A mum from the East Midlands is urging parents 'not to panic' over Strep A - after her two-year-old daughter caught the infection. Amelia Davies was diagnosed with Strep throat and scarlet fever on December 4.
She had come down with a sore throat and a dry rash a day before. Amelia's mum Kirsty Murray, 30, who is six-months pregnant, was given antibiotics to give Amelia after she was diagnosed by a GP and said she was "on the cusp" of being admitted to hospital due to dehydration.
Ms Murray said Amelia was now eating and drinking more. However, she has had to book another GP appointment for her as she has stopped taking her antibiotics and has now developed impetigo, a skin infection, reports Lincolnshire Live.
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But Ms Murray, of Lincoln, has moved to reassure parents who are worried about the infection. She said: "Children are quite resilient, they repair quite quickly. The main thing for parents is not to panic, it makes it worse."
She added: "Amelia doesn’t like taking medication at the best of times. I’ve had to put it in yoghurts and she's become wise to it. Managing it has been OK but it’s been hard making sure she's got enough fluids."
Children can sometimes develop a bacterial infection on top of a virus and it can make them more unwell. One of these bacteria is called Group A Strep (GAS).
This usually causes a mild illness with fever and a sore throat (Strep throat) but not a runny nose or too much of a cough. Children may be poorly for a few days but will usually recover.
Most children with Strep throat or scarlet fever will get better with antibiotics but sometimes they can become unwell because their body produces an exaggerated immune response, or the bacteria gets into the blood stream and causes a more severe infection known as 'invasive GAS' or iGAS.
Sixty people have now died after contracting Strep A in England this winter, health chiefs confirmed. Of these 13 are children, according to new figures issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The main symptoms of Strep A that Ms Murray has shared include a fever, not drinking or eating and a red mouth. Amelia's sister, Freya Davies, aged three, has been getting on-and-off tonsillitis and has now also developed an impetigo rash around her face and she has a 'strawberry tongue', another Strep A symptom.
Ms Murray said she believes the girls caught Strep A from their nursery. She said: "They’re both off now until after Christmas. I don't want them to be poorly for Christmas.
"They've recently got over chicken pox and their immune systems were low. I believe Covid lockdown restrictions have lowered children's immune systems."
When asked what advice she would give to parents if their children contract Strep A, Ms Murray said: "Just be mindful of the symptoms. If you think your children have got symptoms, get them seen ASAP. Ring 111 or go straight to the doctors."
Ms Murray has just set up a Facebook group for parents to offer advice on Strep A symptoms and how to deal with it. A case of Strep A has been confirmed at a school in Nottinghamshire. Nottinghamshire's NHS board has told parents to trust their instincts on contacting a doctor if they think their child has Strep A.
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