[2momsinGA]

The oldest of the two sisters (ages 3 and 2) that we've been matched with has MRSA. She's in a therapeutic foster home because of the effects of ingesting crack when she was 18 months old. Apparently, she acquired the infection when she was in the hospital.
Has anyone else dealt with a child or family member having a MRSA infection? What worked to clear it and how did you prevent other household members from becoming infected?

[greenmama]

Is it being treated? My husband had a resistant staph infection 6 months ago requiring IV antibiotics, etc...but we were all fine and it went away. Is it expect she'll still have MRSA going forward?

[Thartma]

I have a baby that I brought home from the hospital in August. He had MRSA in the hospital. They assured me it was gone, he needed no medicine etc. While true that the actual sores were healed, the first week when I took him to the pediatrician, she told me it could stay with him for two years! All laundry needed to be separate from his and the tub had to be cleaned each time he used it. Apparently, MRSA colonizes in the nose, so I was extra careful when wiping his nose or dealing with any nasal discharge. This has been hard, because for various other reasons he has had a runny nose frequently! And if he ever has a hospital stay, I have to alert them that he has had MRSA. They will do a nasal swab to check for it. He actually did go to the hospital once and they checked and it was negative. Hooray! However, we still have to be cautious, just maybe not as obssesive about it.

You probably should find out if it is active MRSA or not and if she has had any nasal swabs done.

Tracy

Mom, Stepmom, Adoptive mom, and Foster mom to Eight beautiful children!

[RavenSong]

I picked up a MRSA infection when I was working in an OR. I originally was put on oral antibiotics, which were shortly switched to IV antibiotics. Eventually I required extensive surgical debridement and skin grafts. I haven't had any problems since then.

Be sure to wipe down surfaces with a bleach solution, especially bathroom fixtures and countertops. Chlorox has the ratio of bleach to water on the back of the bleach bottle, as well as on their website. I'd also disinfect toys with bleach wipes or soaking in the sink w/ bleach and water.

Be patient...sometimes it takes a long time to rein in a MRSA infection.

[2momsinGA]

Thank you for all of your responses. Next week, we are supposed to go with the oldest to two of her doctors' appointments. I will be able to figure out more of what the status is on her MRSA at present. As soon as I find out more information, I'll share it here.

[DPline]

Definetely ask questions of the doctor. My 10 year old was as the doctor last week for infected molluscum on his back and the doctor said that with staph and MRSA being so prevelent she was going to have him tested for both. But she was very casual about it and put him on oral anitbiotics and said that the antibiotics would take care of it if it was staph or MRSA.

I am most definetly not a medical professional but it sounds like maybe there are different strains or levels of MRSA and some are more difficult to treat than others??

Just to give you a positive story!

Good luck!

[momraine]

I have been hospitalized with MRSA three times. The first one started as a mosquito bite that got infected. No one else in my family got it. The first time I ended up having surgery and have a pretty big scar. The next two I knew what it was right away and got into the hospital and on Vancomyacin. (IV stuff that gives me a headache!) The last time they sent me home with the IV, I did it myself twice a day and had a nurse come once a week to change out the tubing and such. The infectious disease doctors that I saw suggested a smaller population base would be helpful. They also said lots of hand washing and not to share towels with anyone. Also not to share gym equitpment without cleaning it. Aparently lots of people can carry it and never get sick at all, and other people only get it when they are already sick and have a wound and others like me are extra suseptable. I have a low immune system though and so I can get it easy. You can get it from someone's sweat who is carrying it. I had to be tested again before a surgery and I am not carrying it. (the nose swab is quick and easy, though not fun) Since we moved to a smaller town and I have been careful, I have not had it once. That was four years ago and still none of my family has gotten it.

[Bamamom07]

It is actually pretty widespread everywhere and a growing problem. Often it is not even detected unless another infection occurs in the body, then it can wreak serious havoc. Take the precautions mentioned and respect it. It can happen to anybody.

[athikers]

Unfortunately, as of today my daughter has mrsa, they asked us to finish her current course of antibiotics then they will decide what we do next. I have not been taking very good precautions, but she's had this rash for over a month now and no one else has it in our house. Reading this, clearly I need to be more careful.

[2momsinGA]

athikers, please keep us posted on how your daughter is doing and what the doctor says

[2momsinGA]

Hello. I'm bumping up this post in order to ask for any additional/new comments that you might have.