Scarlet Fever advice needed... please...

[zakatak]

Hi.

Zak (6) has been down and out ill the last 3 weeks or so. It first started with vomiting and a high fever. The kid couldn't even hold down water. The next day my DH took him to the doctor where they diagnosed him with a "virus" that will have to run it's course. His symptoms at that time were: vomitting, fever, complete red body rash , lethargy... basically most of the symptoms of Scarlet Fever except the Strep Throat (he tested negative). So they sent him home. He finally stopped vomitting on Friday (from Monday) but still had a high fever, lethargy and rash all over his body (face, body, hands, feet, legs... everywhere). He didn't look good at all. I wanted to take him to the hospital, but the doctors said, "It's a virus... it has to run it's course" AGAIN! So... we waited.

By Monday he was looking better, the rash was going away (finally) and his fever was down. Whew...

Fast Forward 10 days... Friday he comes home from school sick and runs a 104.3 fever Friday and Sat. Sunday he is fine, but pale (he has been very pale since this whole thing started). It's not very often you look at your own kid and think, "OMG... you look horrible!". Last night he gets out of the shower and shows me his hands... They looked like he had stuck them in boiling water and the whole hands were blistering and peeling off. This TOTALLY shocked me and DH! Actually, more like grossed out! Huge hunks of skin he was pulling off. Not just like sunburn peeling either... more like huge blisters... ugh.

So I take him to the doctor this afternoon (Monday). I had searched up "peeling hands" on Google. lol... expecting maybe excema or dry skin... NOT! Peeling hands and feet are usually found 1-2 weeks AFTER having SCARLET FEVER! So I tell the doc this... he laughs. Yes, I do search the internet! Anyways, he isn't too fond of the Scarlet Fever idea, but I tell him to look back in the chart and he sees he tested NEG. All of a sudden, for no apparent reason (no current symptoms) he runs a strep test on Zak. Guess what? IT COMES BACK "VERY POSITIVE". Not positive... VERY POSITIVE. So I ask him, "Could he have had Strep but not shown up on the test back then?". He says if it was early, Yes, it could have shown as a negative. SO... my question is this... IF he had all the symptoms of Scarlet Fever except the STREP, then why didn't they advise me to bring him back in within another day or two to test for strep AGAIN?

So, this poor kid has been suffering with Scarlet Fever and Strep for three weeks now. Not to mention infecting kids at school and his sisters (who have been sick). I am going to start the girls on antibiotics tomorrow (they gave me some for Zak and said to call if the girls run a fever - which they already have been!). Now I get to worry about Rheumatic Fever and other bad things from untreated Scarlet Fever.

I am a mess. Should I confront the Doctors as to WHY they didn't do another Strep test on him? Can I even test for Rheumatic Fever - no... I have to depend on a 6 year old to tell me if his joints hurt! Ugh. I am soooooo mad. He still looks horrible, pale, peeling...

Oh, here's a good one... He was in for his "well visit" last Wednesday and the NP noticed his dry, peeling face. It really is bad. Even his ears! He has NEVER had this before (I tell her that!)... This evening, while searching some more, I find that face peeling is another sign of Scarlet Fever, along with the hand and feet peeling! They had all that information! They are supposed to be doctors! Why do I have to find this stuff on the internet? She should have seen his chart before she examined him, asked if he was any better (not much), noticed his peeling (especially when I said he has NEVER had this before) and used her brain? to put the information together...

Sorry if I am coming across mad... but I am. This is my SON they are messing up with.

Thanks for listening... If anyone has any experience with Scarlet Fever or Rheumatic Fevers or incompetant doctors, please let me know. Should I take this any further? (meaning take him to the hospital for tests?) I don't really trust these doctors anymore.

Thanks!

Karen

 

[janette]

How awful for you, how many times did the drs see him. I think your concerns about the Dr are valid. The danger of vomiting for 5 days alone is enough to warrent an ER visit.

The only times I felt like my children were sick enough to go to the ER I had no problem with the on-call nurses or doctors agreeing with me and it sounds like your DS was as sick or sicker than they've ever been.

There are many dangers from untreated strep. Did they just do the quick test or send it in? My doctors have always done both and it they think it looks like strep but the quick test is negative they still send home antibotics until the lab test is back.

 

[zakatak]

The first time they did only the quick test.

I am truely concerned about what can happen now. If he doesn't look any better by Friday, he is going straight to Children's Hospital. No phone call to the Doctor first... Money is money... I don't care if I didn't call the doctor first... That didn't help me last time!

Thanks... Karen

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Sorry you are having a horrible thing happen to your son. DD has a Scarlet Fever but not to that degree.
Here are some prayers to you that things will be Ok for your son.

There is a danger of heart muscle damage, that is about all I know about complications. I am careful with dd because she has a repaired heart from a serious defect she had at birth.

 

[janette]

Do you have an HMO that makes it hard to visit another doctor? Try calling the insurance line and getting a referral from them instead of the doctors office. I would think at least a second opinion from another doctor should be covered.

 

[dumboiu]

If you are uncomfortable or distrust your current doctor, by all means find another doctor.

Unfortunately, sometimes things are missed by doctors when it is something that they don't routinely see. No, it doesn't make it right, but it does happen. What concerns me is that you mentioned scarlet fever and they kept dismissing you. That is cause for concern (IMHO).

Be thankful that you took the time to do your research..........if you hadn't, your son still might not have the necessary antibiotics (not to mention your other children and perhaps other children that he exposed).

Good for you for doing your homework!

 

[Michelle]

Karen, that is AWFUL, that poor baby! I would be very upset as well that the diagnosis was missed! I thought my daughter had scarlet fever once as well, she also tested negative for the rapid strep but they cultured her too to be sure, and that was negative as well. Why did they not do a longer culture when he first presented with the symptoms?

Good luck to you, I also would be doing whatever is necessary at this point to be sure that my child was taken care of. Please keep us posted!

 

[tar heel]

One of my sons had scarlet fever when he was in kindergarten. Unlike your son, he did not show any major symptoms until he got really sick with a fever, lethargy, etc., but not a sore throat. Because his fever was very high, we took him to the doctor on a Saturday where he was diagnosed with strept/scarlet fever. He was a very sick little boy, and our doctor recommended that he get the one-time antibiotic injection instead of a standard course of antibiotics b/c it works faster. I think he missed most of a week of school, though. The peeling was very uncomfortable for him, and he peeled EVERYWHERE (use your imagination) and had trouble keeping from scratching himself in public. He recovered fine, though -- remember that the vast majority of people do.

Our peds also always do the overnight strept test when the rapid one is negative. If your doctor didn't, I think that is cause for concern b/c the rapid test is not as accurate as the longer one. I would definitely feel as you do, that my doctors let me and my child down.

 

[nativetxn]

I have no advice for you. I don't blame you for being upset.

{{{HUGS}}} for your son and for you.

 

[RNMOM]

This is one of the reasons I and my nurse friends who are parents have switched to Family Practice doctors instead of Pediatricians. Family Practicioners seem to look at the "whole picture" more. Sorry for any MD's on the boards but that is how I feel.

If you have concerns about your child at any time, take them into another doctor or the ED.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Originally posted by RNMOM
This is one of the reasons I and my nurse friends who are parents have switched to Family Practice doctors instead of Pediatricians. Family Practicioners seem to look at the "whole picture" more. Sorry for any MD's on the boards but that is how I feel.

If you have concerns about your child at any time, take them into another doctor or the ED.

I have had family practice and it was pretty good but my kids and their medical issues require a peditrician. So I searched high and low until I found a practice that is a fit with me and my kids.
Believe me, I have seen Doc's that were horrible & terrible insurance..(sorry to the doc's on this board)
(Now) I don't need referrals so if I want to take my kid to the specialist, I just pick up the phone...now that is the ticket.

BTW if it were my kid I would take him to Children's(just to see)...but my kids have other risk factors, so they have turned us into careful (scared) parents.

 

[ripleysmom]

I would definitely switch doctors.

I can tell you that my peds would have sent me to the emergency room after a couple of days of fever and vomiting just for the concerns of dehydration from the illness.

If it will make you feel better have him tested as well.

 

[janette]

As ripleysmom said the dehydration was a cause for concern. My oldest DD has been hosptalized twice after only 1 day of vomiting and the youngest DD has been hospitalized after about 3 days of severe diarrhea when she was a baby.

The first time my oldest DD was vomiting for only about 3 hours before the nurse on call sent me to the ER. Especially in young children it is a real danger if they are vomiting and not keeping anything down. She wasn't running a temp at all and that would make the dehydration faster.

 

[RUDisney]

Wow, and I thought it was bad when my mom took my kids to the dr for booster shots and the staff decided to give them a flu shot instead. At least that wasn't life threatening.

Let me tell you about drs not reading charts.... My Mom was 46 when my youngest sister was born. One of her OB's partners came into the room and started to lecture her and my father on the importance of birth control. My parents look much younger than they are. The dr told my parents, "you know, we just had a 46 yo woman give birth here this week. You don't want to wind up like her." My mother told him that he obviously didn't look at her chart before coming into the room since she was that 46 yo woman. "Furthermore," she said, " we think it's wonderful that we just had a baby. Please don't use us as a scare tactic with other patients."

Again, not life threatening, but it sure makes you wonder how well the dr and the staff check up on our charts before we are examined. Sounds like not very well.

With the weight you've had on your shoulders lately, I hope that everything with the kids gets better very soon. I really believe that God doesn't give us more than we can handle, even though it seems like he does sometimes. You will come out of this better and stronger for it. Make sure that you and your DH are not infected, too. I applaud your vigilence in getting to the bottom of your DS's condition. If you decide to stay with this dr, at least you have something to remind him about when he wants to take shortcuts. YOU diagnosed the scarlet fever... not him. He should believe everything that you say even more now and take you more seriously. You've also learned to question everything that he does... even if it is about sending out a culture that was already done in his office, or following up sooner than later if things don't get better.

Hugs and prayers to you and yours.

 

[snowball22]

Go to the E.R. right away. Strep and Scarlet Fever can become a very serious situation. Get testing done. Trust your instincts. Good luck!!

 

[sharbear]

No advise, but hoping that things go better. I would be angry also but sometimes things are missed. I just hope that for your sake and the drs. that everything turns out okay.

I hope that you take care of yourself as soon as everybody is feeling better.