Just diagnosed with ARF?

Newly Diagnosed with Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF)

Diagnosis of rheumatic fever is based on medical history, a physical examination, listening to your story and certain test results conducted by your doctor or nurse. Test for ARF include:

  • Blood tests
  • Heart tracing (ECG)
  • Heart Scanning (Echocardiography/Echo)
  • Chest x-ray.

It is normal to have and ask lots of questions about what is and could be happening to your child prior or when he or she is diagnosed with ARF.

What if a child gets Rheumatic fever?

  • If a child gets ARF they will need to be admitted to hospital to have their blood tested and their heart checked.
  • They will also need 3 or 4 weekly antibiotic injections for at least 10 years to prevent them from further attacks of rheumatic fever, which could cause long-term damage to their heart.
  • People with rheumatic fever need a health check every year to keep them well, and regular heart scans. Regular heart scans are important as damage to the heart may only show up years after the initial infection.

Who can get Acute Rheumatic Fever ?

  • mostly affects school-aged children, but adults can also get it.

Can  Acute Rheumatic Fever come back ?

  • YES! You can get ARF again if you get another  strep throat infection later.

How do I stop Acute Rheumatic Fever coming back ?

  • By having a BENZA injection every 3 – 4 weeks depending on the severity of the disease. This treatment is called antibiotic prophylaxis, it prevents another strep infection and keeps ARF from coming back.

How does ARF affect the heart?

  • Acute rheumatic fever can happen again and again. It doesn’t always affect the heart, but when it does and each time it (ARF) comes back the heart gets damaged, especially the heart valves. So the heart gets weaker and weaker and it doesn’t work properly. The valves inside the heart that keeps the blood moving in the right direction gets sick.  Over time, rheumatic fever may lead to permanent heart damage. Damage to your heart from rheumatic fever is  called Rheumatic Heart Disease.

Is ARF contagious? 

  • Acute rheumatic fever is not contagious. You cannot pass it or get it from someone else. But Strep throat and Group A skin sore are contagious. These infections spread by coughing or sneezing.

Questions that you should ask your Doctors or Nurses :

  • What medication is recommended?
  • How long does my child need to take this medication?
  • Will we need other tests, now or in the future?
  • How could Rheumatic fever affect my child?
  • Are there any restrictions?
  • How can I best look after myself or my child?

References