South East London Integrated Care System (ICS) began talks with Consultant Connect on 30th May 2022 to assist Primary Care with access to specialist advice amidst the monkeypox outbreak. Only 24 hours later, on 31st May 2022, the Monkeypox Advice & Guidance line was launched to allow Primary Care clinicians to contact specialists for immediate […]
As explained above, milder infections caused by Strep A include scarlet fever, impetigo, cellulitis, tonsillitis and pharyngitis (a sore throat). Check your child’s symptoms and follow the advice here and in our FAQs below.
While case numbers are high, parents should be on the lookout for scarlet fever symptoms of scarlet fever so that appropriate and timely treatment can be given by your GP. It is usually a mild illness that clears up quickly after a course of antibiotics.
To make your child more comfortable if they have scarlet fever, you may want to lower their temperature using paracetamol (calpol) and/or ibuprofen. Use one and if your child has not improved 2/3 hours later you may want to try giving the other medicine. However, remember that fever is a normal response that may help the body to fight infection and paracetamol/ibuprofen will not get rid of it entirely.
Avoid tepid sponging your child – it doesn’t actually reduce your child’s temperature and may cause your child to shiver.
Encourage them to drink plenty of fluids.
Despite the out of season increase we are seeing in scarlet fever and other Strep A infections, the risk of the bacteria causing a more serious infection like iGAS remains very low.