Watch Out For Strep

Colder, wetter weather; that means sickness can’t be too far away. In addition to colds, flu and COVID, parents need to also watch for strep throat, this time of year.

“Fall, winter, early spring, we often will see little clusters of strep infections," she said. "It could be for two reasons. One is: in the winter, when it’s cold and rainy, most of us are inside more and so you’re just more likely to spread those germs."

Kaiser Permanente Pediatrician Dr. Lisa Denike said it’s also not uncommon to come down with strep after a cold or other virus.

“We know that our bodies are a little more vulnerable to bacterial infections when we have inflammation in our body from a virus that’s already there,” Denike noted.

Strep is typically spread through respiratory droplets. If left untreated, Denike said, in rare occasions, people can develop heart problems later in life.

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