When to worry about your child ’s sore throat

Follow me on Twitter @DrClaire Sore throats happen all the time in childhood — and most of the time, it’s nothing to worry about. Most of the time, they are simply part of a common cold, don’t cause any problems, and get better without any treatment. Sometimes, though, a sore throat can be a sign of a problem that might need medical treatment. Here are four examples: Strep throat. This infection, caused by a particular kind of streptococcus bacteria, is quite common. Along with a sore throat, children may have a fever, headache, stomachache (sometimes with vomiting), and a fine, pink rash that almost looks like sandpaper. All of these symptoms can also be seen with a viral infection, so the only way to truly know if it’s strep throat is to swab for rapid testing and/or a culture. Strep throat actually can get better without antibiotics, but we give antibiotics to prevent complications, which, while rare, can include heart problems, kidney problems, and arthritis. Peritonsillar or retropharyngeal abscess. This is a collection of pus either behind the tonsils (peritonsillar) or at the back of the throat (retropharyngeal) and can be dangerous. Redness and swelling on one side of the throat, or a bad sore throat with fever and neck stiffness, can be signs. Stomatitis. This is caused by viruses, and leads to sores in the mouth and throat. It gets better by itself, but it can make eating and drinking very uncomfortable, which is why some children with stomatitis (especially...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Children's Health Cold and Flu Infectious diseases Parenting Source Type: blogs