Strep Throat
Signs and Symptoms:
- Sore throat, fever, stomachache, headache, decreased appetite.
- 2-5 days
- Many people carry the bacteria that causes strep in their nose and throat and are not ill.
- The bacteria that causes strep also causes impetigo.
- Respiratory. It is spread when the child coughs, sneezes or talks.
- Controlled by good handwashing
- Cough into elbow. If cough a major symptom, strep is unlikely
- Excluded from school until on antibiotics and fever free for 24 hours.
- A throat culture or rapid strep test is the only way to be certain of the diagnosis.
- Even if untreated, most children and adults will recover on their own.
- Some who are not treated develop complications, including ear infections, sinusitis, abscesses in the tonsils or infection in the lymph nodes.
- Indications for testing include sudden development of a sore throat, fever, headache, pain on swallowing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and enlarged tender lymph nodes in the front part of the neck.