NHS Issues Advice As Strep A Death Toll Among Children Soars

The NHS has released advice for parents and carers on what to do if they think their child has Strep A, as cases continue to soar and the death toll in youngsters rises. 

There have already been several fatalities among children with Group A streptococcal (GAS) infection in the UK alone, which is unsurprisingly causing panic among early years providers, parents, and carers. 

Although Group A Strep is usually relatively mild, often just causing a sore throat, otherwise known as Strep throat, it can quickly become more serious if not treated. 

For instance, it can lead to Scarlet Fever, which comes with a headache and a pink or red body rash with rough pimples, and sometimes red lips or tongue. 

A treatment of antibiotics can clear this up, with the NHS advising to keep children at home for 24 hours after the start of the medication to reduce the chance of it spreading.

“Most children with GAS throat infection or Scarlet Fever will get better with antibiotics. Unfortunately, very occasionally some children become unwell later because their body produces an exaggerated immune response, or the bacteria gets into the blood stream and causes a more severe infection,” NHS Great Ormond Street stated. 

Signs of deterioration include a temperature for more than five days, eating less than normal, a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, strong-smelling wee, feeling thirsty, peeing less, feeling dizzy or tired, a dry mouth, lips or tongue, sunken eyes, and drowsiness. 

Guardians should take the child to A&E immediately if they are having difficulty breathing; their skin, tongue or lips are blue; they are cold or clammy; difficult to wake up or keep awake; or have painful red skin or severe pains in their limbs, neck or back. 

Chair of the Royal Colleges of General Practitioners, Paediatrics and Child Health Kamila Hawthorn told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that pharmacists should be allowed to deviate from a prescription to enable them to give different types of antibiotics when there are shortages. 

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