Bacterial Sore Throat: Strep Confirmed (Child)

Home care

Medicines

Follow these guidelines when giving your child medicine at home:

• The doctor has prescribed an antibiotic to treat the infection. Follow the doctor’s instructions for giving these medicines to your child. Make sure your child takes the medicine every day until it's gone. You should not have any left over.

• Your child may have acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever or pain. Do not use ibuprofen if your child is less than 6 months old unless the doctor gave you instructions to use it. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to children or teens unless your child’s doctor says it is safe. Aspirin can put your child at risk for Reye syndrome, a rare but serious condition.

• Read the label before giving any medicine. This is to make sure you are giving the right dose. The dose should be right for your child’s age and weight. If you have any questions about dosing, ask the doctor.

• If your child is taking other medicine, check the list of ingredients. Look for acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If the medicine contains either of these, tell your child’s doctor before giving your child the medicine. This is to prevent a possible overdose.

General care

• Wash your hands with clean, running water and soap before and after caring for your child. This is to help prevent the spread of infection. Others should do the same.

• Limit your child's contact with others until they are no longer contagious. This is 24 hours after starting antibiotics, or as advised by your child’s doctor. Keep them home from school or daycare.

• Give your child plenty of time to rest.

• Encourage your child to drink liquids.

• Don’t force your child to eat. If your child feels like eating, don’t give them salty or spicy foods. These can irritate the throat.

• Older children may prefer ice chips, cold drinks, frozen desserts, or ice pops.

• Older children may also like warm chicken soup or beverages with lemon and honey. Don’t give honey to a child younger than 1 year old.

• Older children may gargle with warm salt water to ease throat pain. Have your child spit out the gargle afterward and not swallow it.

• Tell people who may have had contact with your child about their illness. This may include school officials and daycare center workers.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child’s doctor, or as advised.

When to get medical advice

Contact your child's doctor right away if your child has:

• A fever with a stiff neck or a severe headache.

• Symptoms that don’t get better after taking prescribed medicine for two days, or that seem to be getting worse.

• Ear pain that gets worse or is new, sinus pain, or headache.

• Painful lumps in the back of neck.

• Lymph nodes that are getting larger and more tender.

• Trouble swallowing liquids, has lots of drooling, or can’t open their mouth wide because of throat pain.

• Signs of dehydration, including very dark urine or no urine, sunken eyes, and dizziness.

• A muffled voice.

• A new rash.

Call 911

Call 911 if your child:

• Has trouble breathing.

• Has confusion.

• Is feeling drowsy or having trouble waking up.

• Is unresponsive.

• Faints or loses consciousness.

• Has a fast (rapid) heart rate.

• Has a seizure.

• Has a stiff neck.