Strep Infections and Complications

I grew up in Colorado. For those of you who are not familiar with this part of the United States, Colorado has a very dry climate. This type of climate is considered to be very comfortable - especially for those of us who have also lived in very moist climates such as Florida. I like not feeling like I am sweating all of the time. However, the dry climate does have its drawbacks as well. One of the biggest drawbacks is the very common occurrence of strep throat. Strep throat is caused by Group A Streptococcus A I can recall having had "strep" at least once a year for many of my growing up years.

I wish that I could say that living in a less dry environment is all it takes to eliminate the possibility of having strep throat. It doesn't, but it does seem to be less common.

Strep throat, while common, can be a very dangerous infection, one with which you really do not want to ignore. Sore throats are very common, especially in the winter months when colds and flu are also "going around." It is not even safe to assume that a sore throat which does not include extreme pain, fever, and nausea is not serious. I have in fact had strep throat and have had no real pain at all. I realized that I had the infection because I was very familiar with the "spotting" in the back of the throat.

Whenever your child has a sore throat (or anyone in your family for that matter) it would be wise to see your family doctor. Sometimes it may be a simple virus, but let that decision be made by a professional.

The dangers of strep throat range from rheumatic fever (which can damage the heart and kidneys) to arthritis. In addition, it is very common for people to "forget" to finish all of the medication which has been prescribed when feeling better. Medication for this infection is usually penicillin or a similar type of antibiotic. It is very important to finish all of the medication. This is the cause for strains of bacteria becoming immune to treatment and thus requiring stronger and stronger antibiotics to fight them. Once a bacteria comes into contact with an antibiotic and survives the initial "attack," it may then mutate (change its genetic structure) to become resistant to this type of medication. Therefore, make sure that all medication that is prescribed is taken.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic