Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, everyone--I appreciate all of your thoughts. I'm on a different antibiotic, yet again, as the one I started with (clindamycin) seemingly had no effect on the strep after 48+ hours. We're now thinking that I may not ever have fully gotten rid of it a month ago with that same antibiotic.

Re the signs of strep--as a PP said, it's like swallowing glass, tonsils are enormous with patches of white (exudate, I think they call it, but it's basically pus or mucus), swollen glands, fever, everything hurts. My older kid throws up without fail within the first 24 hours of getting it--we don't know if that's because of the fever or the strep itself but he does it every single time. I've also thrown up from it and my husband did, too, when he had it this winter. It's definitely a marked difference from any other kind of sore throat I've ever had.

Back in the fall, when the older kid had it three times, our pediatrician was reluctant to test the little one. Unlike when I was a kid, she said the recommendation now is not to treat strep without symptoms--that's pretty much what the NY Times article the PP linked says, too. If any of us get it again in the next couple of months, though, I am really going to push her on testing both kids--or we'll all just go to a minute clinic or something.

So sorry to the rest of you guys who have it or have had multiple infections this year... It's the worst.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, everyone--I appreciate all of your thoughts. I'm on a different antibiotic, yet again, as the one I started with (clindamycin) seemingly had no effect on the strep after 48+ hours. We're now thinking that I may not ever have fully gotten rid of it a month ago with that same antibiotic.

Re the signs of strep--as a PP said, it's like swallowing glass, tonsils are enormous with patches of white (exudate, I think they call it, but it's basically pus or mucus), swollen glands, fever, everything hurts. My older kid throws up without fail within the first 24 hours of getting it--we don't know if that's because of the fever or the strep itself but he does it every single time. I've also thrown up from it and my husband did, too, when he had it this winter. It's definitely a marked difference from any other kind of sore throat I've ever had.

Back in the fall, when the older kid had it three times, our pediatrician was reluctant to test the little one. Unlike when I was a kid, she said the recommendation now is not to treat strep without symptoms--that's pretty much what the NY Times article the PP linked says, too. If any of us get it again in the next couple of months, though, I am really going to push her on testing both kids--or we'll all just go to a minute clinic or something.

So sorry to the rest of you guys who have it or have had multiple infections this year... It's the worst.

Anonymous wrote:

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 wrote:NP here. Just came down with strep today (third time in a year). It's awful. Will the vet swab our dogs? Never thought it could be them giving it to me!

Anonymous wrote: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 wrote: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.