The injections protect your child from strep germs at the time in their life when they are in close contact with many people who could have a strep infection.
One injection gives your child enough penicillin to fight the strep germ for up to 28 days. Having an injection every 28 days means that there is enough penicillin in your child's body to help stop them from getting rheumatic fever again.
No - the injection won't cause your child to gain weight. Eating too much and not doing enough activity are the main causes of weight gain.
Take your child to your doctor and get a throat swab. Your child will need an extra course of antibiotics to increase your protection.
Yes - it is better to be early than late. Talk to your nurse to arrange to have your child's injection early.
It is very important that your child doesn't miss a penicillin injection. Missing one means that your child could get strep throat which can trigger rheumatic fever again.
If you forget an injection, ring your child's nurse to arrange to get your child's next injection as soon as possible.
Find out about an App to help get your bicillin on time every time [1]
Check how to help make the penicillin injections more comfortable [1]
See the page on rheumatic fever for information about causes, possible consequences, and treatment [2]
The Paediatric Society of New Zealand is grateful to the Heart Foundation for providing the content for this page. The booklet 'Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease' was revised in July 2019.
This page last reviewed 13 May 2020.
Email us [3] your feedback
Links
[1] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/app-help-get-your-bicillin-time-every-time
[2] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/rheumatic-fever
[3] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/contact?from=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kidshealth.org.nz%2Fprint%2F2148%3Flanguage%3Dmi