I have dealt with this problem frequently with my clients. One of the
things which I do is to have ALL family members tested for strep and staph,
in the throat and naso-pharyngeal space, and sometimes vaginally. Very
often one family member or more is a "silent carrier" and is passing theses
pathogens to the mother repeatedly, or the mother is passing the pathogen
from her throat or vagina to her breast.

A couple of cases (details changed to protect client privacy)

a) at least two cases where the husband grew out naso-pharyngeal strep or
staph. Treated with oral and nose drop antibx for several weeks per MDs
orders. Mom cleared up almost immediately.

b)a few cases where one of the older children had repeated bouts of strep
throat and "tonsilitis." Treated carrier (twice dad, and once mom herself,
who was also having repeated mastitis, often times kid with throat problems
had never cleared the pathogen and was also carrying) not only did mom's
mastitis clear, but so did the tonsilitis in the older child, in two cases
avoiding surgery in the child. We had to refer to an ENT for these cases.

c) one odd case where we were so desperate. None of the family seemed to be
carriers. I read in a Journal that repeated strep in kids could in rare
cases linked to the family pet. We tested Fido, and found strep AND staph.
Mom cleared up when the dog was treated.

d)one case where the MD refused to test the baby as she was "too young" to
be a carrier and "too young" to be treated if she was (?). You guessed it,
with a second opinion, the baby was tested and found to be positive for
strep. Treated baby and mom was mastitis free.

I hope you can get to the bottom of this mother's misery.

Good luck.


Mary Jozwiak IBCLC, RLC, LLLL, AAPL
Private Practice

There is no such thing as a "free diaper bag...."

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