Nora has been acting extremely grumpy for the last couple of days.

I had a suspicion that she could have strep too, although I know it is really rare in kids under 3. Still she complained of a tummy ache and she had a low grade fever. I looked up the symptoms of strep in kids under 3 and knew instantly I had to take her in.

If you know that your young child has been exposed to strep before coming down with a respiratory infection, you should have her evaluated by her healthcare provider. Strep infections at this age typically have the following symptoms:

Symptoms suggestive of strep throat in infants and toddlers

* Onset of illness is not as rapid or severe as that seen in older children.
* Fever usually will be low grade (99-100 degrees Fahrenheit).
* Irritability and lack of appetite are common.
* Commonly, there will be a clear discharge from the nose.
* Sometimes the nasal drainage is accompanied by a skin infection between the upper lip and the nostrils.
* There may be no sore throat or difficulty swallowing.
* There may be no swollen lymph glands underneath the jaw, and in the front and sides of the neck.

Low grade fever–check. Irritablility–check. Lack of appetite–check.

So off the the clinic we went. Scott came too since his throat was starting to hurt too. Nora’s test came back positive. Even though Scott’s was negative, they treated him too. He opted for the Penicillin injection since he was leaving on a business trip today. He wanted to get better as soon as possible.

So far, Emma and I are still well. Emma complained of a sore throat a couple of times, but still doesn’t seem sick at all. The good news is I can call the clinic any time and get a prescription for her without going in again.

At least we are getting it all out before we head for Maui. Hopefully we will all be well by then, and we won’t need any doctor visits this trip.