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Children's health

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Original poster

Anyones DC had scarlet fever?

14 replies

IheartEASTEREGGS · 13/04/2009 20:57

Took DS to emergency doc today as he woke up with bisters all round his mouth and rash over his whole body.
He's had a high temp since Saturday and not eating/drinking much.
Doc says he has scarlet fever and he is on penicillin.

Has anyone else's DC had it? How long does it take before they feel better?
DS has been crying and utterly miserable 24/7 since Saturday. I have not been able to put him down even to go to the loo without hysterical crying and he hasnt cracked a smile once poor thing

OP posts:

Tiggiwinkle · 13/04/2009 21:02

Two of mine have had it. It does make them feel really ill and miserable, but the ABs should kick in and make him feel better pretty quickly.

Did the doctor advise you to take him for a check up in a couple of weeks-they usually do a urine test to male sure there are no long term complications which can occur after scarlet fever.

Original poster

IheartEASTEREGGS · 13/04/2009 21:05

Doc we saw was a locum at in laws surgery as we were away visiting them so didnt say about going back.
He did say to go to my Docs if no improvement in a couple of days though.

Its good to hear that the ABs should help him to feel better soon though. I'm hoping we dont have such a bad night tonight with it!

OP posts:

Tiggiwinkle · 13/04/2009 21:09

Get him checked out at your own GPs in a couple of weeks then.

The complications of scarlet fever are serious-rheumatic fever and possible kidney problems. I hope he was given a 10 day course of ABs as that is generally recommended for SF?

Original poster

IheartEASTEREGGS · 13/04/2009 21:12

It doesnt say how many days, it just says complete the course, but there looks quite a lot in the bottle so could easily be 10 day course. I'll keep track of it and also make sure I take him in to see my doc in a couple of weeks then.
Thanks for your advice.

OP posts:

Tiggiwinkle · 13/04/2009 21:15

Hope he feels better very soon

nannygirl · 13/04/2009 21:19

I have had it myself as an adult, it's horrible. The antibiotics do help a lot but I felt terrible. It is quite contagious (I caught it off a neighbour's child without knowing) so keep him away from others if at all possible.

HTH

IheartNY · 15/04/2009 12:00

He seems to have more rash now, even though he seems to be feelingbetter in himself.
Shall I take him back to my docs do you think??

angelaspangela · 13/05/2009 13:32

LAst week my GP said the spots were measles but yesterday a different GP, with help from a colleague, said scarlet fever and 5 days penicillin. She has no sf symptoms only that rash went from face and then returned and isn't ill in herself (just whingy and a cold). Anyone else only had 5 day course antibiotics?

Anyone else given a swab/blood test to diagnose sf? (NHS Direct this morning said I must have this as a notifiable disease)

Tiggiwinkle · 13/05/2009 13:36

The usual and recommended course of ABs for SF is 10 days. Two of my DSs have had it (one had it twice) and on each occasion were given 10 day courses.

One of them had a swab test at hospital because we had to take him to A and E (it was a weekend).

It is a notifiable disease.

Bucharest · 13/05/2009 13:42

It usually presents as scarlatina (a very mild form of the original scarlet fever) and is very common and very highly responsive to antibs. Dd had it last year and within less than 48 hrs of the antibs starting she was fighting fit. Doc told us to keep her off school until antibs (7 days) had finished though.
No swab test or blood test. Doc told me the white coated tongue is the main sign that it's scarlatina.

angelaspangela · 13/05/2009 19:09

No white coated tongue and the rash looks nothing like the ones I've found on internet. Feel like we're having antibiotics cos docs didn't know what else to do. We are due to go on holiday at weekend and need a proper diagnosis so I can cancel it.

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 13/05/2009 22:08

Scarlet fever rash has quite a distinctive feel to it - quite sandpapery and he may not have the white tongue thing now - it develops into more of a 'strawberry' appearance after a few days. I've not heard of SF presenting with blisters around the mouth though.

Tiggiwinkle · 13/05/2009 22:29

As Saggar says the feel of the rash is very distinctive, and with my DSs rash you could feel it for quite a long time after the redness had faded.

The tongue would not be white any more if she has had it since last week-it is only white in the initial stages then turns bright red, with darker red bits like a strawberry.

Did she have a high temp with the rash? The temperature tends to be very high with SF to start with (my DSs was 104 and rising...) and they really do feel very unwell-much more than just a cold.

angelaspangela · 14/05/2009 14:48

No white tongue or red and rash not raised or sandpapery at all - you can't feel it at all. She did have a temperature for 2 days last week when rash started behind ears and then face. But she has never been that unwell - clingy but able to rally in btn doses of calpol. I am so sure it's not sf now but now we've embarked on antibiotics - frustrating. suspect its just a weird minor virus that GPs couldn't find in their book and it will disapper of own accord

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