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Why Is Strep Throat Common in Kids?
Strep throat, it's one of those things parents immediately think their kid has when their kid says they have a sore throat and it hurts to swallow. Strep is most common in kids ages 5 to 15, mainly because they are in school and they tend to share things that go in their mouths, like food and drinks. It usually takes about two to five days after someone has been exposed to strep to develop symptoms.
Symptoms of Strep Throat
Kids who have strep often have more than just throat pain. They'll also have red spots on the back of their throat, and that's called palatal petechiae. Their tonsils are usually red and can have a white coating called exudate. Their tonsillar lymph nodes are swollen too. And they can also have a stomachache or a rash.
Scarlet Fever
If they have a rash that looks like a sunburn over their body and the rash feels like sandpaper, that's when strep throat becomes scarlet fever. Parents often get super concerned when they hear scarlet fever because it brings up when strep wasn't treated and patients were at risk for scary things like rheumatic fever. But it's basically a strep throat with a rash and treated the same way.
When Should Your Child Get Tested for Strep Throat?
Since we have been able to test for strep, the incidence of rheumatic fever has gone way down. Your child's doctor, unfortunately, can't just look at a throat and say definitively if a child has strep. Adenovirus can present the same way, for example, and so can Epstein-Barr virus, which is mononucleosis or mono.
The only way a provider can tell if your child has strep is to do a strep test. So if your child has a sore throat, any of those other findings, a few other viral symptoms, like a cough or runny nose, and you think your child might have strep, it's best to take them to their doctor for a strep test. The sooner your child is tested and treated, if they do have strep, the faster they will get better and the lower the risk of spreading it to others.
More Answers to Your Questions on Keeping Your Kid Healthy and Happy
Latest trends and issues in children's health on the Healthy Kids Zone with Dr. Cindy Gellner
When Does Your Child Really Need Lab Work?
Parents often ask about blood tests during routine pediatric visits, but pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD, clarifies that healthy children rarely need them. She shares some of the criteria for screenings in young patients and how insurance factors into decision-making.
What to Do When Your Baby Sounds Congested
Newborns cannot blow their noses, and they are not great at breathing through their mouths either鈥攕o even a little mucus can sound dramatic. Pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD, shares what is normal when it comes to newborn sneezing and snorting, how to use saline and suction safely, and when to check in with your pediatrician.
Understanding Childhood Mood Disorders Beyond Bipolar
Is your child often irritable or prone to temper outbursts? Pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD, clarifies the distinctions between bipolar disorder and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis in childhood mood disorders.
