How can strep throat be spread

In cases in which very young children have contracted strep throat, or if throat pain is so severe that eating and drinking are not possible, a visit to the hospital may be necessary so fluids can be given intravenously and your child can be monitored.

Recurring strep throat may be treated with a tonsillectomy, which is a simple outpatient procedure to remove the tonsils and adenoids. Unfortunately, streptococcal bacteria spread quickly, and individuals with strep throat can be contagious for up to a few days before they start showing symptoms.

This means that someone who has not gotten sick yet can spread the disease. Once your child begins to show symptoms, they will continue to be contagious until they begin antibiotic treatment. After 24 hours of antibiotic treatment, strep throat is usually no longer contagious.

Strep throat will not resolve on its own and can cause complications if left untreated. When caught early, strep throat is usually easier to manage, and the infection is short-lived. This means less downtime for your child and less time out of school or daycare.

At Penguin Pediatrics, we see many cases of strep throat every year, especially during cold and flu season. A sore throat that starts quickly, pain with swallowing, and fever are some of the common signs and symptoms of strep throat.

Anyone can get strep throat, but there are some factors that can increase the risk of getting this common infection. Strep throat is more common in children than adults. It is most common in children 5 through 15 years old. It is rare in children younger than 3 years old.

Adults who are at increased risk for strep throat include:. Close contact with another person with strep throat is the most common risk factor for illness. For example, if someone has strep throat, it often spreads to other people in their household.

Infectious illnesses tend to spread wherever large groups of people gather together. Crowded conditions can increase the risk of getting a group A strep infection. These settings include:.

Only a rapid strep test or throat culture can determine if group A strep is the cause. A doctor cannot tell if someone has strep throat just by looking at his or her throat.

A rapid strep test involves swabbing the throat and running a test on the swab. The test quickly shows if group A strep is causing the illness. If the test is positive, doctors can prescribe antibiotics. If the test is negative, but a doctor still suspects strep throat, then the doctor can take a throat culture swab. A throat culture takes time to see if group A strep bacteria grow from the swab. While it takes more time, a throat culture sometimes finds infections that the rapid strep test misses.

Culture is important to use in children and teens since they can get rheumatic fever from an untreated strep throat infection. The test only takes about 5 minutes. If it's positive, your child has strep throat. If it's negative, the doctor will send a sample to a lab for a throat culture. The results are usually available within a few days. Doctors usually prescribe about 10 days of antibiotic medicine to treat strep throat.

Within about 24 hours after starting on antibiotics, your child probably won't have a fever and won't be contagious. By the second or third day, other symptoms should start to go away. Even when kids feel better, they should take the antibiotics as prescribed. This is the best way to kill the harmful bacteria. Otherwise, bacteria can remain in the throat and symptoms can return.

Completing all the antibiotics also prevents other health problems that a strep infection can cause, such as rheumatic fever which can cause heart damage , scarlet fever , blood infections, or kidney disease. A negative test means the sore throat is likely caused by a virus and does not need antibiotics. Treatment with Antibiotics A positive strep test must be treated with antibiotic medicine within a few days to prevent the germs from causing problems.

Read the label to know the right dose for your child. Do not give aspirin or products that contain aspirin. Give small amounts of liquid often.

Give soft foods that are easy to swallow, such as applesauce, mashed potatoes, hot cereal or eggs. Your child may not want to eat much if it hurts to swallow. To soothe a sore throat offer: For children over age 1, warm fluids such as chicken broth or apple juice For children over age 4, throat or cough lozenges or throat sprays. Do not use throat sprays that contain benzocaine, as this could cause a drug reaction. Swish and gargle the mixture 2 to 3 times a day for the next few days.

Do not let your child swallow the salt water; have him spit it out. How to Protect Others Everyone should wash hands often with soap or hand sanitizer. Good handwashing prevents the spread of infection. Cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing. Give your child a paper bag and have him put his used tissues in the bag. Moisture from the child's nose and mouth is contagious.