Negative strep test but antibiotics?

[Anonymous]

When I got home from work this evening, I found my DC (age 5) with a fever of 102-3 and quite lethargic (which is quite unusual, based on previous episodes with fever). Since the pediatrician's office was already closed, I took DC to the urgent care around the corner from my house - to check for an ear infection and strep.

Well, the rapid strep test came back negative, and there was no ear infection. Nevertheless, the doctor prescribed an antibiotic because she thought it looked like strep.

Now I am sitting at home, debating whether to give the antibiotic now or wait until I talk to our pediatrician tomorrow.

WWYD?

[Anonymous]

I had my most horrendous case of strep with a negative test.

Its up to you, but you could give your child tonight's dose and consult with your doctor tomorrow to either confirm or cancel the rest of the course.

[Anonymous]

I would talk to the pediatrician. If it's a virus antibiotics won't help. I've been prescribed antibiotics quickly at places like Patient First and my regular doctor has later told me they disagreed. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely use Patient First or Minute Clinic but think before you start taking any medication if it's not an emergency. Does your pediatrician have an after hours line?

[Anonymous]

Call the pediatrician's help line and run it by them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would talk to the pediatrician. If it's a virus antibiotics won't help. I've been prescribed antibiotics quickly at places like Patient First and my regular doctor has later told me they disagreed. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely use Patient First or Minute Clinic but think before you start taking any medication if it's not an emergency. Does your pediatrician have an after hours line?

OP here. He does, but the chances of getting our pediatrician (whom I trust 100 percent) on the phone tonight are pretty slim. I will likely be connected to the on-call doctor.

[Anonymous]

There are false negatives. It's also a clinical diagnosis. In the days before the rapid step test, your kid would most likely be put on antibiotics based on symptoms, and exam findings. I'd start the med.

[Anonymous]

I had a negative strep, and my throat was killing me. I mean it had never hurt so bad. Urgent care gave me antibiotics. I didn't want to take them, but did the next day. The relief was within a few hours.

I do think that urgent care likes to give you your money's worth. If fever is coming down with Advil and the ears looked good, and no really sore throat, I woudlnt give them.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input. DC does have sore throat. I am waiting for a call-back from a doctor from our regular practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a negative strep, and my throat was killing me. I mean it had never hurt so bad. Urgent care gave me antibiotics. I didn't want to take them, but did the next day. The relief was within a few hours.

I do think that urgent care likes to give you your money's worth. If fever is coming down with Advil and the ears looked good, and no really sore throat, I woudlnt give them.

+1. Don't suffer. I appreciate your willingness to fight antibiotic resistance, but your child is suffering and you have medicine. It's ok.

[Anonymous]

Just wait for the results of the longer strep test and fill the med script if that test comes back positive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wait for the results of the longer strep test and fill the med script if that test comes back positive.

Agree with this. But, whatever you decide finish the full dose. Don't stop when he feels better.

Healing thoughts your way.

[Anonymous]

You could wait a day and see how he is... I have rad that walk in places have a significantly higher rate of anti biotics prescriptions than drs offices.

[Anonymous]

This just happened to my kid over the winter break. Went to an urgent care clinic and rapid test was negative. However, DS had the start of an ear infection (which he is very prone to) and they gave antibiotics. They also did the more extensive test that had to be sent to a lab because DD had strep at the time and they knew he'd been exposed. Sure enough, the results of the more extensive test showed strep.

[Anonymous]

Did they tell you to start them or wait for the results. We have had the doctor write a prescription and tell us to only fill it if the longer test came back positive. That way we did not have to come back in.

[Anonymous]

The rapid test can be a false negative, but standard practice is to send the sample to a lab for the longer test - which usually returns 24 hours later. I would wait until those results come back before taking the med.