BigDavyG

Noticed that.
You hear people saying that their kids have "strep" throat all the time.
Took me a while to realise that all this is is a flucking sore throat - kids get them all the time, so do adults. Now buy a packet of lockets and shut up.

Thydney

Could always ask for pain killers

TonyLA

Well they do that in the UK too. Antibiotics for a cold. However, they were generally giving them to ward off a secondary bacterial infection - which is still pretty much pointless overkill.

Biggest problem wasn't/isn't over prescription but people not taking the full course on anti-biotics they are given for a REAL infection and they stop before it has really gone, leaving the most hardy bugs behind alive, and then they breed......

Sally

I hear ya. Also it has to be they're taking them to 'the Paediatrician' yeah, yeah.

Sally

Regarding the superbug, some well-meant hospital practices like allowing large numbers of visitors could be a factor, also a returning nurse in England told me she was shocked to find no separate room for preparing dressings as she was used to. Possibly an over-reliance on antibiotics, heavy use of antibiotics in farming and, as has been mentioned, failure to complete the course all contribute to the problem.

Thydney

Theres also the fact that the US don't normally check for it. Another don't ask don't tell scheme

Hove

In the old days floors were scrubbed with carbolic .Now they just have some one sloffing a mop around in water that comes from ward to ward.
How about the toies doctors wear there are more germs on them as they go from patient to patient.
Charming bring back the carbolic.

Bluegrass Lass

I have to disagree with you a bit BDG. I totally agree that AB's are over-prescribed, but when it comes to strep throat this is a bacterial infection. It will not just go away by sucking on throat drops all day.

I think a major underlying factor causing all the strep throat probs in kids is the environment they're in. I.e. pollution, cigarettes, etc.

My best friend's 2 kids have had repeated respiratory probs before they were 1 yr old. I suspect that her husbands' smoking is not doing the kids health any good...anyways, done with my hijack..

snowbunny

Not to mention that untreated strep throat can lead to complications like rheumatic fever and damage to the heart.

There are some people who are strep carriers (have the bacteria but no symptoms) and some strains that have become antibiotic resistant (like MRSA). This doesn't help.

I suppose one way to cut back on the use of antibiotics in kids would be to make the move to tubes more quickly in kids with recurrent ear infections. We barely managed to get our second daughter through early childhood without tubes (I was ready to put them in, the specialist kept holding off) with our pediatrician not happy about the fact that they weren't in. Kept saying she'd be speech delayed and deef but actually her hearing is quite acute and her speech clearer than her big sister's!

There's a good reason to see pediatricians; the same illness in kids can have a very different course and outcome to that in adults; kids react differently to certain medications, etc. The anatomy is different and changing all the time. In the US, taking your kid to a pediatrician is the norm, it's not showing off. Nothing wrong with a family practise doctor so long as they can keep up to speed with pediatric medicine. Personally I think it helps the kids to see lots of other kids as patients.... nearly everyone survives to get a sticker and a lolly!

nethead

I have no idea why strep throat is more prevalent here though, it makes no sense. I have 5 kids none of which have had strep throat and no one I know in the Uk kids have ever had strep throat.

In the UK GPs don't prescribe ABs for general throat infections, or ear infections because research has found if ABs are prescribed early in ear infections it's more likely the person will suffer from glue ear subsequently.

BigDavyG

And that happens with what frequency ???

snowbunny

untreated?

up to 3% of the population, studies vary.

Killed an uncle of mine.