Riley woke up on Monday morning crying piteously and when I went to touch his forehead I had to stop myself from collapsing to the ground howling “WHY, GOD, WHY?” because seriously, we just got over a round of feverish viral gunk two weeks ago, and the prospect of dropping right back into it was almost too much to bear.

The uncaring gods of bad timing don’t give a flying shit about anyone’s personal preferences, of course, so we wearily set up shop—installing Riley on the couch, creating an assembly line from our collection of half-full bottles of Motrin and Tylenol, putting up a cot in our bedroom for wee-hour ministrations, and hauling out the Barf Receptacle of Doom (aka the blue stockpot I guess I’ll probably never be cooking in again)—before getting down to the festive business of deciding who would stay home from work. The exact same routine we went through two weeks ago, down to the endless background blat of Curious George.

It turns out he has strep, for which his pediatrician prescribed the ubiquitous amoxicillin regimen. He woke up this morning fever-free and pretty much back to normal, so I’m feeling very ambivalent on whether or not to start the antibiotics. The amoxicillin won’t get rid of the strep, it’s used mainly to reduce time of contagion and prevent rare complications. Meanwhile, in my experience it totally wrecks their little gastrointestinal systems, starting about 24 hours into that endless prescription. I hate giving my kid something twice a day for TEN DAYS that’s going to give them the screaming fire shits, you know?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on antibiotics. Do you use them every time they’re prescribed? If you do use them, do you find that probiotics or something similar help with the collateral damage?

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Jenny
13 years ago

I find that if I don’t use the antibiotics, the infection comes back sooner and worse (we recently had the Recurring Sinus Infection of Death.) But I stuff my kid full of live-culture yogurt and it helps with the gastric stuff. I’m sure the real probiotics would be even better.

Courtney
Courtney
13 years ago

Can you wait it out another day? I’d say if he wakes up tomorrow feeling okay, let his body work it out itself. As long as you’re not sending him to preschool contagious?

But I’m not a parent, so I have no effing clue what I’m really talking about!

kristy
kristy
13 years ago

Im usually against antibiotics in general, but in this case I would give it to him because you dont want him to get rheumatic fever, it can mess up your heart pretty bad. strep pyogenes is the only one that can cause that, which is what they test for when they do a strep throat test. An unlikely complication, but better safe than sorry.

Eric's Mommy
Eric's Mommy
13 years ago

Eric has thankfully grown out of it, but he used to get ear infections almost every month, it was awful. We were to the point were the Dr. wanted to put tubes in his ears. This went on for about 2 years straight. We did give him the antibiotics, it was usually zithromax 5 day dose. He never had any problems with diarrhea from it, but his poops are normally hard and enormous so the antibiotics may have just given him “normal” poop.

Jenny
13 years ago

Oh — and maybe you could think about calling the nurse/doc and asking if there’s something that might be easier on his gut? Our doc prescribes augmentin, not amoxicillin, and it seems to have fewer side effects?

Erin
13 years ago

Whenever my kids are on antibiotics, I sprinkle probiotics in their yogurt and it helps a lot. Just ask for it at the pharmacy–it’s usually in the fridge.

eva woods
eva woods
13 years ago

My 5 year old is sensitive to amoxiccilin, so we always to the zithromiacin, and it’s 5 days, no tummy trouble. It’s definitely worth asking about

Pete
Pete
13 years ago

I resisted the amoxicillin as much as possible. The doc was prescribing amoxicillin for viral infections ‘just cuz’. After the kids got older I pushed for targeted antibiotic vs the broad spectrum they usually gave. These days they have to be pretty sick before they get anything other than Motrin/Tylenol.

bacioni
bacioni
13 years ago

I won’t go the antibiotic route unless it’s absolutely necessary, because it destroys ALL of the bacteria, good and bad.

On the occasion I do need to take the antibiotics, I go in knowing I will need to rebuild the “good ones” as soon as I am done with the course.

My holistic chiropractor helps restore this balance. I would check with a naturopath or homeopath in your area for assistance.

Hope he’s feeling better soon!

samantha jo campen
13 years ago

“screaming fire shits” IS EXACTLY RIGHT. Or as my BFF calls it “Firey soft serve.” Either one covers it.

Theo so rarely gets antibiotics so when he does need them we give them to him. We use a lot of yogurt and additional probiotics and they seem to help. I hate to think about what he’d be going through if we didn’t give them to him. It’s such a tough call. We just got generic acidophilus which is way less spendy than culturelle. And the doc said you can’t OD on it so we give him like, 5 pills a day in his food.

Kate
13 years ago

Speaking from personal experience, I went with WebMD’s reassurance that you don’t really need antibiotics to cure strep, and ended up with an agonizing, horrible, incredibly painful version of strep. The doctor laughed at me for being such an idiot when I crawled in for a prescription. So I’m pro-antibiotic in the case of strep throat, at least.

What does your doc say, though? Could you just call them back and say he seems to be all better, can I skip the medication? I have done that with my daughter’s pediatrician and gotten satisfying answers.

LA
LA
13 years ago

Use the antibiotics and give the probiotics. My niece had huge renal problems from untreated strep. The medical community has been cautious in prescribing the meds. It must be necessary. Good luck!

clarabella
13 years ago

I am of the antibiotics-as-a-last-resort school, but have used them a handful of times when my boy was just miserable with ear infections that we couldn’t tough out.
However, we’ve used amoxicillin a couple times, & my boy has inherited my steel gut, so he doesn’t have any intestinal reactions to it.
I’m sorry Riley does. I suppose you’ve already explored milder antibiotics?
All that said, I had strep about 10 times a year when I was a kid & NEVER took antibiotics. Since you already know they won’t kill the strep, I guess it’s whether you can work out the who-stays-home situation & how much fortitude you have to face it. If you think he can tough it out & you can keep him at home, I don’t really see the need for the antibiotics this time around. However, I wouldn’t blink a judging eye if you chose the opposite route.
Good luck!

Maria
13 years ago

My ped always has us do probiotics. They make a cool powdered kind that you can mix in OJ or whatever.

Antibiotics give me crazy stomach aches but the haven’t seemed to bother my 4yo. I’ve been lucky, the 18mo hasn’t needed them yet. Even my older one hasn’t that often, since he usually just picks up a virus ever 10 days during the school year.

I hate giving little kids meds though. In April when he had his crazy RSV he was on five different medications. (None of them antibiotics.) It felt super weird giving him all that shit.

beach
beach
13 years ago

For strep I would definitely use the antibiotics and load up on the yogurt!!

whoorl
13 years ago

Probiotics rule! (I’m currently on 3x/day antibiotics myself. Party time.) I like Culturelle, and they also make a Culturelle for kids…

Christina
13 years ago

Heck no! Some times I just like to have that little piece of paper in my hand so I (BOLD UNDERLINE) can feel better. It is good to have **just in case** but by no means do I give them everything the doctor says to give them medicine wise. Come to think of it, I think our doctor even says ‘here this will make YOU feel better’ when she hands me the script! She totally knows me!

g~
g~
13 years ago

Goodness, am I the ONLY one with children who get horrendously sick if I don’t give them the anti-bios? I mean, seriously, we must catch the Bugs from Hell but every time I have wavered in whether or not to give them, I have regretted it…
Also, is it possible that he may be mildly allergic to amox? Because it never gives my kids the shits. Maybe next time ask for a different antibio not penicillin based?

g~
g~
13 years ago

How do you spell penicillin? Who knows at this point.

Laura
13 years ago

I don’t have children, but untreated strep can recur and can also become scarlet fever and ultimately cause heart infection and damage. So as bad as it’s gonna be, I’d use the antibiotics in this case.

SJT
SJT
13 years ago

I always go with the prescription. No matter what. I don’t want that business coming back stronger and angrier than before. But what keeps the poos away? I give my kid a Tablespoon of Activia yogurt everytime he has to take the teaspoon of meds. Stay away from Augmentin at all costs. That antibiotic will strip anyones inside like paint thinner.

Good luck..

Melissa
Melissa
13 years ago

Strep generally doesn’t go away . . . it is a tough bugger to deal with. It can develop into scarlett fever and then also move into your heart. I repeat, treat the strep . . .

Becky Mochaface
13 years ago

Is that the stuff that tastes like bubble gum? Man, I loved that shit growing up. I used to wish for strep just so I would get to eat that yummy delicious pink stuff.

silene
13 years ago

Mom and microbiologist here…I am not one to give antibiotics for no good reason–for example, I’m not giving antibiotic eyedrops to my kid for a corneal abrasion, because there are no signs of infection. For that one, I’m willing to wait and watch.

For strep, though? I’d to give him the dreaded pink stuff. Although complications ARE rare, they are incredibly severe–life threatening, or at least, life-altering. Rheumatic fever, as someone mentioned, and endocarditis as well.

I agree with others who have mentioned probiotics–yogurt with active cultures and/or kefir are your best bets…of course, I am lucky to have kids who loooove yogurt, so I realize this may be easier said than done!

Mel
Mel
13 years ago

My kids used to get ear infections all the time and the doc would instantly prescribe antibiotics. Then I started to notice that that they were becoming more frequent and often the next infection would start before I was done the last round of anti-biotics. I knew that wasn’t right. The doc herself said that all they really do is shorten the time of infection by a day or two anyway. So I decided instead of fighting infection, why not try preventing it. I started researching how to boost their immunity naturally. First step is restoring the balance (as others have said) because ab’s kill all the good bacteria as well (which is why the bad stuff grows back so quickly). I spent a lot of time and money in healthfood stores but in a few months broke the cycle. I think good pro-biotics were essential but I used a combination of things. At 4 and 6 my kids rarely get anything but a minor cold now.

Antiobiotics are way overused but its scary to ignore your doctor and take it into your own hands. I highly recommend consulting a naturopath.

Joanne
13 years ago

This is interesting, it’s never occurred to me to not take antibiotics when they were prescribed for an infection. I have three kids and only one has ever had an ear infection, and only one time. He had a high fever and was so, so miserable, that even fighting the pink stuff into him was worth it.

Bren
13 years ago

I always use probiotics when giving Maggie antibiotics. For some reason the pink stuff is the worst! Sprinkle the capsules in yogurt or applesauce. For strep I would probably give the medicine – for ear infections etc. I have stopped (but thankfully we haven’t had any of those in a LONG time!)

Kakaty
13 years ago

our Ped office is very tight on handing out the antibiotics. I’ve never been given an Rx for one in the 2+ years we’ve been there. (we chose them for this reason since the handful of MDs we know think antibiotics are way overperscribed and in the case of kids are usually given to please the parent). I would wait it out another 24 hours. I would also do to probiotics either way, 2 sicknesses so close mean you all could use some more good bugs fighting for you.

Also, like Becky I loved the pink stuff as a kid!

yaya
yaya
13 years ago

Strep is making the rounds here in Norcal, I always find it so gross when a handful of kiddos have the same thing through out various regions~just shows how those cootie bugs move & groove. For strep I would go with the pink stuff, I had strep about 2-3x a year growing up and if my mom ever stopped the meds early or not all , it came back worse….sorry :-(

It might sound pretty hippie and it also costs a pretty penny but maybe see a homeopath in your area, they are all the rage here & the natural stuff is always so much gentler and by gosh, appears to work better a great deal of the time. So sorry for the physical ailments and the emotional /mental tax of sick kiddos, nothing worse than work stress which goes hand in hand with relationship stress when kiddos are down for the count, I’m sorry.

Zephyr
13 years ago

I tend to use them whenever they are given to me, but it takes A LOT for me to actually make it into the doctor. However, given that we’re talking about a tiny person here, my gut tells me to wait it out another day, see how things progress, then make a decision. A lot of these things pretend like they are going away, then just when you think you’re in the clear they come back and kill you… like a zombie, or any suspense film bad-guy.

Jenny
13 years ago

(sorry 3rd comment) My daughter had scarlet fever this spring, which is really just a particularly ugly strain of strep. That shit used to kill kids in the old days, or blind them or leave them deaf. Antibiotics may be overprescribed but let’s not forget to be really really grateful we have them.

shriek house
13 years ago

Sorry you’ve been hit AGAIN. For things like ear infections, I try to wait and see if it’ll resolve on its own first. But strep is one of those things that actually can blow up into a serious complication (rheumatic fever comes to mind), and I tend to think it’s always worth treating.

And I think probiotics can help, yes, but what I think is more effective is a modified BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast). All that gluey starchy stuff helps minimize the gastro upset. You can google for a list of foods that have the desired effect on intestinal output.

shana
shana
13 years ago

I’m a doctor. Antibiotics are overused, and you are doing the right thing by holding off on them. Many times, parents will run to them first thing, and doctors are often in a bind to do what the parents want from them. Antibiotics do NOT help viral infections at all, and more often than not, they are not needed for bacteria. Time and sleep, plus a good fever (tylenol is overused and will often prolong illness by not allowing the body to heat up enough to kill what ails it).

And you are correct that abx will cause intestinal damage and even allow bad bacteria to creep into the digestive system, thus creating a chain of low-immunity, and likely, more illness.

Molly
Molly
13 years ago

I’m here in Seattle on business this week – and wish I could leave my meeting and come babysit (but I’m sure Riley and Dylan would be like WTF is this stranger doing here who amazingly knows the appropriate dosage of motrin, tylenol, and yucky pink stuff since her poor husband is home doling out the same to her kids of the same age). For strep – I vote with the herd – take the pink stuff and we are definitely fans of the Culturelle or whatever cheaper version of it you can find. And when I win the lottery I will share with you so you can take some time off work as you are an inspiration to this working mom too.

crisitunity
13 years ago

As a kid, I had chronic strep AND chronic ear infections, but I’m allergic to amoxicillin and erythromycin (anaphylactic shock, aka death, will result). I haven’t taken ANY antibiotics since I was under 10, and I rarely have colds and never infections. Not sure that’s a coincidence. I think they’re way, way overused (I tend to think like the doctor above and let the fever burn off the bugs when I do get sick), but I don’t have children, so I’m really just flapping my gums.

Faith
Faith
13 years ago

Unless the pediatrician actually swabbed his throat and it came back positive for strep, it’s definitely within the realm of possibility that he doesn’t actually have it, and the doc is just diagnosing based on symptoms and how angry and red his throat looks. Then again, he could just be feeling/looking much better just because of the Tylenol/Motrin, which I always got a lot of relief from when I had strep. It’s your call, but I could see the sense in doing it either way.

Sharon
Sharon
13 years ago

Definitely for strept. Maybe ask for a different antibiotic. My children don’t have any reaction to the medicine and it does work quicky. That’s the only time they get antiobiotics is with strept. Be careful Dylan doesn’t get it’s so contagious.

Kathleen
Kathleen
13 years ago

I hate the antibiotics too, but it is worth calling the Dr. back.

Skip the probiotics – lack of regulation means that you don’t really know what’s in there and I know some scary horror stories from an children’s epidemiologist I work with. Yogurt has the lactobacillus/bifidobacter that you want, and it IS regulated – you know what you’re getting!

K.B.
13 years ago

The B.R.A.T. diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) works well for crazy-poop issues in our house. Probiotics just worsen things for us, but everyone is different :)

Brigid
13 years ago

My daughter had strep 6 times in 7 months (taking various antibiotics) and ended up getting her tonsils removed. My son has had Scarlet Fever twice and 2 of 3 symptoms of Rheumatic Fever. Scared me to death. Turned out to be a false alarm, but treatment would have been a low dose of antibiotics EVERY DAY of his LIFE until at least age 18 (he was 2 at the time.) Strep is one thing I take very, very seriously. I would give him the Rx, get some probiotics, and see if there is another kind that might work better for him in the future.

Kirsty
13 years ago

Please, please don’t take any of this personally – I can totally understand what a pain in the butt this must be and that you are obviously doing all the right things as a parent to get through this – but, from reading a wide range of US- and Canada-based “mommy blogs” (God, how I hate that term!), it seems to me that US/Canadian kids (and even their parents) seem to get all kinds of barfing, fever, snot ick things at unbelievably regular intervals… What is it with you guys?
My daughters (now 8.5 and 6), and all their friends, are more or less illness-free, more or less all the time. I don’t remember anyone telling me their kid had barfed (and for me, apart from when my daughters were babies – which involved reflux-related projectile vomiting on a multi-daily basis – I shouldn’t think either one has barfed more than twice, ever), I’ve no idea what strep is, I can’t think of any kid I know who’s been ill enough to be off school except for the occasional stomach flu bug going round, and even then, there’ll only be, say 2 kids in class who get it.
I live in the south of France, but am British, and am totally normal (I think!) – I mean, we eat normal food, do normal things. My daughters weren’t breastfed (long story), so that hasn’t protected them…
It just seems that almost every blogger I read mentions that their kids are ill at least once a week (I’m exaggerating, but not by much)… What is in your diet, or your water, or your air, that gives you all these bugs and viruses all the time?
Come and live here – be barf-free, snot-free (no, OK, my kids get colds, but nothing major, nothing stay-off-school-worthy), strep-free, pink-eye-free (never heard of that, either)…
I feel your pain, I truly do, and wish you the best of luck.
Not much advice for the antibiotics as my daughters have almost never had them (as I said, they’re rarely ill and their paediatrician isn’t a big prescriber of antibiotics if they can be avoided), but from just reading what you say, if they give Riley diarrhoea (again, neither of my daughters has ever had that, but oh, I can understand why you’d want to avoid it), then I’d certainly skip them if he seems to be feeling better.
OK, I’ll stop now – longest comment ever!
And please, don’t think I’m criticising or anything, I swear I’m not, I’m just observing, somewhat stunned and horrified, and very, very grateful to be living here!

Nicole
Nicole
13 years ago

When I was in elementary school, I had strep 5-7 times in one school year. The doctor always gave me penicillin, and my symptoms would clear up within 24 hours. I would still always finish the round of drugs though. Strep doesn’t go away on its own, and I’m skeptical Riley truly has it.

On a related note, I would always have the strep come back 2 days after finishing a round of penicillin. Turns out I was reinfecting myself with my toothbrush! Regardless of whether he has strep or not, strongly considering changing both boy’s toothbrushes at some point. Those things are breeding grounds for nasty crud!

Sundry
Sundry
13 years ago

Kirsty: part of it is that when illness strikes, we complain LOUDLY because it SUCKS SO MUCH. It’s less of a frequency thing and more of a volume thing, you know?

Did your kids go to daycare? Mine do, and it’s pretty germy there. Not sure what other differences could be happening, my guess is that your observations probably don’t represent a major statistical difference in childhood illnesses—but I don’t know, maybe you should notify the WHO. : )

Liz
Liz
13 years ago

i use them most of the time they are prescribed (for myself. i don’t have kids). i have been prone to infected hair follicles and nail beds as of late, and so have had four or five courses of abx over the last two years, and i hated every last one. the nail bed started draining on its own in one case, and i elected to see if the infection would heal on its own, without spreading (it did). but the other times, i have had serious infections that i need to not spread throughout my body, so i’ve taken my abx like a good, nauseated little soldier. i feel your pain, having to give that stuff to someone for whom you are responsible would be hard to do!!

yogurt is very helpful for me to prevent or minimize collateral damage–and i would go with yogurt an adult might also eat, not blue go-gurt or something. also honey, brown rice, and ginger tea. all things kids love to eat! right? wrong. i don’t know what to do about that, unfortunately.

good luck…

Liz
Liz
13 years ago

oh, i just read the comments above (lazy girl).

YES, strep becomes scarlet fever! forgot about that! my brother had strep and i got scarlet fever almost before getting a fever itself–horrible itchy blotchy red rash over my torso as a 14-year-old swimmer. awesome. and it has bigger health problems associated with it than strep. so..yeah. there’s that.

Cat
Cat
13 years ago

Ever since I found out that runaway strep can lead to amputations (quadruple, in some cases) I’ve been super vigilant about nuking the hell out of it when it pops up.

Rare, but who wants to take the chance?

I also recommend the probiotics.

Liz
Liz
13 years ago

and one last thing…no more i swear!…our pediatrician growing up was an osteopath (DO instead of MD). they are covered by insurance but tend to have a more holistic outlook. might be a good bet for talking about growing up the bacteria the abx have killed in your kids’ guts.

but then, he once shook crystals at my brother to try to get rid of his recurrent ear infections.

but then again, my brother never had tubes in ears or tonsils/adenoids out, and the infections stopped (not sure when in relation to the crystal-shaking).

all kinds of information, maybe useful, maybe not. :) good luck!

Vanessa
13 years ago

This comment will be of absolutely no help to you in regards to the antibiotics, but I couldn’t help but mention it. We use exactly the same receptacle for our vomiting episodes, a blue metal stock pot. Our son who is nearly 3 calls it the Puke Bucket and will sometimes sleep with it – just because. I call it a life saver. I agree though – can’t imagine making food in it ever again.

nancy
nancy
13 years ago

YES use the abx but if the GI side effects are that horrendous, ask if you can use erythromycin or omnicef–my daughter is allergic to amox so that’s what we get for strep and it’s not bad.

Lucia
13 years ago

My wee one (five months – holy heck how did that happen and where is the brick to stop. the. growing.) has had three ear infections which resulted in three times of fun pink stuff. I did probiotics the first two times and thought – I’ll skip it the third time. BAD IDEA as this equaled thrush for him and me. (I nurse so I got it and OUCH!) SO use the probiotics! We used Florastor probiotic powder(available from the pharmacist w/o a prescription – they just keep it behind the counter) and now are using BioGaia probiotic drops. It’s amazing – truly!

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