Way OT: My daughter has strep, rash and now joint pain, I'm starting to panic.

[sookie]

I don't know, but my first reaction was rheumatic fever. Do kids even get that anymore? I remember waaaay back in the day, I had a bad bout of strep and my mom was concerned that it might turn into rheumatic fever, because two of my cousins had it.

yes they do. and the fact that the kid went weeks without being treated due to initial misdiagnosis would make me alarmed. Sore throats should always be tested - no excuse not to, its a cheap and quick test - and it has actually stared to become a standard of care (I work for the GOV and yes - we test ALL sore throats for strep!). With the swollen joint - I would be even more concerned. Strep can have so many negative health consquences.

And, as someone else mentioned - in passing - you CAN have strep and mono at the same time - and giving amoxil to kids with mono (or viral illness), for some unknown reason, WILL cause a rash. it does not mean they are allergic to the drug. While this may not be the issue you are dealing with, this is an EXAMPLE as to why your kid really needs to be examined by a trained medical professional that will listen to your mom instincts.

You need really, really need to go to a real pediatrician who will take care of your kid and help you find out what is going on. Untreated rheumatic fever, for example, has lifelong consequences, and it is cases like this where the kid falls through the cracks (multiple times) where the kids tend to have the worst outcomes. I have taken care of multiple kids where stuff like this has happened - and they just get glossed over and glossed over until the kid has heart damage. NOT fun!

I know I said it before, but podiatrists are trained in feet, they are not physicians - its like going to an audiologist and asking him what to do in this manner. They have a doctorate in podiatry. That is it. Please go to a doctor - a DO or MD, go to a PA (physicians assistant), or a nurse practitioner (NP) - SOMEONE, anyone who has training to care for the overall health of children. Not just their feet.

Your kid has so many things going on that even a provider who is caring for your child who knows your child very well shouldn't do anything over the phone - the kid needs a good history and physical exam so they can then make a plan to go on from there (labs, meds, whatever). Until then - no one is going to know what is going on - which is very scary!

Good luck.

(Just FYI - I'm a Pediatric NP. Those are my opinions. In short - just take your baby in to get checked.)

 

[fauna74]

I certainly hope that your DD is feeling better.

I just wanted to chime in that my DS had an allergic reaction to a "cef" antibiotic that caused his joints to swell. It was very painful, and even after switching antibiotics (he's pretty much allergic to all of them now) and taking benadryl the pain/swelling lasted for several days.

If she is allergic to "cillins" there's a decent chance she will also be allergic to the "cef" antibiotics.

 

[WheelCEO]

sounds like mono to me, i had the same thing a few years ago and after several test it came back

 

[malibuconlee]

I would take her back in.

As for the rash, a rash on the tummy is a symptom of strep. At least that's what I've been told in the past by the NP at our ped office.

 

[kt_mom]

I would go to back to her doctor and push the issue. The first two symptoms I had of the JRA was joint pain in my ankle/foot area and the rash, which was not a pimply type rash. It was on the insides of my knees and spread from there.

My ankle got better at first and then my muscles started getting very sore like I had overworked them. Then my ankle/foot started hurting again so bad I couldn't walk at all. My parents took me to the ER at that point. This was over the course of about a week that all this came on.

I was in the hospital for a week and by the time I came home I was really sick. Running a very high fever several times a day and pretty out of it for the most part. I had a rare form of JRA that also affects the heart and lungs and had problems with fluid on both of them and lots of other problems.

I had been to a regular Dr. for a physical for volleyball when this was all starting and he had said I had a passing bug or something and brushed it off.

When they figured out what I had and I saw my rhuematologist he said that it could have been triggered by untreated strep. I don't play around with that stuff now. If DD has a sore throat we go to the Dr. and get her checked.

Go back to the doctor and make them run tests and find out what's wrong. It may turn out to be nothing or a reaction to medicine or any number of things. The chances of it being JRA or some of the other things listed is slim and they are rare but you need to know.

 

[jakoky]

HI there....Last friday i had my son at the doc "for the worst sore throat" he has ever had...(he is 17)...started him on penicllin for suspected strep...Next day his knees and elbows are red, swollen and rashy...we headed up to emergency, and they told me they had to do a "mono" test...if a person has mono and they are given penicillin, it is very common to get a rash ( i looked it up, it is something like 80-85 percent of people will have this reaction)..anyways, he was negative so doc confirmed a reaction to his antibiotic(and also confirmed that his strep result was positive in only 24 hrs, most people take 48 hrs)....put him on something new...he was 500 times worse the next 2 days, the rash went crazy, it is now slowly going away...He never complained about being sore or achy! I think i would have her rechecked, if only to put your mind at ease...although, i truly believe that if you are concerned, sometimes us moms have that "feeling" and many times we are right, we know our kids better than the docs...good luck and keep us posted

 

[Ladyw/theTramp]

Does she still have the rash from the amox? Where is the rash? Is she complaining about an upset stomach?

Last year my 8yo DS had what I thought was hives on his legs and forearms, no where else. He had previously had a reaction to penicillin the year before and it looked the same to me. He also complained of joint pain and an upset stomach but it was the beginning of the school year and he had some anxiety about starting school so I initially chalked it up to that. I did end up taking him to the pediatrician and he was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP). For the most part it's not a big deal but it can cause kidney damage in a percentage of kids who get it.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/980800ap/980800b.html

He's been fine since it went away. No kidney issues though he did have blood and protein in his urine for a few months. He had urine tests bi-weekly till Christmas when he finally got the all clear. He's had no issues since.

I'd have her looked at if I were you.

I second this... My now 9 year old had this a couplde years ago... She had strep and then shortly after she woke up with a rash and her ankle swollen so much she couldn't walk on it... I thought "How in the heck did she get Chicken pox and break her ankle all in one night and I didn't know it!?!"

It was Henoch Schonlein-Purpura.. When my husband told me that's what the doctor said, I thought he was being sarcastic and making it up and yelled at him to take it more seriously!!

 

[Ladybugsy]

I didn't take the time to read all the posts, but it sounds like scarlet fever to me. My daughter got it when she was 7 and 2 weeks later got type 1 diabetes. Evidently a severe infection like scarlet fever can bring on other things that are "coming" but haven't shown up yet.

Definately go back.

 

[blackforest]

I didn't take the time to read all the posts, but it sounds like scarlet fever to me. My daughter got it when she was 7 and 2 weeks later got type 1 diabetes. Evidently a severe infection like scarlet fever can bring on other things that are "coming" but haven't shown up yet.

Definately go back.

+

DD15 was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 3 after a really nasty ear infection.

 

[floridascgirl]

Does she still have the rash from the amox? Where is the rash? Is she complaining about an upset stomach?

Last year my 8yo DS had what I thought was hives on his legs and forearms, no where else. He had previously had a reaction to penicillin the year before and it looked the same to me. He also complained of joint pain and an upset stomach but it was the beginning of the school year and he had some anxiety about starting school so I initially chalked it up to that. I did end up taking him to the pediatrician and he was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP). For the most part it's not a big deal but it can cause kidney damage in a percentage of kids who get it.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/980800ap/980800b.html

He's been fine since it went away. No kidney issues though he did have blood and protein in his urine for a few months. He had urine tests bi-weekly till Christmas when he finally got the all clear. He's had no issues since.

I'd have her looked at if I were you.

When my DS12 was 5 yrs., he began complaining of bad stomach pains and had some vomiting. He had had a sore throat a few days prior, so they tested him for strep, but it was negative. The next day he began complaining of an aching wrist and fingers. On day 3 he woke up with his arms, legs and torso covered in what looked like blood blisters.

To make a long story short, after seeing many specialists, he was also diagnosed with HSP. It was a very serious case and was devastating to our family. He ended up bedridden for 5 months due to the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in nearly every joint and had constant severe abdominal pain with vomiting and urinary pain. Twice a week, we transported him by wheelchair to the hospital for blood work and urinalysis. All we were told that it would most likely disappear as mysteriously as it appeared.

Thankfully, when we hit the 6 month mark, it vanished. He did have to undergo physical therapy to learn to walk again (due to muscle atrophy) and occupational therapy to write, but thankfully there were no lasting side-effects and it never returned.

Thanks for letting me tell my story. I've never talked to anyone else who has been through HSP, so I felt the need to post after reading yours.

 

[Ericandjenng]

Sorry I skipped to the end, I hope your child is feeling better. I personally had a reaction to an antibiotic this fall. I wanted to scratch my skin off! I think it would have only hurt worse if I had actually been on fire. I was given steroids by injection then prescriptions for oral steroids and a "super benadryl" (and a different antibiotic). With an allergic reaction to a medication it gets worse before it gets better. One nurse explained to me that basically by the time your system reacts, it's well into your system and it has to work itself out. She estimated 24-48 hours...actually it took more than 48 hours.

I was so miserable I couldn't even sleep and spent most of 48 hours with a sheet draped over my chest and just wearing underwear because even the softest fabric that I had made my skin hurt. Cool showers with Aveno or other oatmeal soap. Aloe after sun gel just slathered on helped a little. But a little was better than nothing. I would not wish this pain/itch on anyone. Ever.

I also recently read a medial article about drug reactions and the extent of what it can do to you physically--it's very scary. I didn't know my skin could turn that color...at one point my face was so red that it looked purple. Keep in touch with the doc's office (or ER--nurse's line) if things get worse or don't improve. Watch for anything but especially difficulty breathing.

Hope your child gets relief ASAP!!!!

 

[massagemama]

When my DS12 was 5 yrs., he began complaining of bad stomach pains and had some vomiting. He had had a sore throat a few days prior, so they tested him for strep, but it was negative. The next day he began complaining of an aching wrist and fingers. On day 3 he woke up with his arms, legs and torso covered in what looked like blood blisters.

To make a long story short, after seeing many specialists, he was also diagnosed with HSP. It was a very serious case and was devastating to our family. He ended up bedridden for 5 months due to the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in nearly every joint and had constant severe abdominal pain with vomiting and urinary pain. Twice a week, we transported him by wheelchair to the hospital for blood work and urinalysis. All we were told that it would most likely disappear as mysteriously as it appeared.

Thankfully, when we hit the 6 month mark, it vanished. He did have to undergo physical therapy to learn to walk again (due to muscle atrophy) and occupational therapy to write, but thankfully there were no lasting side-effects and it never returned.

Thanks for letting me tell my story. I've never talked to anyone else who has been through HSP, so I felt the need to post after reading yours.

Wow, I'm so sorry you had to go through all that. It was scary enough when my son had it and his case was nowhere as severe as your son's. I had never heard of it but the doctor knew what it was immediately, she said she sees maybe one case per year. But she couldn't give me any answers either, only that it would disappear eventually. The weirdest thing was that we were told it usually appears after some sort of illness but he had nothing, it just popped up out of nowhere.

I'm glad your son's doing well now

 

[Green Tea]

To the poster who mentioned protein not being visible in urine...it is when there is any measurable amount. It makes the urine look foamy.

 

[bnhasak]

Thanks Green Tea. It does indeed make it foamy but not in small quantities typically. It takes a bit of protein to spill for it to be noticeable to someone not looking for it. KWIM?

TMI, but to this day I freak out if I see "bubbles" and thankfully it is usually someone has just cleaned the bathroom and it is residual toilet cleaner. LOL!

 

[AlternateEgo]

I didn't read through it all, but this happened to my oldest daughter about a month ago. After about $200 in doctor copays and medication, we ran a mono test and she positive.

 

[Debbie7452]

I had a bad antibiotic reaction once. It can do a lot worse than just give you a rash for sure. My immune system went crazy...first I had a severe rash all over with intense itching , then it started attacking my joints and back. I was almost paralyzed for a while. At that time I was shuffled from specialist to specialist...no one could figure it out or put me on steroids. It was really bad, I was sick for a month.

Hope you find answers faster than I did!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I'd second it could be mono. A few years ago my DD16 came down with a bad throat. I called to take her in but it ws a Thursday and our doctor is out on Thursdays so I took her to someone else in the practice. She diagnosed strep w/o a culture and put her on amoxicilin. Next day she was still awful so I called our own doctor who heard her in the background and said he was sure, based on how she sounded (like Stitch) she had mono. His words were "please tell me she wasn't put on antibiotics." I was like, ummm, she was! He said bring her right over. The mono test was positive and he told me that since she didn't break out in the rash we were probably OK, well, not so. She broke out in a rash so bad, head to toe, eyelids, inside of ears, in her mouth, it was far worse then the actual issues. I told him if I didn't love him and the practice I'd sue her for never even testing her. And I am not sue happy but she acted like seeing a different doctor's patient was a bother, you can't be that way. Anyway, he agreed with me that it was awful and he put on the top of my kids' files to never have them be seen by her (I said I'd nver allow it again.) Shortly after she was gone. I never asked why but I was relieved.

The rash was very hard to get rid of, we tried lots of things before he finally had to use stairoids. She was very close to being hospitalized it was so bad. Eventually she got rid of it, bu it was awful in the mean time.

OP, I wish you guys all the best, it sounds just like what we went though.

 

[mrsheppo]

When my DS12 was 5 yrs., he began complaining of bad stomach pains and had some vomiting. He had had a sore throat a few days prior, so they tested him for strep, but it was negative. The next day he began complaining of an aching wrist and fingers. On day 3 he woke up with his arms, legs and torso covered in what looked like blood blisters.

To make a long story short, after seeing many specialists, he was also diagnosed with HSP. It was a very serious case and was devastating to our family. He ended up bedridden for 5 months due to the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in nearly every joint and had constant severe abdominal pain with vomiting and urinary pain. Twice a week, we transported him by wheelchair to the hospital for blood work and urinalysis. All we were told that it would most likely disappear as mysteriously as it appeared.

Thankfully, when we hit the 6 month mark, it vanished. He did have to undergo physical therapy to learn to walk again (due to muscle atrophy) and occupational therapy to write, but thankfully there were no lasting side-effects and it never returned.

Thanks for letting me tell my story. I've never talked to anyone else who has been through HSP, so I felt the need to post after reading yours.

I am amazed at the number of people on this thread whose child has had HSP. My oldest DD contracted it from a case of strep and it caused sore muscles, joints and a rash that looked like small bruises all over her lower torso. She was also one of the unlucky individuals that ended up being hospitalized due to her kidneys shutting down. She was constantly vomiting and ended up in the hospital for 10 days. She had to go to a pediatric nephrologist for treatment for several months. She lost a lot of weight and had to use a walker for many weeks until she could walk normally again. This was 15 years ago and I had never heard of HSP before her contracting it. Thank goodness she has had no lasting side effects.