Too many bouts of strep in my house

[Anonymous]

I'm currently recovering from my third case of strep this year--I've had it in February, May, and now in June. My husband had it in January. My older kid had it three times over November and December. All of the cases have been confirmed with a swab and positive rapid strep test in the doctor's office; we aren't just treating sore throats like strep. Each and every one of us has finished our antibiotics each time. If a dose was missed, it was made up ASAP. We've had different antibiotics--amoxicillin, augmentin, and clindamycin. We've changed all of our toothbrushes and wiped surfaces ad nauseum.

No one around us has had strep recently. Our younger kid (>2) has never had it, and I've suspected him as a "carrier" but no one at his daycare has had strep in months and months so that theory is probably unlikely. Older kid is in ES, now in summer camp. We do have a dog--can dogs really carry strep, or is that just a myth?

I'm definitely planning to talk to all of our respective doctors about this, but wondered if any of you had been through this, too. It's absurd and it sucks and it hurts and I'm really tired of getting sick. Any ideas? Anything that helped?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry. This sounds like a pain.

I would test everyone in the family, if one of you gets it. CVS minute clinic will do this. It sounds like you are passing it off to one another.

Have you washed the pillows? Does someone have a mouthguard for sports or tooth grinding?

[Anonymous]

Have a child with PANDAS, a complication of strep. On those forums the topic of dogs with strep comes up every so often, and the answer is affirmatively yes, the dog can have strep and spread it to family members. (Have no personal experience--no dog.)

Here is a sample thread--there are more on the same site:

http://latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4651

[Anonymous]

If your kids keep getting it, think about having their tonsils out. I wish DEARLY that my parents had advocated for tonsils out when I was young. Google tonsil stones

[Anonymous]

OP, this stinks, but keep in mind that strep is all over the place, all the time. Antibiotics are given not really to get rid of the strep throat (although they do that) but rather to prevent complications (such as rheumatic fever).

DS had strep twice last year (once just strep, once scarlet fever). DH had strep 3 times last year also, and he has no tonsils! Every time he got it, I thought, there's no WAY this can be strep, and every time, I was wrong. I also went and got a rapid strep every time on the thought that maybe I was passing it to him, and cultures (both rapid and longer) were negative.

During that time I read that 3 times a year is considered the norm for school-age kids. I was prepared for another round this year, and...nope. DS has not had it once in over a year. So, hopefully your run is over as well?

[Anonymous]

We had a similar year a while back-to the point that we all had it at the same time, baby had it etc. my son had it 6 times and dr wanted to test the dog. School ended and his good friend in his class had his tonsils and adenoids removed not bc of strep but I'm sure he was a carrier as it all stopped. A friend whose family went through it found out her babysitter was a carrier. Maybe it's coming from an outside source?

[Anonymous]

I have never in my life had strep. My husband had it all the time as a kid. He had his tonsils out. I think some are predisposed to strep, which would explain how you guys have had it so much.

[Anonymous]

I sympathize. I went through exactly this pattern when my children were 3-5 years old. It was godawful. I was sick with strep every 3-6 months and missing work for up to a week.

It stopped when they passed that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never in my life had strep. My husband had it all the time as a kid. He had his tonsils out. I think some are predisposed to strep, which would explain how you guys have had it so much.

I've never had it diagnosed, either! Nor have my 2 kids.

Sometimes I wonder why we don't seem to get it. My kids have sometimes been tested, but it's never been positive. Usually though when they have a fever and sore throat, we just wait it out a few days, and then they get better. So no test.

What are the signs that make you take your kids in to be tested for strep? Do you just go to the doctor every time your child has a sore throat, the first day? Maybe we have had strep, but I just am not getting it diagnosed?

[Anonymous]

PP, strep is a horribly painful sore throat. Like eating ground glass.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes strep is asymptomatic. My kids have had it with painful sore throat and fever, but also have had it without any symptoms at all. One time my son's ear was bothering him and I brought him to the clinic...they tested him for strep and he was positive...no sore throat. We brought his sister in to see if she had it (they had been all over each other that week while we were on vacation) and she tested positive with ZERO symptoms. Their one year old cousin was unwell at the beginning of our trip so it must have come from him (after my kids tested positive, he and his sister got tested and were positive, she without any symptoms. Maybe it was early on and they would have become symptomatic if they didn't catch it, but I have heard many anecdotal symptoms of asymptomatic strep.

My main point is that when one person in OP's family gets strep, all should be tested. If one person contracts it but is asymptomatic, they could be spreading it, and then the cycle just goes on and on.

[Anonymous]

Just to add, I don't get all family members tested when one has strep, but in OP's situation with repeat infections I would.

[Anonymous]

We have a similar thing going on at my house - I feel like my kids have strep all the time and I have had it 2x in the last 9 months. It's very frustrating. I just keep buying new toohbrushes / toothpaste etc and clean surfaces constantly.

[Anonymous]

If you are otherwise healthy people, have you considered NOT taking antibiotics for the strep? There have been some studies that show antibiotic intervention can actually undermine your body's ability to create immunity to some types of illnesses (your own immune system doesn't kill it off, the antibiotics do). You may want to consider giving it a try to see if that helps.

Of course, I totally understand that this approach is extremely unpleasant and possibly unworkable, esp. if the kids are in some sort of childcare arrangement and the parents would end up having to miss work. I just throw it out there as an idea.

[Anonymous]

I am very opposed to overuse of antibiotics, but strep can be quite dangerous. My mom grew up before antibiotics were widely available and knew more than one person who died from strep related complications. She had some permanent organ damage from it herself. If you're sick enough to have the fever, don't skip the antibiotics.