Complaints from a child of a burning sensation in his
throat may not be cause for alarm just yet. Educate yourself about the
most common cause of sore throats – viral infections, and learn
more about strep throat and tonsillitis so you know when to call the
pediatrician.
Strep throat, more common in the winter, is
caused by a strain of group A streptococcal bacteria, which is
treated with antibiotics. Viral infections, accompanied by a
cough, runny nose or congestion and more common in the fall or summer
months, do not respond to antibiotics and your child should get
better within three to five days.
“Strep is more common in
school-age children than in infants,” said Dr. Peter S. Roland, an
ear, nose and throat specialist at Children’s Medical Center
Dallas and chairman of Otolaryngology at UT Southwestern Medical
Center. “It’s common where children are in close quarters, and it’s
more common in the winter when they’re crowded together
indoors.”
Tonsillitis refers to inflamed tonsils, which are two masses
of tissue located in the back of the throat to help prevent
infection by confining viruses and bacteria as they enter through the
mouth or nose. Children between the ages of 5 and 10 are more likely
to experience recurrent episodes of tonsillitis, marked by
swelling and redness.
“We say an infection becomes chronic when
the child has experienced more than seven episodes in one year, or
more than five episodes per year during two consecutive years,” Dr.
Roland said.
When to call
Any time
your child has a persistent sore throat, whether or not it is
accompanied by the other symptoms of strep including fever, headache,
stomachache or extreme fatigue, you should call your pediatrician.
That call should be made even more urgently if your child’s ill
feeling rapidly progresses, or if he has difficulty breathing or
extreme trouble swallowing. This may indicate a more serious
infection.
Testing needed
Although the symptoms
of strep and viral sore throats are similar, your healthcare
provider can’t make an accurate diagnosis without a test. The test used
is either a rapid strep screen performed in the doctor’s office
or a throat culture sent to a lab.
“A pediatrician who
suspects strep will probably do a rapid test for strep,” Dr. Roland
said. “We have the results in 10 or 15 minutes.”
Though quite
accurate, the rapid test sometimes yields “false negatives” when
strep is actually present. If the test is negative but other
symptoms exist, your doctor may swab the infected area to do a culture
for the suspected bacteria. Culture results take 24 to 48
hours.
Complications
If left untreated, strep
can affect other parts of a child’s body, including the heart
valves, lungs, kidneys and ears. Major complications of a strep
infection include rheumatic fever, acute glomerulonephritis – damage to
the kidneys that can occur after strep throat, pneumonia and
meningitis. These complications can last weeks, months or even a
lifetime.
“It is extremely important to keep children on an
antibiotic for the entire prescribed length of time, even if they’re
feeling better,” Dr. Roland said. “This will prevent permanent
complications.”
Resources:
Children’s Medical Center Dallas
American
Academy of Pediatrics
