Confused about multiple strep throat with my 4 yr old son (4 infections in 4 months)

[Anonymous]

Am in the middle of trying to figure out what to do with my 4 year old who just tested positive for strep for the 4th time since this past September. Am waiting for the throat culture to come back, since my ped doesn't want to give him a 4th round of antibiotics without the culture (rapid test was positive). Culture results will be in tomorrow

I have been doing research, and am wondering if any parents out there have had any experience with other reasons kids can test positive for Strep. It seems that some people are actually carriers of the Strep, which can cause a positive culture, but doesn't require treatment. This makes me wonder.

I should also note...that most of his bouts have been almost asymptomatic with no or very little fever, and says his throat doesn't hurt. Things are a little muddled, since he also has HUGE tonsils that need to come out, but he wont have his tonsilectomy for another month. he has complained of a "bad taste' in his mouth.

Any advice?

[Anonymous]

Has anyone else in the family been tested? It's possible that you, dad or a sibling is a totally asymptomatic carrier who passes it back to him after the antibiotics wear off. And have you tossed his toothbrush, toothpaste, etc after each infection? That's a little farther than I'd go for one bout, but I'd definitely do it with repeated things. Is there anything else he puts in/near his mouth regularly, like a helmet with a chinguard or mouthpiece of some sort? I'd thoroughly clean anything like that, too.

Good luck. Sounds like no fun.

[Anonymous]

Is there some more information you can give? If he's asymptomatic, then what causes you to go in and get tested? I am not asking to be snarky. But there must be something going on there that is troubling him. So perhaps he's got a second thing going on that is unrelated or weakly related, like an ear infection or sinus infection.

[Anonymous]

Do you have a dog? They can also carry strep.

[Anonymous]

OP here. No dogs, however the ped pointed out that we SHOULD have thrown out his toothbrush, and we didn't, ugh!
To the poster who asked about symptoms (didn't think you were "snarky" at all), good question:

This past time, we were there just yesterday for a lead test, and he had been complaining of a bad taste in his mouth, and a tummy ache. Doc knew about the 3 previous strep infections, and decided to check.

The time before that (just 3 weeks ago), he was also complaining of a bad taste...but no fever, and no complaints of a sore throat, even when I asked him.

The other 2 times, probably similar, bad taste....just seemed off. Was in December and September.

[Anonymous]

You might consider an infectious disease specialist at this point. It sounds like the strep isn't being wiped out completely by the usual course of antibiotics.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure what might be going on, but when my son was 4 he also had one strep infection after another (about the same rate as yours). He displayed other symptoms, though (fever, sore throat). I was mortified to be giving him so many rounds of antibiotics. He eventually just grew out of it.

[Anonymous]

I have had this happen with 2 of my kids, at different times. DS1 was 7 and had it 6 times in 6 months. I did get rid of tooth brushes etc, but it kept coming back. a couple of times he tested negative so it was definitely some re-infection. The last time was the last week of school and the Dr said that he would bet it was a matter of someone in the class being a carrier (which means they carry it but show no symptoms). We made a plan that if Ds got it again then we would test the whole family plus the dog (as they can be carriers). he did not get it again for several months, and then just once.
DS2 had it a lot this fall, and he was tested 2 times a tests of cure so again, it was a reinfection most likely. Although the Dr said some people can test negative but upon removal of their tonsils they find pockets of infection deep in the tonsils. Our last bout involved everyone in the house having it, including the asymptomatic baby.
I sterilized the bathroom sink, got everyone their own toothpaste, their own mouthwash, made sure everyone teeth cleaning stuff had a container so that they would not touch and infect each other.
I had everyone tested after treatment so we knew we were negative and now it has been 3 months and we have been strep-free.

Also, they moved up the chain of antibiotics for the last treatment- augmentin I think. He had had amoxicillin and omnicef before. I also gave him a treatment of homeopathic strep and started giving hi,m vitaminssa

[Anonymous]

I am the PP and just reread the comments- I bet the fact that he was reusing the toothbrush is your answer and now that you have gotten rid of it, you'll be okay. (But remember you have to give him a new one a day after he starts the antibiotics- if you replace it before then, its a brand new contaminated toothbrush).

I'm curious to know if the rapid strep is positive and the culture is negative. I have never heard of that and thought the problem with the quick streps are that they can have false negatives, not false positives.

[Anonymous]

Dad here -- as a kid, and stretching into my 20s, I had repeated bouts of strep and swollen tonsils. Strep throat for me was nothing more than an itchy throat. Never had fever or any other debilitating symptoms with it (as an adult, I was surprised to learn that, for most people, strep really is awful and lays them up). My pediatrician was not a believer in removing tonsils (very contrary to the prevailing approach at the time) and I still have mine, LOL.

Repeat infections in so short a time definitely bear following up on, but wanted to offer a perspective that for kids who do get strep/have tonsil issues, it's not necessarily unusual

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks everyone for al the great advice. The culture is back, and is also positive, and doc also feels that the toothbrush is most likely to blame.
Thanks again everyone!!!

[Anonymous]

I had strep all the time when I was a kid and it was always bad with a really high fever. From what my mom has told me I was a carrier, on my tonsills. It got to the point where I would break out in scarlet fever without any other sympptoms before breaking out in the rash. I got my tonsills out when I was 5 and haven't gotten it since

[Anonymous]

throw out all toothbrushes and sanitize the house with clorox wipes! wash comforters, coats, hats, mittens, you name it! we kept getting sick and had to do a complete overhaul of our house! things are better now. we were "clean" people beforehand but the toothbrush thing - yes throw it out anytime your kid gets sick. that has helped us. good luck!

[Anonymous]

I got strep 5x in kindergarten - dr. finally tested my brother and found he was in asymptomatic carrier. he got antibiotics, and I have never gotten another case of strep since.