Strep Throat Help...

Updated on February 12, 2008
A.H. asks from New Bavaria, OH
25 answers

My kids and I have been battling strep throat for 2 weeks. We were all were on antibiotics and we took everydose that the dr. prescribed as directed. Two days after we were done with the medication...strep is back. Back to the dr. last night...more antibiotics. I have been trying to disinfect the house, we wash our hands so much they are becoming dry even with lotion. Just wondering if anyone has any advice or has been there before and can help me see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have boiled the toothbrushes and have new ones bought that I will give them when they finish the antibiotic. The kids use a separate bathroom from the adults. I am replacing the hand towels about every three hours. And we start new cups 3-4 times per day. I am beginning to wonder if my husband could be the carrier. He has had no symptoms and is the only person that leaves the house on a regular basis. The kids symptoms are under control but will be on antibiotics for another 7 days.

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So What Happened?

I want to thank everyone for their great advice. My children and I are finally healthy again. I launched a war against germs. I replaced toothbrushes and hand towels. I also replaced pillow slips often. Sippy cups were cleaned ever other hour. Thanks for all the support. I really appreciate it. Being home with sick kids for 3 weeks was very tough, but I enjoyed reading all of the great advice from other moms.

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J.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

Hello A.!!
I know how you feel, this happen to us at my house too. On Thanksgiving Day we suppose to go over my parents in law for a dinner with my 19th months old baby which grandparents and everybody in the family wants the baby to be there, but we decided not go, we feel better stay at home, then make everybody sick, we didn't want to do that it was hard not to be there with all them but we feel it was the best to everyone.

A., you seeing to be doing everything like we did, I only hope you all get well soon!! Good Luck!!

J.

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L.G.

answers from Indianapolis on

Sounds like you've done so much but a little trick I learned is to change all the hand towels. My daughter is a strep throat magnet. It stopped spreading between my kids when I changed all the hand towels and each sick person to have their own towel. Also, if you can give them each their own sports water bottle. Good Luck.

I have three kids, 15, 14, and 6. The older two will catch any virus if it looks sideways at them!

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A.T.

answers from Cleveland on

I am 62 years old, and just recently had my first bout with strep throat. The only thing good about it was that my throat hurt so much that I could not eat regular food! I, too went to the Dr. after my first session with antibiotics, and yes, I too had to repeat the medication for another full week. One thing that helped me was to gargle with Lysterine, and rinse my mouth out twice a day. You are doing the right thing by cleaning and washing your and your children's hands. Another thing I do whether it's a cold, or something more serious, I change the pillow covers each day until it is over! Hang in there; this too will pass! A. T

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J.G.

answers from Cleveland on

our dr says to get new toothbrushes after about ten days (or most of the duration of) on the antibiotics. The germ can live on the toothbrush and become antibiotic resistant; that's why it's important to get new toothbrushes after the bacteria has been kicked by the medicine.

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M.K.

answers from Cincinnati on

Be very careful about giving honey! Children under 1 should not have it at all.

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L.E.

answers from Muncie on

I second the throw out the toothbrushes post! You can reinfect yourself over and over with the same toothbrush. Our Pediatrician told us this specifically. My son has had strep twice, once at 11 months, and once when he was I think 3. No on in our house besides him has had it. Don't reuse water glasses either, use Dixie cups.

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C.H.

answers from Elkhart on

Hi A.,

A friend of ours had strep and got some MonaVie from me. Even though he is over his strep, he said he wants to get some more because he felt so much better when drinking it.

You can find out more info in the Business section and also on my website. Your kids would take the Original and you would use the Active. Unless you are nursing, then you would take the Original as well.

Let me know if you want additional information, or if you have any questions.

I hope you all feel better soon! It seems like strep is going around a lot this year, for some reason.

C. :)
wwww.BerryGoodAcai.com
____@____.com
###-###-####

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C.H.

answers from Dayton on

hi, wow, poor you! i really don't have alot of suggestions, all of which you may already be doing. and i also didn't read any other responses, so this might be a repeat.

try adding a few small drops of bleach to the dishwater when you wash the dishes. also, super hot water when washing towels and bed linens. if possible, add a few drops of bleach if they can be safely washed in bleach. also wash anything down repeatedly during the day that you can with some water with a bit of bleach, and spray with lysol. don't know if this will help, but good luck!

hopefully your light at the end of the tunnel will be right around the corner!!

good luck!

C.

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H.V.

answers from Columbus on

Make sure that you throw out your toothbrushes. My children get strep throat frequently, and the pediatrician always reminds us to get new toothbrushes, and to wash the "community" cup in the bathroom in the dishwasher.

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S.B.

answers from Columbus on

try changing your toothbrushes. Same thing happened to my daughter a yr ago. Changed her tooth brush with the second round of antibiotics and the strep cleared up. Good luck

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C.L.

answers from Dayton on

Hi A.,
The best treatment for strep throat is pure honey..Honey has it's own antibiotic for healing, take a teaspoon every couple of hours...Guaranteed to work..Have a great day..
C.

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L.

answers from Cincinnati on

My sister had issues with strep when we were growing up. The doctors finally discovered that my step-dad was a strep carrier and we were passing it back and forth between the bathroom hand towel. It didn't impact anyone but my sister in our family. Not to say that is your issue, you might have just needed a stronger antibiotic this time. But if it continues for a much longer period of time, it might be something to think about.

Good luck!

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A.L.

answers from Canton on

I don't know if anyone has suggested this, but have you tried getting new tooth brushes? My daughter, son and I had strep and about 2 days before we were done with our antibiotics I threw out our old toothbrushes and replaced them with new ones. Also every day (while we were taking antibiotics)I soaked our toothbrushes in antiseptic mouthwash. I know this may sound "too easy" but I thought I would share what I did and our strep throat did not return. Simple solution but I read it somewhere once and thought it made sense.

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E.T.

answers from Cleveland on

My oldest is 30, my youngest is 12. I went through a time with two of my kids that strep just kept coming back. What we found was that the antibiotic used wasn't strong enough and/or used long enough for that particular child's system.

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M.B.

answers from Fort Wayne on

Try changing your toothbrushes a day or two before you are done with the medicine. It will help prevent the spread of the germ in the mouth again.

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A.

answers from Indianapolis on

Change your tooth brushes and wash everything that can be washed in HOT water.

L.M.

answers from Columbus on

For 3 winters, we passed strep around starting when my daughter was 2 weeks old. I went through 3 rounds of antibiotics myself and it was difficult because I'm allergic to a lot of antibiotics. On the 3rd year, we tested my daughter who was now 2 and realized that although she did not get all the strep symptoms, she was a strep carrier. She tested positive for like 3 months then the next year at her annual checkup, she didn't test positive anymore. Knock on wood.....we haven't had a round of it for a couple years. The doctors were not concerned about her being a carrier, didn't tell us to keep her out of school or anything.
So I don't have any good medical advice about this but I can tell you that we've been there too and there is an end to it!!!
Hang in there! I know how miserable it is...I have 4 kids too ages 8 yr to 9 mos.

L. Mercer
Heritage Makers Independent Consultant and Director
____@____.com

Have it all.....Family. Success. Your own business in the new and exploding digital scrapbooking market. More details at www.PictureYourLife.com

Mom of 4 with a full time job LOVING LIFE! See how I do it at......www.HowWeCanHaveItAll.com

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P.V.

answers from Terre Haute on

Have you thrown out all the tooth brushes and purchased new ones?

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D.F.

answers from Kokomo on

You really have your handa full. What is your doctor saying about all this? Some times it does take a couple of rounds of the antibiotics before you are completely over it. Keep doing what you are doing and make sure everything that you eat or drink with is washed and disinfected as well as you can. Really sounds like you are doing all you can. Some time it takes longer then what we would like it to. Hang in there and I will lift you and your family up in prayer and trust that God will heal all of you soon. I hope this helps you out a little. You sound like a good mother but also one who might be getting a little tired of all this stuff. We will pray that this is the last time for medecine and you are all on the road to recovery. God bless you and you children.

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T.P.

answers from Canton on

Is there anyone else that you're around on a regular basis that could be the carrier of it??
Why I ask is my little boy had strep TWICE last summer (which is very rare for kids under 2 to get it, and he was only 15 months and 17 months). My oldest son and I both had it too. When the doctor asked us the same I asked you, I thought she was nuts lol. She explained that a spouse or other child your kid is around or you may babysit, etc., can carry the strep virus, without actually presenting any symptoms. My husband, at the time, was a traveling photographer, shooting as many as 200 families EVERY WEEKEND. (Yes, the past year was nothing BUT illness for us.) So I told her about my husband's job and she said get him in here, we'll test him. Sure enough, he was the carrier. They treated him, along with the rest of us. And we finally kicked it.
Now...from what I learned in the last year...STOCK UP ON POPSICLES and let the kids eat as many as they want!!! And you too! It gets fluids in them and helps with the sore throat. Same with Jello. Especially since appetite is usually diminished due to how sore the throat gets.
I hope you all get better soon!

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A.N.

answers from Cincinnati on

A.,

Something the doctor told me (common sense I guess but I never thought of it) is to keep all of our tooth brushes at least 6" apart. My son has gotten strep throat at least once a year ever since I can remember. The doctor said usually adults are carriers and won't actually come down with it, but can give it to the kids. Good Luck.

A.

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J.R.

answers from Cincinnati on

I agree, throw away all toothbrushes and replace with new ones, as well as tubes of toothpaste if they may have come in contact and any sports bottles or open beverages you may have in the fridge that your children or you have drank directly out of.

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M.W.

answers from Cincinnati on

Strep is terrible stuff. We are prone to it in my house too. I have found the only natural remedy is Oil of Oregano. I actually bought some stuff that contains it called Super ViraGone, made by Baseline Nutritionals. Every time I feel it coming on, I start taking a dropperful every hour and I can usually stave it off. The problem is that it is too spicy for the kids.

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T.C.

answers from Elkhart on

Get new toothbrushes! Handwashing is the best and dont share cups or eating utensils.

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M.S.

answers from Columbus on

How Awful! Make sure you throw everyone's toothbrushes out after they have been on antibiotics for 48 hours. Hope you all feel better soon!

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