When do you take your kid for a strep test?

[Daria]

Strep is not a big issue in our family.  I don't think I've ever had it.  DS16 has had it twice, both times before Kindergarten.  In both cases his fever shot up to above 105 and he got double ear infections, so it was pretty obvious that he needed the doctor.

 

Now he's got a bad sore throat, cough and a fever.  Sore throat started Sunday night.  Fever seemed to start last night. I don't know how high his fever is, because we don't happen to own a thermometer (hey, don't judge!) but based on the scientific method of having mommy kiss your forehead and look into eyes, I would say it's neither 98.6 or 105, it's in that middle range of hot, but not alarmingly so.  Maybe 101 or 102?  He keeps saying that his sore throat is so bad he thinks he is going to die, but he's also talking normally (by which I mean not hoarse, it's not normal for him to keep saying he's dying).  He also woke up repeatedly throughout the night because of pain.

 

Is this the point where you take a kid to the doctor for a strep test, or does this sound like a virus I should let run it's course?

 

 

[clementine]

When the throat is so sore it feels like swallowing razor blades - that's always been our sign.   Can you just take him to the lab without making an actual doctor appointment?  That's what we do.  

[Spryte]

I would take him for a strep test.

 

We have a family member who had undiagnosed strep. It seemed to get better. And then she ended up in the ICU for two weeks. She almost died. And she's been on disability ever since.

 

Not to mention the risk of PANDAS and heart complications.

 

We don't mess around with strep.

[cjzimmer1]

I don't know if this is typical or not but for us whenever we have had strep (which sadly is a lot, I'm very prone to it), high fever comes first followed by the I'm going to die sore throat a day or so later.  Also the first question the doctors ask is if there is other cold symptoms.  So is his coughing because the throat is so sore or is the cough more productive?  Just from what you laid out and how my own family responds, my instinct is that this is not strep, however any time there is I'm going to die type of sore throat, I'm more than willing to take someone in in case I'm wrong (I had an abcess once with the fever and I'm going to die feeling, the abcess was far more serious than strep).

[purplejackmama]

I had a horrible strep infection 3 years ago. It was awful and I was hospitalized for a week. I'm terrified of strep now.

 

If you have any concerns then do get a culture done.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I wait about 5 days.  The razor blade gauge isn't a bad one either.  Although my kids think they are dying if their nose is stuffed up so...

 

 

[OneStepAtATime]

Because of the extreme pain of his throat I would air on the side of caution and get a culture run.  I ended up in a wheel chair for a bit as a teen because I had untreated strep.  FWIW, my throat would sometimes feel like razor blades but it didn't affect my ability to talk.

[arnold]

I have a awful sore throat now....anyway this morning I found that gargling with salt, baking soda, and warm water; followed by a teaspoon of honey worked wonders for a couple hours. I have no experience with strep but thought I'd pass that tid bit along.

[OneStepAtATime]

Also, FWIW, at least in my case I may go days or even a week or more before I actually start showing real symptoms so by the time I know I have something serious it is fairly advanced.  Not everyone is like that but it is more common than I think a lot of people realize.  Just a sore throat, though, I wouldn't really automatically think strep. Extreme sore throat...definite possibility.  There is something about strep that feels different, more painful to me than a normal sore throat.

[Garga]

I've had strep a lot in my life.  The sore throat, for me, isn't always like razor blades.  It hurts, but not always like razor blades.  Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

 

However, I always get these very gross looking white spots all over my throat and tonsils, as if white mold is growing on them and my throat is very red.  Now, I tend to look at my throat a lot, so I can tell the difference between normal pinky-red and strep throat-red.  If you don't look at your throat a lot, maybe you could compare your throat to his with a mirror and flashlight?

 

Also, instead of aw as in clAW, I've found that ah as in cAt opens up the tongue more so you can better look down a throat.

 

If you have insurance, then go.  Treating strep is remarkably easy if it doesn't run wild.  He'll feel much better in a very short time on antibiotics. 

 

ETA:  Strep can also give you bad breath, so you can try taking a whiff.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Garga

[Garga]

Agreeing with others that the sore throat of strep doesn't make it so you sound raspy or gravelly, though it can be painful to talk. 

[Alessandra]

I would err on the side of caution. Strep can present with a variety of symptoms, according to our peds.

 

Previous posters actual experiences say better than I ever could why strep is serious.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Also, FWIW, at least in my case I may go days or even a week or more before I actually start showing real symptoms so by the time I know I have something serious it is fairly advanced.  Not everyone is like that but it is more common than I think a lot of people realize.  Just a sore throat, though, I wouldn't really automatically think strep. Extreme sore throat...definite possibility.  There is something about strep that feels different, more painful to me than a normal sore throat.

 

The same thing happens to me. It's like everything comes on in slowwww motion.  I hate that. I just want to get it over with!

 

When I was a kid stuff would come on fast and strong and be gone in a day.

[Tanaqui]

At the drop of a hat. Our kiddos exhibit strep in some weird, atypical ways, so I'm always worried that illness = strep. I recently invested in some rapid strep tests so I don't have to hop a bus every time I think that's it.

[ErinE]

For my kids, when symptoms continue for longer than a few days. I had a child show symptoms similar to anaphylaxis, was treated at the ER, and still wasn't right a week later. The doctor assured me children can take awhile to recover from an allergic reaction, but I pressed him, saying the behavior wasn't normal. Turns out, the child had strep.

 

I look for:

* lingering low grade fever

* lethargy or low-energy for more than a week

 

A severe sore throat hasn't been a symptom of strep for my kids.

 

ETA: Also I'd recommend getting a thermometer. A fever that spikes then drops and goes away doesn't concern me as much as a low-grade fever that continues for several days.

Edited February 16, 2016 by ErinE

[Pink and Green Mom]

Just like mentioned upthread, the telltale sign for me is white bumps on the tonsils/back of the throat.

 

I would go for the test just to be sure.

[redsquirrel]

when they are getting sicker and not better. There is usually (but NOT always) a fever and aches present with strep. It is sick beyond a normal cold, venturing into influenza territory.

 

But, I am not one to run to the doctor for every little sniffle, my kids can go years without a doctor visit, but the last time ds1 had strep I thought he maybe had the flu. He came down and was sick..stuffy and sick. Fine, couch day, not school. But, then he started to run a fever. Then he got very pale, before my eyes. Then he started to just...wilt. His fever was going up, he said his body hurt. At no time did he say his throat hurt.

 

This all happened rather quickly. I had him at the doctor before lunch and the strep test was positive. But, it was sort of amazing how quickly he went from 'I feel lousy' to me realizing, oh, I have a rather sick kid on my hands.

 

The nurse thought he had the flu as well, and made a snide comment about how she bet we were regretting not getting flu shots.  She seemed almost disappointed when she had to tell us he had strep. Then she gave me a test just to be sure...and it was positive but I had no symptoms yet, beyond what seemed to be the same cold. I started on antibiotics at the same time as he did, but did get sick that afternoon. I got scarlet fever from the strep. Yeah...that was fun.

[Jan in SC]

Our ped would say that 16 with a 101 or 102 is a bigger deal than a little kid with that temperature. I would go in when that happened because a simple finger prick would tell if it's viral or bacterial and I don't feel the need to wait.

 

Also, at that age, don't be too surprised if it's mono. I think that sore throat hurts a lot more than strep.

[ktgrok]

Our ped would say that 16 with a 101 or 102 is a bigger deal than a little kid with that temperature. I would go in when that happened because a simple finger prick would tell if it's viral or bacterial and I don't feel the need to wait.

 

Also, at that age, don't be too surprised if it's mono. I think that sore throat hurts a lot more than strep.

 

yeah, sounded like my mono sore throat too. And that can be serious, the throat can even close up. 

[Sara in AZ]

All four of my kids are recovering from strep (and influenza type A at the same time! Fun!) Only one of them actually felt a sore throat. I'd check it out just to be sure.

[Daria]

Just got back, his fever seemed to fall throughout the day, and was 99.2 by the time he got there, he also said all his symptoms except his sore throat were getting better.  Strep test was negative.

 

Cross your fingers he's back at school tomorrow!

[Sara in AZ]

It's always nice to be able to rule something out. Hope he feels better soon!!