Strep Throat Invades Brain’s House…Are The Adults Next?

Well, we've gone 3 for 3. All three of our kids now are being treated for strep throat. Cayleigh came down with it yesterday after Chase and Carly were both treated for it last week. The school your kids go to may even send a note home with students when someone in their class has strep. Why? Because it is very contagious.

The bacteria the causes strep lives in the back of the throat and nose area. So common activities like coughing and sneezing spread the bacteria around. Get a bunch of kids crammed into a classroom at school, and bingo. You've got the perfect breeding ground for strep. The symptoms of strep are fairly obvious. All three of my kids ran a low-grade fever, had sore throats, and also a rash in their throat. The doctor will typically do a swab test for bacteria to make sure it's not just a virus. All three of my kids are on the same antibiotic for seven to ten days. But what about adults? Holly and I are just sitting around waiting for the next shoe to drop!

I found out at the doctor's office last night that adults rarely get strep. Out of all strep cases in the U.S. each year, only around 5% are in adults. While those aren't perfect odds, I'll take them!

So tell your kids to keep washing their hands and using hand sanitizer! Germs are out there!

[via KidsHealth.org]