You know, all I can answer about is how my kids are when they have strep. My daughter only had a 99.4 degree fever when she had it. Zach's was up to 102, but he had the croup on top of it. Just with my kids, they rarely have v* without d* without it being strep. But you say that your son also v* when he coughs a lot, andhe seems more sensitive than others. When I was in high school, I used to babysit a little girl who v* every time she had an ear infection, so her mom would always know that was her deal. What makes kids v* is different for every kid.


We've just had strep soooo many times in our family, I almost always ask for it when the kids have fevers and/or v* with no other symptoms. I'd say maybe only 1 out of every 4 times any of them have had it they've complained of a sore throat. And yes, my boys have had their tonsils out. My daughter still has hers, but she only gets it once a year--and at least one of the boys gets it when she does even though they've had them out. Ditto for my husband! He still gets it without his tonsils--and I've never had it and I still have mine!


After all this rambling (LOL) I guess red flags go up for me as far as strep any time I hear of unexplained fevers or v*.