My 7 year old daughter just started penicillin for strep throat.

She had a really rough week last week. On Tuesday afternoon, mid play-date, she lay down on the couch and didn’t really get back up again for the rest of the week. In and out of consciousness, zero appetite, intense weakness. It was bad…

The pediatrician ruled out pneumonia. I suspected flu and thought we just needed to ride it out.

But on Saturday, as a rash spread across her torso, her cheeks turned rosy and her tongue white, I realized it was strep throat and now scarlet fever.

So we started penicillin.

Dang it.

As a pediatric gut health advocate, starting antibiotics is a gut punch (pun intended).

I’m well aware of antibiotics’ negative impact on the gut microbiome, and the hushed consequences, like higher risk for depression and allergic diseases. In kids, a wrecked gut is linked to everything from Type 1 Diabetes to Crohn’s Disease and Juvenile Arthritis.

I DON’T want my sweet girl on antibiotics.

But I’m also a pharmacist. I’m no stranger to the strep’s destruction. Early in my career I watched a young woman die of kidney disease caused by strep. It took the life of my dad’s healthy sister in her 20’s.

For me, the benefit of treating the strep outweighs the risk to her gut microbiome.

I’ll fix her gut. But damage to heart valves and kidneys is irreversible. And I know I’d never forgive myself if she wound up waiting for a heart or kidney transplant.

So here’s what I’m doing to protect her microbiome:

Prebiotic fibers: a blend of wheat bran, apple pectin, inulin and potato starch

Vitamin D: continue the vitamin D 1000 daily that she already takes during the winter months

Quercetin: improve penicillin efficacy and reduce inflammation

Omega 3’s: prebiotic and anti-inflammatory

Zinc: repair the gut wall

If you’re curious why I’m not giving her a probiotic, check out this post.

Now I’m off to take care of my sweet babe.

🍊 Marilyn