I'll be honest...rapidly advancing strep turning to scarlet fever is the ONE and only t ime I agreed to go the penicillin route for my daughter,then 4..historically, the means for controlling strep were pretty barbaric and not all that effective..



BUT..that doesn't mean I wouldn't go with some alternatives i I had it to do over again (here's hoping I don't!.) try to get it under control one way or another BEFORE you start getting the sandpaper-like red rash; that's the beginning of scarlet fever unlike viral rash diseases, strep is not very immunogenic (that is,having had it doesnt mean you will have lasting antibodies against the next exposure) ...but again, I'm over 50 and have never had strep throat and i shared the bed with my kid when she had it,so I guess some people resist this bacterial infection better than others...

rheumatic fever/heart damage,blindness,and kidney probelms are NOT something to mess with!



here's what I'd try as an "instead of" that might do the job...


1) high-strength echinacea extract,[preferably the double-strong "specific"extract made by Eclectic Institute,atleast one big dropperful four time a day.take it the way you would take penicillin...that is, KEEP GOING for three days after the symptoms start to subside,so the super=strong bugs don't come back at you.
Take extra vitamin C when you take the echinacea.I like the sustained-release type,maybe 500mgto 1000mg with each dose of the extract.

you probably know that echinacea products are no oood unless they give you a special sort of "bue" numbness on the lips or tongue when you take them...but in case you didnt, now you know. get strong,tingly stuff, 1: 1 ratio or higher...read the label!) and go the pold-fashioned :"root"r oute.I don't think the products using flowers alongside do more than dilute the effects.again YMMV.

2)colloidal silver. this is not in my personal.ee[rience but i have heard wonder stories from those who are experienced with its use. i can;t advise dosage because I jsut haven;tworked with it enough...look itup, talk to someone knwledgable at the natural foods/pharmacy placesthat sell it.


3) lots of beta-carotene to support fighting the infection.I;dr ecommend room temperature carrot juice,maybe mixed with orange juice if it;s too sweet or cloying for you.also baked yellow squash and sweet potatoes...orange stuff.

slippery elm tablets,like Thayers, to help soothe your throat. they don;t do much to help fight the infection, but they are very soothing to inflamed mucous tissue.

4) oilof bitter orange in a glass of orange juice (fresh)twice a day...just a couple drops.

5) Chinese preserved duck eggs,sometimes called thousand-year-old eggs.they look totally weird and don;t smell sog reat, but they are a preserved egg that is high in naturally occurring antibiotics.don;t use if you have egg allergies...but might be okay for some penicillin allergies.

6) eat yogurt or other probiotics.

hope this helps...Judith