re: My girlfriend is in icu Update: 6/12

Hope she heals up soon brah

With that said, update your OP

quote:

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I'm no doctor but if strep is not treated, we were told by our pediatrician that it could turn into rheumatic fever.

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About 1% of kids that have strep pharyngitis go on to get ARF if they arent treated. Of those 1%, a very small percentage have significant morbidity. So, it is a quite rare complication of strep pharyngitis. With that said, I do prescribe antibiotics for patient with this condition as I wouldnt want to be responsible for a kid getting carditis/valvular heart problems because I did not treat his infection.

Edit

There was another young girl in Metairie who passed away suddenly

Apparently not OP's GF. Prayers she continues to get better

Glad you are ok

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What's your recommendation for kids with repeated strep infections? I have a young relative scheduled for a tonsillectomy in a few weeks because of it.

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The child is either getting the wrong antibiotic (should get penicillin, erythromycin, augmentin, or a cephalosporin), not taking all of the med, re-exposure from a carrier of the bacteria in the family, or not changing their toothbrush (studies show that the bacteria can still be infective after 3-5days on a rinsed toothbrush and 15days on an unrinsed one).

Tonsillectomy will not cure tendency to get strep infection but will prevent airway blockage. You would think immunity would be acquired but it's not. Just needs to be treated promptly each time.