Cellulitis diagnosis with no testing.........?

My daughter had an infection on her finger that was starting to look strange to me, I took her to the ER and the doc said it was cellulitis but did no testing, even though I told him that previously my daughter had very swollen tonsils but no other symptoms. Her tonsils are still swollen and he wouldn't even look at them. Now that I have come home and read about cellulitis I know that it can come from strep. He prescribed her some augmentin and said that 2X a day I should clean it with peroxide and then put triple antibiotic on it and wrap it up. The doctor had very poor bedside manner and was not remotely thorough. I am scared of her getting poor treatment because we have no insurance and ending up with necrotizing disgust. Someone please tell me that I am worrying too much and that what the doc did was appropriate. My beautiful 7 year old girl does not need to end up with a scar over this or worse. Will someone please tell me also, what's chance of the area ending up with a scar.

I also have to vent so excuse me. This excuse for a doctor would not change her medicine when we found out that it was $130. That isn't the part I can't excuse though, it's his attitude and the attitude he had again with the pharmacist when they called and asked the doc if he would change it to a pill instead of a chewable so it would be a bit cheaper. He just had the worst attitude. He did no test, no thorough exam, he left without fully explaining how to tend to my daughters wound, I had to make the nurse look to see what the diagnosis even was because no one bothered to even tell me. Even after all that I saw him as I left and said thank you and he didn't even respond. He wasn't worried when he got the phone call from the pharmacist that the beautiful little girl he saw earlier might not get her medicine because it couldn't be afforded. He was more worried about being an ***. Without doubt I will still get the medicine, too bad I had to pay for the attitude too!

I've had cellulitis, as has one of my kids.

It is mostly a visual diagnosis, without any tests.

Starting an oral antibiotic is the right approach.

Since you don't trust your doctor to monitor it closely, you can do it.
Have your daughter choose a magic marker and circle the area of inflamation.

Tomorrow look at it -- if the inflamation is getting smaller than the circle, it's starting to heal.

If it's getting bigger than the circle, call your doctor. If there's anyway you can go to a clinic and avoid the ER, you'll likely get better care. (My life experiences have taught me that ERs are great places to be if your body is ripped apart by a car crash or bullet. But not so great if you're sick.)

If the inflamation goes away with antibiotics, it should not leave a scar.

It's likely the antibiotics will also work on her tonsils. If they don't, make a clinic appointment for that.

Good luck.