Parents in Ireland are being advised to look out for tell-tale symptoms of Group A streptococcus.
An increase in transmission of the uncommon infection has been recorded in the UK.
Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a common bacteria that lots of us carry it in our throats and on our skin.
It doesn’t always result in illness, however, GAS does cause a number of infections ranging from mild to some more serious.
READ MORE: Strep A: Irish schools put on high alert as parents warned of one symptom to keep children home with
The most dangerous infection caused by GAS occurs when it becomes invasive - when the bacteria gets into parts of the body where it is not normally found, such as the lungs or bloodstream.
This is called invasive Group A Strep (iGAS) and in rare cases it can be fatal.
According to to HPSC’s latest report on Strep A: “Whilst iGAS infections are still uncommon, there has been a small increase in cases this year reported in the UK, particularly in children under 10 and sadly, a small number of deaths”.
There are a number of ways we can protect children against developing the worst illnesses associated with the infection, so here is what you need to know:
Symptoms
Being aware of the symptoms means you’ll know when you need to seek medical help.
Symptoms include “a high temperature, a sore throat, and as the illness progresses, you may get a rash or what we call a strawberry tongue – which is a red, inflamed tongue”, explains Dr Belinda Griffiths, a general practitioner who specialises in family health at The Fleet Street Clinic (fleetstreetclinic.com).
On darker skin, the rash can be harder to see, but will still be sandpapery in texture.
Children under 10 are particularly vulnerable to Strep A “because they haven’t been exposed to it”, says Griffiths. “And they’re a group where if one in a cohort gets it, the whole group will be exposed to it, because they spread bugs like wildfire – children much more than adults.
“We don’t tend to go around in such close contact. It is possible for adults to get Strep throat, but it’s much less common.”
Is it possible to protect your child from Strep A?
“It’s very difficult with small children – because they all cough in each other’s faces,” Griffiths says.
While you can teach children to wash their hands regularly, sneeze into tissues and avoid anyone who has a cough, Griffiths adds: “Very small children won’t pay any attention to that at all. You can try, but they’ll all be running around, playing chase and the contact is there. You can educate them up to a certain point, but with very small children, it’s difficult to do that.”
Plus, she says: “You could keep them at home, or I suppose you could make them wear masks, but children are very poor at wearing masks, and you can’t keep them at home just to avoid Strep A.”
What can parents and carers do about Strep A?
Griffiths’ top piece of advice is “hyper-vigilance”.
She says: “Children are very good at hiding symptoms – one minute they’re perfectly well and running around, and the next minute they’re really unwell.
“The important message to get across is to be vigilant. If you’re worried about your child, look in their throat, and check they’re eating and drinking. Because the first thing they’ll do is stop eating and drinking, and start complaining about their throat and their headache.”
And if your child does start displaying symptoms, Griffiths advises: “Get penicillin (or alternative antibiotic) as soon as possible, given the current situation.”
While Griffiths says she wouldn’t normally advise going straight for antibiotics as treatment, she adds: “With Strep A as it is at the moment, penicillin or an alternative is required – just to be safe.”
She says you can do your bit to protect others, by keeping your child at home if they have symptoms, and letting the teacher know if they’re sick.
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