Tonsillitis (Sore Throat) in Children

Children will have a sore throat and swollen lymph glands in the neck. They often have a fever and can be generally unwell. The sore throat may cause pain with swallowing.

What causes tonsillitis in children?

It can be caused by a virus, (such as coxsackie virus, adenovirus, or the infectious mmononucleosis virus called Epstein-Barr virus), or a bacteria, (most commonly Group A Streptococcus, which is commonly called Group A Strep).

How is tonsillitis in children diagnosed?

Children will have a sore throat and general symptoms like slight fever and grumpiness. When the doctor looks in their throat, they will have a red pharynx (lining of the palate) and red, enlarged tonsils. Sometimes, there will be pus on the tonsils.

How do you know if the infection is caused by a virus or bacteria?

The only way to really know whether a bacteria is causing the tonsillitis is to take a throat swab and test for the bacteria.
If your child has a runny nose and other symptoms like diarrhea, the infection is more likely to be due to a virus. Pre-school children will more often have a viral infection causing a sore throat than a bacterial infection.

What is the treatment of tonsillitis in children?

Keep your child drinking lots of fluids and give Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) if she is miserable.

Try soft foods - ice cream is a popular choice!

If the infection is caused by Group A Strep (a bacteria), children need treatment for 10 days with an antibiotic (usually Penicillin).

What is Strep Throat?

Strep throat is infection caused by Group A Streptococcus. As mentioned above, treatment is 10 days of Penicillin (an antibiotic).
This treatment is given to prevent Rheumatic fever, which can be a complication of Group A Strep throat infection.

Rheumatic fever usually occurs in children aged 5 - 15 years and is uncommon in most developed countries but is not uncommon in Maori and Pacific children in New Zealand. It is especially important for Maori and Pacific children to have a throat swab when they have a sore throat.

What should I do if my toddler has a sore throat?

If she has a runny nose and is not too unwell, just keep her drinking and keep her comfortable. Give soft food. If she is miserable or distressed with a fever, you can give Paracetamol (Pamol or Calpol) or Acetominophen (Tylenol).

If the symptoms do not improve after 3 days or if there are no signs of a virus, (she doesn't have a runny nose), see your doctor who can organise a throat swab, looking for signs of Strep throat.