Pediatricians in Lubbock have been seeing a recent increase in strep throat cases, but also want to remind parents that it’s not completely uncommon for there to be more cases this time of year.
“Typically right before Christmas break, and right before spring break, we get a rash of kids getting sick, possibly because there’s some testing going on and nobody wants to miss, lots of activities and things like that,” said Dr. Nawal Zeitouni of Pediatric Associates of Lubbock (PAL).
Dr. Zeitouni says that because of the cooler temperatures, kids tend to typically stay inside more, versus going out to play recess, thus inviting a wider spread of germs. And the spread of it goes beyond just sharing food and drinks. Doctors say, even the slightest bit of contact with an individual with strep-like symptoms is enough.
“The respiratory droplets will be passed just by talking, coughing and sneezing on each other,” said Dr. Zeitouni. “It’s very easy to spread those respiratory infections, and strep unfortunately is just one of those that can kind of creep in.”
“Creep in,” as in you may not always realize you have a case of strep throat on your hands. Sometimes it’s accompanied by a fever, sometimes it isn’t. The most common symptoms that are associated with strep throat include a sore throat, difficulty swallowing or talking, headache, fatigue, and occasionally a fever or even an upset stomach.
“And the smaller you are, the less likely you are to complain about just a sore throat. So a lot of times with our smaller kids, they’ll say ‘well my head hurts, my tummy hurts’ and they’ll even present some GI (gastrointestinal) symptoms like vomiting, or an upset stomach. So really if your child is not feeling good, it’s worthwhile to keep your child home for the day.”
However, cases of strep throat should be on the decline soon when everyone returns from spring break.
“Whether it’s people going on vacation, or people not being in classrooms for an extended period of time, we do see that settle down for quite a bit a little bit, so everybody kind of regroups and come back a little bit healthier hopefully.”
Whether your kids are at school or on spring break vacation, the preventative methods remain the same: thoroughly wash yours and your child’s hands, make sure they are coughing and sneezing into their elbows and not their hands, and minimize sharing of drinks or food as much as possible.
