Dr. R.W. Mills says classic strep throat symptoms include sore throat, headache, stomach pain and a little rough rash. He says it's quite contagious, and typically runs through families.
He suggests tossing out your child's toothbrush once you get a positive strep test. The good news: it's easy to treat. Dr. Mills says, "Good old-fashioned amoxicillin still is the medication of choice for strep and we get real good results with that."
He's seeing a different problem in some of his smaller patients. "The younger kids still have some croup that we're catching at the very end here and that has that barky seal-like cough and sometimes the difficulty breathing. Putting them in a steamy shower helps with that."
Or you can try taking the baby out in the cool night air.
Unlike strep, croup is viral, so antibiotics don't help ease symptoms. But Dr. Mills says anti-inflammatory medicines can help shrink swelling and ease your baby's breathing.
The third biggie he's seeing right now is spring allergies. Dr. Mills says red eyes, runny nose and sneezing suggests spring allergies.
He says antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops can help your child. He also recommends washing your child's clothes, and having them shower after being outside.
