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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your child has scarlet fever, your doctor will likely prescribe an antibiotic medication. Examples include:
- Penicillin, in pill form or by injection
- Amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox)
- Azithromycin (Zithromax)
- Clarithromycin (Biaxin)
- Clindamycin (Cleocin)
- A cephalosporin such as cephalexin (Keflex)
Make sure your child completes the full course of prescribed antibiotics as directed by your doctor, even when your child is feeling better. Failure to follow the treatment guidelines may not completely eradicate the infection and will increase your child's risk of developing post-strep disorders.
If he or she isn't feeling better within 24 to 48 hours after starting the medication, call your doctor.
Your child will no longer be contagious after 24 hours on antibiotics and can return to school when he or she is feeling better and no longer has a fever.
- Arumugam V, et al. Scarlet fever. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119790350-5/802768093/1701/530.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50022-7--cesec71_11163. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Exanthems and drug eruptions. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119754552-5/802599473/1195/85.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50016-9--cesec21_1617. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Gerber MA. Group A streptococcus. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics.18th ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119754552-5/802599473/1608/526.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50184-5--cesec9_4149. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Streptococcal and enterococcal infections. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch171/ch171d.html. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Scarlet fever. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=familydoctor&lic=44&article_set=22939. American Academy of Family Physicians. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Fever in infants and children. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/504.html. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Leslie DL, et al. Neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection: A case-control study among privately insured children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2008;47:1166.
- Group A streptococcal infections. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/streptococcal/default.htm. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Scarlet fever. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/scarletfever_g.htm. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- PANDAS. Pediatrics & Developmental Neuroscience Branch. http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/pdn/web.htm. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
