Strep throat is common in school-age children and can be difficult to recognize in younger children. Symptoms include irritability, low-grade fever, and swollen tonsils. A pediatrician can accurately diagnose and prescribe antibiotics. Strep is more common in the fall and can be acquired from sick family members. Infants are usually protected from strep by maternal immunity.
Strep usually occurs in school-age children and rarely in very young children. The condition can be difficult to recognize in children because the child cannot use language to complain about symptoms. A child with this infection may be abnormally irritable, have a low-grade fever, or show other signs of infection. If you suspect strep throat, you should consult a pediatrician to confirm the diagnosis and initiate treatment.
Subtle behavioral changes occur when children become infected with strep bacteria. Your baby may refuse to breastfeed or show a decreased appetite if this infection is present. Your baby may be fussier than usual and harder to calm down. Strep in children can cause insomnia or abnormal awakenings.
You may also notice signs of infection or distress in the tonsils if your child is infected with strep throat. Sore throats in children can cause fevers between 99 degrees Fahrenheit and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Your baby may have a runny nose or cough. Your child’s tonsils may be swollen or show a pus-like discharge. Strep throat is sometimes accompanied by a rash on your child’s chest or limbs.
Many of these symptoms occur in other disorders. Only a throat culture or a rapid strep test done by a pediatrician can accurately diagnose strep in children. Your pediatrician may prescribe a course of antibiotics to clear the infection. Your doctor should let you know if you can use antipyretics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen along with your prescription. You can help ease a sore throat by giving your child cool liquids or a popsicle to suck on, but never give a child a lozenge due to the risk of choking.
Strep is more likely to be the culprit for your child’s symptoms during times of high exposure to the bacteria. The incidence of sore throats is more common in the fall than any other time of year. As with any contagious disease, strep throat in children is often acquired from sick parents or siblings. Make sure you have other children in the home tested for the disease if strep is found in a newborn.
Streptococcus rarely occurs in children younger than 3 years of age. Most young children are protected from this condition due to the transfer of immunity from the mother before birth or during breastfeeding. Strep in infants becomes more common after the first year of life, when the mother’s immunity to the bacteria is no longer effective.
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