Getting strep throat can be very uncomfortable. If your child has it, and it is mostly children that get it, you need to know because it could easily be passed on to other children. You can help your child get some relief by seeing a doctor. Instead of having to let your child put up with the sore throat for a while, you can get strep throat help at a doctor’s office near you.
The Symptoms of Strep Throat
If your child does have strep throat, there are some symptoms that are apt to be evident. Here are some common symptoms that may point to strep throat:
- A fever.
- Swollen tonsils that are red.
- Possible white patches and pus on the tonsils.
- Small red spots on the roof of the mouth.
- A sore throat that hurts when swallowing.
- Lymph nodes that are swollen.
There may also be some other symptoms. You may find that the child has nausea or vomiting, a headache, or stomach pain.
The Diagnosis for Strep Throat
While the symptoms listed above will give you an idea that it might be strep throat, the truth is that only a doctor can tell. There are many things that can cause a sore throat, but if it is strep throat, the doctor may need to prescribe antibiotics.
For a correct diagnosis, the doctor needs to make a swab test to be sure. The swab test is one way to get a good idea, but to be sure the doctor needs to make another test that will take a few days to get the results.
Strep Throat Is Contagious
Another reason the infected person who needs strep throat help should see a doctor is because strep throat is contagious. The bacteria are spread when a person sneezes or coughs. It can also spread by drinking from the same glass or eating off the same plate. Because of the possibility of spreading it to other children, your child will need to stay away from school, see a doctor right away, and not go back until the doctor authorizes it.
Antibiotics Can Help with Strep Throat
Once the doctor is more or less sure, antibiotics are very likely to be prescribed. This medication will provide a faster period of healing because it will kill the bacteria involved. Once the bacteria are dead, the person cannot give the infection to anyone else. This will help the child to get back in school quicker and other parents will be able to relax knowing that the threat of giving it to their child is over.
Your child will need to take the full bottle of antibiotics. If not, it could make the bacteria that cause strep throat even stronger and harder to deal with next time. In some cases, the doctor will give the antibiotics in a shot.
A local doctor can provide you with the strep throat help you need. A pediatrician would likely be just what you need to help your child get well again.
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