of antibiotics.

which isn’t that easy at the moment