Strep throat is a painful bacterial infection of the throat that requires a doctor’s treatment.
The most common indications that your child has strep throat are swollen tonsils that are bright red with spots of white on them.
Strep throat is also accompanied by a fever of 38.3 degrees Celsius or higher, chills, swollen and sore glands under the jay, and headache.
If your child has other cold symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, or a cough, chances are the sore throat is not strep throat.
If you suspect that your child has strep throat, call the doctor. Since it is a bacterial infection, it will respond to antibiotics. Your doctor will also need to check your child for other symptoms that could indicate a more serious condition. When that is ruled out, they will perform a throat culture, which is simply a swab rubbed on the back of your child’s throat. The swab will then be tested for the Streptococcus bacteria which causes strep throat.