Parents Use Social Media To Warn Others of Strep in The Sinuses

A couple from Idaho didn't think much of a strange mark on their son, Coop's face until it kept getting worse. And now, these parents are leveraging the power of social media to get the word out about a strain of strep in sinuses.

When most people hear the word strep, they think of strep throat. But there are actually 20 different types of strep bacteria, which can manifest in different ways.

Strep Isn't Limited To The Throat

During the flu and cold season, it's not at all uncommon for strep infections to start making their rounds, too. But Idaho parents Arden and Ashlee Hawley learned they needed to keep an eye out for strep in more places than just the throat.

It all began when a strange mark showed up on their son Coop's face. 

"We thought was compliments of his little brother," Arden said.

But as the red mark got worse, they had the boy's physician take a look.

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The doctor sent Coop home with a steroid. But that only made the red rash, which now stretched across poor Coop's face, worse. So, his parents took him to the emergency room.

That's where doctors discovered the culprit -- a strep infection in the sinuses!

"It could have been really bad had we not come in," Arden shared on social media. "They told us it will continue to migrate through there eyes and into their brain if not treated."

Coop is back home recovering and doing just fine, thank God. But Arden wanted to use social media as a way to get the word out about his son's strep sinuses infection to warn other parents.

"Please take this and show as far and wide as you can," he wrote, "It may save someone’s babies."

Parents Warn Others Of Strep In Sinuses

Arden Hawley's post has been shared more than a million times. And it's already doing just what Arden hoped -- raising awareness and helping other parents.

After seeing Arden's viral post about strep in the sinuses, another mom shared her own experience on the Simply Real Moms Facebook page.

The flu had swept through this mom's house. So when her youngest came down with a fever, she figured he was the latest flu victim in the family.

However, then red marks started appearing.

At first, the mom blamed the fever. But as the splotchy rash progressed, she remembered seeing Arden's Facebook post and took her son to the doctor. Sure enough, he tested positive for both the flu and strep throat.

"The [doctor] said that a rash and the facial marks are common symptoms. I had NO idea and apparently, neither does anyone I've told over the past few days," the mom wrote. Like Arden, she decided to get the word out, saying, "So I feel obligated to let other parents know about these unknown indicators that your child is suffering from strep."

Strep Can Have Serious Complications

Candace Reeves McMahan of Oklahoma is warning parents, too, after her son's scary brush with strep.

Candace's son, Luke, also suffered from the flu and strep combo. And when Luke's eyes started getting red and swollen, Candace got worried. It took worsening symptoms, multiple trips to the hospital, and emergency surgery before things started improving.

"Because it was in his eyes it was very close to the brain," Candace wrote, "which is super scary!!!"

Thankfully, Luke is healing up and doing well. He will have some small scars from the surgery, but otherwise will be just fine -- a true blessing indeed!

"He almost looks normal and is almost back to his normal self! I believe in the power of prayer and I can’t thank everyone enough for that," Candace said.

RELATED: Dad Nearly Lost His Life And Faces Amputations, All From Strep Throat

And like the other parents, Candace felt compelled to share her son's experience in case it could help save others:

"Please share the pictures of Luke’s eyes. This may have been prevented if the diagnosis had been done earlier."

Severe Bruising Resulting From Strep

Jennifer Schmid's 3-year-old daughter Emerson suffered from traditional strep throat versus strep in the sinuses. But she had another scary reaction that Jennifer just had to share.

After doctors diagnosed Emerson with strep throat, the little girl took all of her medicine and seemed completely healed.

But a week after she finished her meds, bruising started to appear on her little legs. Her parents chalked it up to the usual bumps and bruises of a toddler. But the bruising kept getting worse and multiplying.

"She had bruises all up and down her legs, on her back, lower back and they weren't normal -- these were raised and had lumps in the middle of the bruising," Jennifer explained.

Doctors suspect a disorder called Henoch-Scholein Purpura, which means the little girl's blood vessels are leaking into her body. Thankfully, her condition seems to be improving.

But Jennifer, who also saw Arden Hawley's post, wanted to warn others, too.

"I just wanted to put a PSA out there that even after having strep and taking all the medicine that strep can really wreak havoc on our bodies and cause some other very serious illnesses," she says. "So watch your little ones. I never knew strep could do all this, so I just wanted to inform others how bad and dangerous strep can be, even after medicine."

What a blessing that these brave families are sharing their experiences to help others. And thank God for protecting each of these precious children from further damage.

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Be sure to share this story so others can be aware of the risks involved with all forms of strep infections, including strep in the sinuses!

h/t: Facebook

Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Arden Hawley