Page 5 | Strep A in school

EUwannabe · 2022-12-08T15:30:14+00:00

So- I’m not on either side of the fence on this at all but would love to know what others would do. AIBU to keep my primary child off school now a Step A case has been confirmed in the school? X

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 17:51

parents are encouraged to assume that 'it's a virus' usually

Ansumpasty · 09/12/2022 17:54

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 17:50

Parents are encouraged to assume it's a virus and manage at home. Those who try to take their children to be seen often can't. They need to be vigilant and be aware that this is not a time to avoid bothering the doctor. Otherwise parents will be deterred from seeking help for an illness for which early intervention is crucial. I should have thought it was bleeding obvious.

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But now there are so many people with children with the tiniest hint of a sore throat or slightly discoloured tongue at the doctors, so children with a temp aren’t able to be seen or get antibiotics. ‘I thought it was bleeding obvious’ was unnecessary

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 18:04

Ansumpasty · 09/12/2022 17:54

But now there are so many people with children with the tiniest hint of a sore throat or slightly discoloured tongue at the doctors, so children with a temp aren’t able to be seen or get antibiotics. ‘I thought it was bleeding obvious’ was unnecessary

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Well it should be obvious to you as it is to the medical establishment that lives will be lost if parents are aware and vigilant. Your cavalier attitude to children's lives is off-putting and not one shared by doctors fortunately. In a situation like this they would prefer to see parents who are concerned in line with their guidance than not because early intervention is essential. These are children's lives.

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 18:05

if parents are not aware and vigilant

Ansumpasty · 09/12/2022 18:20

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 18:04

Well it should be obvious to you as it is to the medical establishment that lives will be lost if parents are aware and vigilant. Your cavalier attitude to children's lives is off-putting and not one shared by doctors fortunately. In a situation like this they would prefer to see parents who are concerned in line with their guidance than not because early intervention is essential. These are children's lives.

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i could throw it right back at you- you clearly aren’t thinking of the children’s lives who will be lost because they now can’t see a GP or get antibiotics because the media have whipped parents into a frenzy of worry.

Everyone cares primarily about their own children and their own children only- that is normal. Worried parents will not care that they got the last appointment for their child, even though their child potentially just ate a hot chip last night and their throat is a little iffy. Why would they, parents want to keep their kids safe and the media frightening everyone has not helped.

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 18:36

Ansumpasty · 09/12/2022 18:20

i could throw it right back at you- you clearly aren’t thinking of the children’s lives who will be lost because they now can’t see a GP or get antibiotics because the media have whipped parents into a frenzy of worry.

Everyone cares primarily about their own children and their own children only- that is normal. Worried parents will not care that they got the last appointment for their child, even though their child potentially just ate a hot chip last night and their throat is a little iffy. Why would they, parents want to keep their kids safe and the media frightening everyone has not helped.

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You could throw it back at me but you'd be aiming at the medical establishment too which I doubt you know better than. I don't think you've got the substance for it, frankly. You're an ill informed voice speaking against our health service advice. Very arrogant and reckless.

Ansumpasty · 09/12/2022 18:45

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 18:36

You could throw it back at me but you'd be aiming at the medical establishment too which I doubt you know better than. I don't think you've got the substance for it, frankly. You're an ill informed voice speaking against our health service advice. Very arrogant and reckless.

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You have no idea of my profession. You yourself are clearly not a GP. I suggest you come off Mumsnet for the evening and enjoy yourself a little; you are sounding very highly strung and not happy. It’s Friday evening-do yourself a favour and let yourself relax and not spend the evening attempting to argue and talk down to strangers on the internet 😊

Beebz · 09/12/2022 18:46

DontMakeMeShushYou · 09/12/2022 17:01

What would an official press conference achieve? At the moment it isn't clear why there's been a rise in cases and deaths this year so what could they say in a press conference that would make things better? Do you think the country is ready to hear what government health officials have to say again? Children and adults die every year from Strep A infections. There are more this year than there have been in the past but I don't know what you think a press conference would achieve.

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Well I think Sunak, if his government are going to continue to force children into schools under these conditions , could at least have a conference to tell parents exactly wtaf he is going to do about the antibiotic shortage. If we're in a position where we have to send our kids to schools with strep outbreaks or face legal consequences, we should at least be able to get our children appropriate medical care and medicine if they do get ill.

DappledThings · 09/12/2022 18:58

It's sad and ridiculous that we don't quarantine for scarlet fever anymore.
We do. Rules are to isolate until 24 hours after first dose of antibiotics has passed.

That's what DC did in July when they had it. DC1 just got diagnosed again today. Took him to GP Weds as he had a sort throat and I thought strawberry tongue but GP didn't think it was. He took a swab anyway and it came back positive this evening. DS has been back at school though as we didn't know and he was fine. So isolation will be till Sunday now.

containsnuts · 09/12/2022 18:59

I wonder if they'll reclassify Scarlett Fever as a notifiable disease?

Starrystarrylights · 09/12/2022 19:31

Ansumpasty · 09/12/2022 18:45

You have no idea of my profession. You yourself are clearly not a GP. I suggest you come off Mumsnet for the evening and enjoy yourself a little; you are sounding very highly strung and not happy. It’s Friday evening-do yourself a favour and let yourself relax and not spend the evening attempting to argue and talk down to strangers on the internet 😊

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Yes, rowing back when you're pretending you know better then the medical establishment is clearly the best option, well done :)

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 09/12/2022 19:32

I'm not concerned about the risk of my kids catching it, but I am concerned I wont be able to get the antibiotics.

My 13yo came home from school this afternoon complaining about feeling unwell and nauseous. No temp, no sore throat but I'm a bit on edge I must admit mostly because it's the weekend and impossible to see a GP.

Sozzler · 09/12/2022 20:00

I was very reassured by these statistics and not overly concerned. However, a school near to us has had an outbreak of 30 cases, and of those 30, 3 children got invasive strep, and two were hospitalised. I really hope this is an anomaly, but if not, it would suggest that the chances of getting invasive strep could be much higher than usual this year. We are at a point where health officials are still investigating so I am not so reassured anymore, especially as we are also experiencing logistical antibiotic shortages in our area. It has definitely made me look at this in a much more cautious light, and I would not judge anyone who wants to keep their children off until we have a bit more of an idea of the scale of this outbreak.

Sozzler · 09/12/2022 20:02

My previous message was in response to the poster who said the chances of getting invasive strep is 2.3 out of 100, 000. Thought I'd quoted, so not sure what happened there.

nothingleftttt · 09/12/2022 20:26

@Ansumpasty
The issue is that every child that died (that I have read about) was seen by a medical professional and sent home more than once.
The media has highlighted this and hopefully medical teams will be more cautious/check more and parents with real concerns will feel more able to hold their own and get the help the child needs.

I have Child with a disorder which required major surgery. It took yrs to get diagnosed and countless appointments where I was made to feel like a over protected parent. Once it was finally discovered the specialist care was amazing but doctors can miss things.

Parents have to follow their gut feeling and if worried they need to act

Beebz · 09/12/2022 20:39

Sozzler · 09/12/2022 20:00

I was very reassured by these statistics and not overly concerned. However, a school near to us has had an outbreak of 30 cases, and of those 30, 3 children got invasive strep, and two were hospitalised. I really hope this is an anomaly, but if not, it would suggest that the chances of getting invasive strep could be much higher than usual this year. We are at a point where health officials are still investigating so I am not so reassured anymore, especially as we are also experiencing logistical antibiotic shortages in our area. It has definitely made me look at this in a much more cautious light, and I would not judge anyone who wants to keep their children off until we have a bit more of an idea of the scale of this outbreak.

This is exactly my view too. Children are also developing IGAS and ending up in hospital in numbers that seem unusually high, and I don't trust what we are being told either about the strep itself or the amount of antibiotics we have to treat it.

DontMakeMeShushYou · 09/12/2022 20:42

containsnuts · 09/12/2022 18:59

I wonder if they'll reclassify Scarlett Fever as a notifiable disease?

It already is.

cherriegarcia · 09/12/2022 21:51

DontMakeMeShushYou · 09/12/2022 13:32

It sounds dramatic because it is dramatic. Ridiculously so. Because not every child who gets an iGAS infection dies. If they did, I would no longer be a mum of two.

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Well @saraclara said 'The rate of children getting the serious invasive type of strep A, is 2.3 per 100,000'.

The serious invasive kind.

Presumably that's not what your kids had. This isn't the statistic for getting the infection generally, which is often mild.

DontMakeMeShushYou · 09/12/2022 22:36

cherriegarcia · 09/12/2022 21:51

Well @saraclara said 'The rate of children getting the serious invasive type of strep A, is 2.3 per 100,000'.

The serious invasive kind.

Presumably that's not what your kids had. This isn't the statistic for getting the infection generally, which is often mild.

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WTAF? I'm well aware of exactly what that statistic represents. Yes, the "serious invasive kind" is absolutely what my child had. What the fuck did you think I meant? 2 weeks in hospital, oxygen, drips, life saving emergency surgery, a term out of school. But thanks for dismissing my experience and assuming you know better.

FWIW, I was replying to your comment likening it 2-3 people being killed out of 100,000. iGAS may currently affect 2.3 out of every 100,000 but the majority of even the most serious of those infections won't result in death. I know from very real experience. I wasn't questioning @saraclara 's stats, I was pointing out that you are being ridiculously over-dramatic about it.

Blocked · 09/12/2022 22:42

iknowhimsowell · 09/12/2022 13:00

And also, the stupid government insisting there isn't a shortage when clearly there is - I don't know what their definition is, but needing them and not being able to get them is a shortage in my book (and GPs and pharmacies are saying the same.) I feel if they don't have enough antibiotics to treat all the cases it's actually a very serious situation. I don't know if other schools/areas have been hit as badly as ours though.

I believe there is a shortage of the suspension but the doctor can give you dissolvable tablets instead so antibiotics are still available just in a different form.

Grumpybutfunny · 09/12/2022 22:46

@Beebz I think the cases are higher than we think. DS had a horrible sore throat and fever last week didn't think much of it as he was well enough to go to school and is now back to normal. DH has just had to get antibiotics for tonsillitis (frequent issue for him) and GP think it's likely Strep throat even he isn't that unwell and would have left it if not for his history.

cherriegarcia · 10/12/2022 05:29

@DontMakeMeShushYou tbh I wouldn't send my kids into school if there was a chance of that happening, either. I'm sorry for your experience.

DappledThings · 10/12/2022 06:38

I believe there is a shortage of the suspension but the doctor can give you dissolvable tablets instead so antibiotics are still available just in a different form.
I went to 3 pharmacies yesterday, called 5 more. Then spent 75 minutes on hold to 111 and had two call backs to eventually get the prescription from the GP changed to Amoxicillin which one pharmacist did have in and now up early in a Saturday to hopefully collect that. It's not a good situation

Chouetted · 10/12/2022 06:53

cherriegarcia · 08/12/2022 16:30

If your child was stood in a crowd of 100,000 people and you knew 2 or 3 of them were going to be killed, would you leave them there?

I know that sounds dramatic and there is risk in life generally etc. But if those are the stats then I probably wouldn't send mine in.

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We're really bad at assessing risk, and also at assessing large numbers.

Five people die on the roads every day, including children, but we still get in cars and send children on school buses.

DontMakeMeShushYou · 10/12/2022 09:04

cherriegarcia · 10/12/2022 05:29

@DontMakeMeShushYou tbh I wouldn't send my kids into school if there was a chance of that happening, either. I'm sorry for your experience.

The risk has been there all along. It's a bit elevated at the moment but it's always been there. It's a good many years since my child was so seriously ill. Children are far more likely to be killed by a car than to develop an invasive strep A infection, let alone die from it. Most strep infections happen in the Spring each year. Are you proposing to keep children off school between December and May each year?

I don't want you to be sorry for my experience. I would have preferred an apology for your patronising and dismissive misunderstanding of my original post but I can see that won't happen.