Update

[Beth]

Everything continues to be more complicated than it needs to be, but we are making progress.

I called the plumber near 9 this morning and had someone here before noon. Nice young guy took a look and said he could try replacing 2 parts that appeared to be shot and try to help us make it until the demo for the new kitchen (whenever that is ;) ). No promises -- first choice would be to buy the facuet we wanted for the redo -- but we're not sure which finish yet. He replaced the two parts, and discovered 2 more that needed replacing. It started dripping -- he came back and checked several more things. He finally found the part that needed replacing and took care of that too. So one day and one price later, I have a rebuilt facuet that is better than when we bought the house. I have a friend who had to replace her sink as well as her faucet, so I'm glad we didn't have to find out whether we could get the faucet out of there (DH had tried twice and couldn't).

Also, we got a call from the pediatrician. She got the third round of lab results back and the results were consistent with strep. She consulted with an infectious diseases specialist. There is a lesser known version of strep that causes skin reactions instead of the sore throat. It can develop into kidney damage, but fortunately the allergist's first set of tests included a test that told us that had not happened. He will continue taking the antibiotics, and we will hope that no further allergy treatments are needed.

Now to the next challenge -- I noticed this afternoon that our puppy has red bumps on her tummy. I used a flea comb to check for fleas but found none. She seems like she could be a tad warm. I'm going to take her into the vet. SHe's not crazy about the car ride, but she loves the attention and the puppy biscuits. I'm hoping that's it for a while, but -- who am I kidding.

Oh, I almost fogot. I bought a lottery ticket last week and told our kitchen designer that if I won I could quit worrying about choices and prices and fo it all. In fact, I promised her I'd buy her a new kitchen as well. Wouldn't that be fun? If my luck should turn, I would be thrilled to make good on that promise! :p

[wallycat]

ACK!!! You said he tested "negative" for glomerulonephritis? And they checked his heart right away as well?

I've heard of rashes for the more viralent strep but not hives. THat is very odd and interesting to note.

Is the whole family on antibiotics (contagious) or just DS?

Best to you...
keeping good thoughts for your puppy as well.

(((((((((BETH))))))))))))

By the way, you sound like such a cool and AWESOME mom. I sure wish I had someone like you when I was growing up :)

[mbrogier]

(((Beth)))

I'm glad that the doctor thinks they know what's wrong with your son. I hope he's ok and doesn't have lasting damage.

My cat carried strep one winter when my brother and I had it 6 times between us. Perhaps dogs can get it to?

I'm glad you got the faucet fixed.

[Beth]

Yes, she called him in to check his heart as well as do the additional lab work last week. (Can't say I recognize the first thing, but know enough to tell that had to do with his kidneys. ;)) Of course, his heart was the thing we were most concerned about when we saw the first blood tests. He's the only one on antibiotics right now, but we'll be much quicker to respond if anyone else shows signs of a problem. And we know what to watch for and to call if the rash doesn't continue improving overall.

His rash is worse tonight than it has been in several days, but he is hot (hit 92 here today) and tired -- those both seem to bring it out. I hope it clears soon. Meanwhile, I'm so grateful the new allergist took such a broad approach to make sure non-allergy possibilities were ruled out. We might not have caught this before it did more damage otherwise, and I'm not sure the dr we had been seeing would have take such a broad approach at the beginning.

Thanks for the kudos. I think part of being a parent is feeling guilty and inadequate a certain amount the time (and no one ever tells you what that amount is). I was sure feeling bad when we got the first bloodwork back and was thinking I had missed a case of strep throat. I know his pedi (also a mom) was too, but it took a very broad brush with some lab work and a consult with a specialist to find an explanation. I love his pediatrician and all the resources she has to back her with Texas Children's.

[Beth]

(((Beth)))

My cat carried strep one winter when my brother and I had it 6 times between us. Perhaps dogs can get it to?



I had a similar thought. We got the puppy near the same time the rash started. I will mention it to the vet.

[Terri_A]

Beth, I passed by a Mega Millions Billboard today that says tomorrow's jackpot is $256 million. I figure that with cash option and after taxes, you'd clear about $88million. I bought a ticket myself. Good luck to you!

[Jazzmatazz49]

I'm glad you have a diagnosis. The worst thing is wondering and worrying, isn't it? I'm seriously getting concerned about the strep problems I've been hearing about recently.

My sister's dog turned out to have several food allergies, as well as dust allergies. She had to take him to the LSU vet school to get this diagnosed. The dog is very happy now, especially since the vets recommended keeping him indoors in the A/C when it is really hot! ;)

[mcgeiger]

I'll double check my notes when I get home, but if I remember correctly most strep in dogs cannot be given to people....(though I beleive it can go the other way)
beckms??? what do you remember

Hope that everyone (puppy included) gets better!

[Beth]

If anything is odd with the pup, at least we are not to far from A&M. SHe's acting fine today. SHe was too energetic earlier for me to check her tummy. She's sleeping now, so maybe I can go give her a tumy rub and take a look. She has had signs of an upset tummy found in the yard -- not sure if that was just something she ate. :rolleyes:

I am glad to think we can go back to regular detergent and fabric softener, although DH says he doesn't mind unscented. I do like a scent in at least one of them.

I am also greatly relieved to think DS doesn't seem to have developed an allergy to oranges. That was really one of the few things I could think of that could possibly make him break out so much -- that or wheat. Neither fun to have to limit in a kid's diet. I was also wondering how we could ever get him calmed down enough to try allergy testing since he has to be off all meds for a week before hand.

I hope the amoxcicillin knocks this out and life returns to normal for him. I probably should have posted under a better title. My main reason for posting was so that others could hear about this odd form of strep and be allerted to it. I could tell his pedi was really puzzled and it was bugging her. She really cares and thinks beyond the auto-response. She is the doctor I would like to have been if I had gone to medical school. She knows we like her, but I need to tell HER that. :)

[jjsooner73]

Glad to hear you have an answer to your son's ailments. I hope he really is on the mend now!

And I hope all turns out w/ with the puppy too!

[jmarie]

My main reason for posting was so that others could hear about this odd form of strep and be allerted to it.

Beth, I am really glad that you have a diagnosis and am praying that things finally get under control.

I also am writing to thank you because my great-niece, who is 4, has been breaking out with an unexplained rash in the last couple of months. Her mom has had her to the DR. a couple of times and they figured it was an allergy.

Not until I read the above quote from your post, did I remember this. I haven't seen them for a couple of weeks because I have been over with my mom and I had completely forgotten about her until today's post. I now have a call in to my niece (she's out for lunch) for her to come to the website and review this thread. I think threads like this are so important.

Thank you again.
Joyce

[RunnerKim]

Okay Jmarie now has me a little paranoid ;) Beth I've read some of your previous posts but would you mind summarizing the rash your son has had (and any other symptoms)? My daughter has a mild rash on her face for the past week. It just looks like a skin irritaiton/breaking out but its a little odd for a 3.5 year old. It's gotten a little worse over a week's time but nothing I'm too concerned about yet - until reading this thread! It seems unlikely to be the same thing but we're convinced on the toddler/preschool thread that viruses travel via the internet :D

Kim

[LakeMartinGal]

Beth -- glad to hear that things at your house are improving! Hope everyone gets/stays well, puppy included! :)

[mcgeiger]

Okay, so I was mostly right. The most common strep in people is strep A, which is a human specific one. Many streps are species specific (including the one that causes strangles in horses), but some are not... If you know the exact name of the strep identified I could give more info...

[Beth]

Kim and Joyce (and anyone else), my son's rash started out looking a lot like a heat rash. It was fine red bumps, mostly near the inside of his elbow and inner art of his arm and around the back of his neck. It broke out after he had been outdoors, it was warming up here, so that made sense. Except is was also very itchy, so the school nurse and I thought it was something he was exposed to.

As it continued, he would break out under his socks, on his stomach and chest, then later on the upper thighs, armpits and everywhere the blood vessels were near the surface. His face only had obvious breakouts in the last week or two.

As the breakouts continued, the bumps got larger -- they would look like ant or mosquito bites. The continued to get larger until they seemed like small welts that would bleed together. Also, insted of isolated areas, they began to break out on more of his body. The inside of his arm was so red and bumpy a weeka and a half ago that I thought if it got any worse he would look like hamburger. As the bumps would fade, they would receed from the center and leave a red ring or horseshoe shape. It seems to be worse when he is hot or as the day goes on and he gets more tired.

The rash did seem to respond to benadryl at first, and that would stop the itching. As it began to look horrible, the itchyness seemed to decrease, but that could be all the medications the allergist gave him.

This is different from the rash of Scarlett Fever, and we didn't see any of the nodules his pediatrician showed me pictures of. He did complain a few times about his joints aching, especially one day last week (which could happen in scarlett fever), but he didn't have any swollen or tender joints.

Most rashes probably have simpler explanations, but if you can't find a cause or relief, it's worth checking out. This strep does not show up with a throat culture or some of the more common tests, so you would need blood work to get a diagnosis or to rule it out. We actually had two sets -- one detected the antibodies and the other I'm not sure about, but it was a more specific test for strep. When something isn't right and it keeps getting worse, you have to keep looking for answers. I'm also hoping we have ours and that's all we are dealing with.

Hope that helps. I hope no one else is dealing with this, but if they are, I want them to get help before they have greater problems.

[Beth]

Okay, so I was mostly right. The most common strep in people is strep A, which is a human specific one. Many streps are species specific (including the one that causes strangles in horses), but some are not... If you know the exact name of the strep identified I could give more info...

I don't. DH talked to the pedi, and I always get less info that way. ;) I don't know that she told him, but I do know that he wouldn't have remembered it if she had. Nothing medical or scientific sticks with him.