Kids don’t get sick on a schedule. If sniffles turn into something more after hours, we have virtual and same-day appointments available.
Strep throat is a bacterial infection that usually needs treatment with antibiotics. With the proper medical care — and plenty of rest and fluids — most kids get back to school and play within a few days.
The most common strep throat symptoms include:
Less frequently, a red rash covering much of the body that looks like sandpaper happens along with strep throat and is an indication of scarlet fever. Left untreated, scarlet fever can lead to rheumatic fever, involving the heart or joints.
A strep infection is caused by Group A Streptococcus bacterium, or strep A.
Strep is more common in children ages 5 to 15 in late winter and early spring. Group A strep bacteria is highly contagious and tends to congregate in the nose and throat. Talking, sneezing, coughing or shaking hands can easily spread an infection. People also can get infected if they touch a surface with the bacteria on it, then touch their nose or mouth.
Kids with untreated strep throat are more likely to spread the infection when their symptoms are most severe. Even when symptoms have eased, they can still infect others for up to three weeks.
In addition, a few days before feeling sick and having symptoms, the infection can be spread to others. That’s why it’s so important to teach kids to wash their hands well and often. This can lower their chances of getting contagious diseases like strep throat.
Not all sore throats are strep throats. Most sore throats are caused by viruses, not bacteria. If an older child has cold symptoms (like a runny nose or cough), a hoarse voice or pink eye, their sore throat is more likely to be from a virus than from strep throat. A sore throat due to a virus will usually clear up without medical treatment. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses.
Strep throat is very uncommon in children younger than 3 years old. When babies and toddlers get infected with the streptococcal bacteria, they tend to have a fever and act fussy with a poor appetite and a runny nose, but not the typical throat problems.
If your child has a sore throat and other strep throat symptoms, make an appointment with a medical provider. A strep test, using a throat swab to take a sample of fluids, returns a result in minutes.
If the test is negative, your health care provider will send a sample to a lab for a throat culture. The results are usually available within a couple of days.
If you child has strep, your provider will likely prescribe about 10 days of antibiotics. Strep throat can go away on its own after about a week, but the antibiotics will help your child feel better faster and can reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
Any fever should break within about 12 hours after starting the antibiotic, and your child won’t be contagious anymore. Kids can return to school or day care once the fever has broken and they’ve been on antibiotics for at least 12 to 24 hours, according to the CDC. Other symptoms will start to go away in a few days. Of course, it’s important to complete the course of antibiotics even after symptoms have passed. This will reduce the risk of a strep throat complication or the illness returning.
While your child is feeling poorly, give plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration, especially if your child had a fever. If it hurts to swallow, try serving soft foods. Warm soup, tea or hot chocolate can be soothing. So can frozen treats like smoothies, popsicles or ice cream. Avoid orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemonade or other acidic beverages that can irritate a sore throat.
For fever and pain, your doctor may suggest an over-the-counter medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Follow the package directions on how much to give and when. Never give aspirin to a child, as it could cause Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition that affects the brain and liver.
Talk to your doctor about when your child can return to normal activities. Most kids can go back to school when they’ve taken antibiotics for at least 12 hours and no longer have a fever.