Scarlet fever

[hellymelly]

DD has this, (well, as its the milder form nowadays its actually scarletina). Anything I need to know? GP thought we should keep dd2 off school too as she could be contagious while incubating it, does that sound sensible? (inset day today anyway, so not an issue until next week) . She had a slight sore throat yesterday morning but when I picked her up from school she was crying and hot, the rash has come up through the night and is spreading over her torso. How long does it last? Anyone had one child have it and the other not get it? (we all sleep piled in together though, so not great as far as passing on contagious diseases).

bumping

DS had this last year and DD didn't get it. He was sick for about 6 days IIRC. I caught the same bug (strep) from him though and ended up very very ill. I'd keep her off school. It is not pleasant and you wouldn't want to risk passing it on.

Your poor DD2 though, BTW.

Yes, my DS2 had this twice before - unpleasant - but no more so than most viral infections (high temp, site throat, listless for a few days, poor appetite, very red Tongue).

My DS1 who shares his room never caught it. No idea why as they as as thick as thieves.

One thing I remember being worried about (and doctors don't always tell you this) is that the skin on their hands and feet peels off in the weeks after infection - wasn't painful but i found it looked unpleasant and sore - never bothers DS2 at all! apparently it's just a side affect

Hope your DC feels better soon!

Chaotica what happened to you? (I am paranoid as my dd sleeps cuddled up to me, and I'm a bit run down at the moment). I also thought you could only get it the once?

Just to clarify, dd1 has it, and will be off school, dd2 hasn't got it yet, but the gP thought she should be off too in case she passes it to another child before she shows symptoms.

My DD had this a few weeks ago and was so poorly with it. I was told that once they start anti-biotics they are no longer contagious after 24 hours. No one else caught it and I had spent numerous nights sleeping in with DD as she was so ill.

I don't agree with keeping another child off when they are not showing any symptoms and might not even catch it. If my DS was of school age I would have continued to send him in as normal. No one else in DD's class came down with it and she would have been playing with her class mates the day before.

Hope she feels better soon

The GP gave us an anti-biotic prescription but said to hold off for a day or two and see how she seems, to give them if her throat got worse or her fever went high. She is unwell but pretty cheerful and not feeling really rotten. The rashy areas are itching a bit where they are very red- is that usual?

poor thing, my then 5 year old caught this on her birthday and a week later ( xmas day) me, husband and 9 week old baby aslo came down with it. As soon as penicillin kicks in , its amazing, i felt so much better after 12 hours.

I would give the antibiotics. yes the itching is normal, it will go like sandpaper and stop itching.

hope shes better soon

My two eldest had it last year but my youngest never caught it from them.

I would give the antibiotics, in rare cases it can cause heart damage if not treated.

I had post SF complications def give the antibiotics. It has affected the rest of my life

Sorry - only just got back online. I don't think you can avoid catching a strep infection if you're a parent, so I wouldn't worry about close contact, although you might well be lucky and escape. I caught strep throat (same bacteria) from DS and then got a quinsey (an abcess behind the tonsil) and a more generalised strep infection. It's my fault for presuming that I wouldn't need ABs as that was the advice I was given (and then I needed ever stronger ABs and emergency care).

I felt really rough - my advice is go to the doctor yourself if you're ill rather than just taking care of the DCs.

Sounds like there is no harm in keeping DD2 off.

I had scarlet fever as a child, and was off school for 6 weeks, then went back for mornings only for a while. I had antibiotics.

Do take this seriously.

However, I was one of six children, and only one other was infected, and he had it only slightly. No one from school had it, either.

I am torn about giving her the antibiotics, she is getting better now, her throat still smells "off" but is hurting much less and her rash is starting to face in places. She is eating again and pretty bouncy, so really seems on the mend-no temp- Does that mean she doesn't need them now?
Submarine- how horrid for all of you, I thought adults and babies didn't usually get it (according to NHS site) so you were terribly unlucky.
and Chaotica that sounds terrible, there have been incidents of Quinsey around here, no doubt connected with the bug doing the rounds, it is meant to be really horrendous.
I have a sore throat, but I don't feel particularly awful.

I would give the antibiotics anyway. Those that get complications can have serious problems.

I second giving the antibiotics. There are serious complications of scarlet fever. It's not worth the risk.

Oh Balls! fear i may be hijacking your thread here a little OP so i apologise in advance, but it seems pointless starting another.

My DS (3) was very ill last Friday, sore throat raging temp. I took him to GPs last Friday morning. Doctor suspected viral tonsillitis but DS has recently has a grommet op she gave him a prescription for penicillin, but told us not to give them straight away and see how he goes. As the day progressed he came out in a rash that started on his face and spread down his chest into his groan arms, hands and legs.

It was hot and he had a temp.......i put it down to a heat/viral type rash!! when we collected the penicillin from the chemist he just advised piriton. His face was extremely dry after the rash, though his skin wasnt dry anywhere else. He didnt have a red tongue either.

Ive googled after reading this thread as i had Scarlet fever as a child and was in hospital for 2 weeks! i was only 3 but i still remember it, i couldnt bring home any of the toys people had given me . After reading up i now think my DS has/had this.

He is now well in himself but he has a barking chesty cough, having read up i see that its important to have a long course of penicillin and DS has only had a 5 day course. Now im thinking i should get him seen again, but the rash has now gone! but reading that serious secondary infections are common if not treated im now thinking he needs to be seen again. What do you MNer think? should get him seen ASAP or would monday be ok?, am i over thinking this?.

bump

We haven't given anti-bs yet as we've gone with the GP's advice, and held off as she seems to be loads better now. (She gets very bad tummy upsets with anti-bs so loth to give them unless really needed). GP was happy that she didn't need them unless she got worse but the rash is fading, her throat much better and she really seems almost back to normal. I think she must have a very mild dose of it. But I am concerned that so many here think we should give them anyway and wonder if I should call NHS direct in the morning? She is clearly fighting it off well without them, but obv I don't want her to get complications from it. One of her classmates has had antibiotics and one not I think (the not was another fairly mild 4-day case). Should I call a doc tomorrow for a second opinion? (why are small children always ill on a weekend..?)

You can call NHS direct any time for a bit of reassurance. It's a great service, in my experience.

Thanks just waiting for NHS direct to call.

hellynelly Which penicillin did the doc give you? i ask because amoxicillin (the yellow one) always gives my DC awful tummy upsets and diarrhea (to the point there is blood in their stools) however this time it was an orange medicine and DS hasnt had a tummy upset at all, just vile smelling poo's but not more frequent than normal. (lovely conversation for a sunday morning hey?? )

I would ring your GP for peace of mind if nothing else.

The complications I had came as I didn't have anti b. What happens is the body starts fighting the infection itself and once it has finished with teh SF it can continue producing antibodies which have nothing to fight and so they go around the body and try and find something to destroy. In my case my kidneys and heart. This is rare but still not worth teh risk.

I was told that with Scarlet fever/Scarletina, you have to have antibiotics. No question. I am surprised your GP told you to hold off giving them tbh. (Of course you can only go on what you are told, but I really think they should have given better advice) There are different ABs you can have if they give a tummy upset. I get a terrible upset stomach with amoxicillin, and had to have 4 courses in a year whilst waiting for dental surgery, but I took pro-biotics (in yoghurt or tablet form) and that helped so much. (another tip from MNet!)

I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

Well we rang NHS direct first thing this morning and they said not to give her the antibiotics. The doctor said as we wouldn't take her to a doc as she is now (pretty much back to normal, rash nearly gone) then she didn't need them and there was no reason to take them. So all very confusing. Mcfarts I'm npot sure which one she has, I haven't looked in the bag (DH picked it up). I feel like this now

oh- and does anyone know when you stop being contagious to others?