To ask if A&E is overreacting.

[CoconutSky]

A week ago on Wednesday DD had what I thought was a viral infection. Temp, off food etc. it seemed to go by the Friday so I thought nothing of it

On Sunday I had symptoms of strep, sudden sore throat, headache so ended up on penicillin

Wednesday just gone I took her straight to the walk in centre as she was really lethargic, fever and swollen glands. Dr said there said swollen throat with some white streaks so tonsillitis, prescribed Pen V 4 times a day. I gave her 2 doses on Wednesday which I’ve had to conceal in Coca Cola as it’s the only thing that masks the taste.

She seemed abit better yesterday but today the temp seems to be creeping back up. She’s got some diarrhoea the same as me so I know the PenV is getting into her system. She’s not eating properly. Maybe chocolate stars and mini cookies but aside from that nothing. Drinking with encouragement and weeing.

She’s not lethargic til the temp creeps up. I’m worried re the not eating and the fevers, she won’t open her mouth either and I know she has an adult molar that just came through with a big white patch on the gum and I think it’s making her abit dribbly.

She also keeps getting a really flushed face, and I’m almost certain she’s got strawberry tongue so I’m thinking more scarlet fever. Im not sure what to do, should the antibiotics have kicked in by now? I’m really anxious re sepsis etc and I do suffer badly with health anxiety.

So strep throat / bacterial tonsillitis and scarlet fever are treated by the same antibiotic... at least they were for my kids. Pen V x4 a day for 10 days. If she comes out in a fine, pale pink sandpapery rash, that's classic scarlet fever. In which case take her back to the docs. Disclaimer: I'm not medical.

You know your child so I am not going to tell you not to go to A&E. However she does just sound... ill. If she's drinking and only lethargic when her temp spikes, that's a positive sign, I think. Do you have any support with her? A partner / family?

that look like scarlet fever, my 10 year old had it just before christmas. She was prescribed 10day course of antibiotic, but it wasn't penicillin, unfortunately dont remember the name

Last time I had tonsillitis (late last year) I could barely swallow let alone eat. I don't think I ate for 6 days in total, just managed protein shakes with lots of ice in. Can you try something like paediatric shakes for her? They taste like milk shakes if you blend with ice. It's a really nasty illness, leaves your whole body feeling horrific and I'd give her a good 48 hours on the antibiotics before worrying.

She’s okay drinking so I’ve been loading her up on Apple juice and yazoo for the calories and the nutrients 🤣

A good basic check is does she perk up, or constantly lethargic.

You’d expect cycles with medication peaks and troughs. That molar looks sore - teething stuff is all compatible with antibiotics. As is gargling salt which will almost certainly help keep that a bit calmer.

Perking up for chocolate and biscuits is a good indicator of a childhood lurgy rather than anything sinister.

Pen V does cover strep (/Scarlett fever); she should have 10 days.

If she's drinking lots that's very reassuring, you could see how she's doing overnight/tomorrow. Children with quincy/abscess will typically sort of sit, looking v miserable, letting the saliva run from their mouth because they are so uncomfortable. Obviously, they do progress gradually towards that point from having a "normal" tonsillitis, so it's a judgement call.

Nevertheless don't worry about what anyone will think if you do decide to take her to A&E. Working in AE and seeing plenty of relatively well children with tonsillitis - it's no problem and happy to reassure. Sensible doctors understand AE is the last place you want to drag a 5 year old at bedtime and that you only want what's best for your daughter.

I owldnt blame you for going to an and e, I also wouldn’t blame you for not. It sounds one of those borderline ones at mo. Generally for scarlet fever it’s phenoxymethal penicillin for 10 days. Antibiotics should be having an effect after the second full day. Not sure if this is true or not but I was told once not to mix antibiotics with anything- and it must be consumed in one shot- not drink over a period of time. Tricky I know with a little one but a bribery of chocolate after the syringe or something?

She’s drank more today than she has all week tbh. Does make a funny movement with her mouth a lot which my rational head is saying is the tooth but the anxious part of me is like “quinsy”

Shes not dribbling in the sense of letting it drip, it’s more like a wet mouth. Like a baby gets when they’re teething

Currently running round dancing

She drinks it like a shot. I put the PenV in the lid it came with, and top it up with pop. That’s the only way I can get it in her and she does take it in one thankfully

She’s just had it now. So yesterday and today are full days of it. She had 2 on Wednesday

How many times in the past 5 years have you taken your daughter to A& E and it turned out to be nothing?

If the answer is more in the region of "none" then if you are concerned, take her to A&E. You clearly don't make a habit of overreacting.

If the answer is more int he region of "every second Tuesday" then yes, you might be overreacting.

Scarlet fever isn't usually a big deal nowadays, DS was off pre school for a week with it but only because its a notifiable disease.
Keep an eye on here and call 111 if you are concerned

Give her what she wants when she is ill

Yes it's overreacting.

I don't want to sound like one of those people who spout bollocks like "If it was really flu, you wouldn't be able to get out of bed" but, having had a quinsy, I don't think she'd be eating cookies if that was what was going on.

I could be wrong and maybe that's just me being exactly like people who make those flu comments, but it was excruciating to drink anything or even swallow my own saliva.

Darling I don't want to worry you but at 4 years old our DD was treated for tonsillitis with antibiotics but just kept getting worse.
Our local walk in centre then prescribed steroids, but she kept getting worse.
In desperation we drove through the night to Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool and the instantly diagnosed HERPES SIMPLEX.
She was admitted to critical care
Acyclovir and the dedication of the NHS staff there saved her life.
Please don't leave this.

My 6yo is prone to strep throat but the antibiotics normally work really quickly. I have tonsillitis now and it’s excruciating tbh. It’s normal to feel pretty grim.

I had a dental infection a few months ago and I physically couldn’t open my mouth. It was very different to choosing not to open it. I literally couldn’t until about day 6 of antibiotics and was syringing in water. I think you need to take additional action if she does have trismus as that is a bit different to just not doing it because it’s uncomfortable.

She can open her mouth. She’s just not wanting to, I asked if her teeth hurt she said yes

Just go. I m currently sat in hospital as babe seemed fine in themselves, albeit temp, and had finished second course of anti bs. They then suddenly went super hot and did a strange cross eye seizure thing, totally freaky.

I am now stuck here for 5-21 days on IV drips depending how the cultures go.

I already know it’s strep.

Dont mess about. Really regret not coming sooner.

Bless you. I hope they are feeling better soon ❤️

Scarlet fever is essentially strep tonsillitis in a specific form, so I think she’s on the right antibiotic judging by what my DD had when she had scarlet fever, but it’s not a bad thing to get her checked out again at that age. Do you have a minor injuries/walk in or an OOH service rather than A&E? Or an urgent appt with GP tomorrow morning?

Thanks ☺️ it’s weird because they look fine! They were fine before, fine now. But they clearly aren’t fine.

I think I need to pressure that point with doc tomorrow. They seemed quite panicky when we bought her in, now seem super chill about her.

But I think she’s lulling us all into a false sense of security again and this is how we got here in the first place!

So definitely should make that point. But fingers crossed she is just getting better 🥰

My 3 year old recently had scarlet fever and was vomiting and off her food- I just gave her apple juice and ice lollies to keep
her hydrated. She was quite poorly with it and sleeping a lot but the antibiotics kicked in after a couple of days. Hope your little one feels better soon.

It’s been 48 hours since now. I gave her calprufen at around 5. She’s asked for some alphabites

The treatment for scarlet fever is as people have said a 10 day course so you should ask GP for another 5 days. They can also have a rash. After 48 hours of penicillin they can return to school/
nursery if they are well enough but finish the course. If you think there is a quinsy there you might have to go back to paeds to see if it needs drainedxx