Acute Pharyngitis: Presumed Strep (Child)

Home care

Medicines

Follow these guidelines when giving your child medicine at home:

• 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 health care provider gave you instructions to use it. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness.

• Read the label before giving any medicine. This is to make sure that 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 provider.

• 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 the provider before giving your child the medicine. This is to prevent a possible overdose.

Note: Don't give your child any other medicine without first asking your child's health care provider, especially the first time.

General care

• Give your child plenty of time to rest.

• Encourage your child to drink liquids.

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

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

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

If strep throat is confirmed

• The health care provider will prescribe antibiotics. Follow all directions for giving this medicine to your child. Make sure your child takes the medicine as directed until it's gone. You should not have any left over.

• Limit your child's contact with others until they are no longer contagious. This is 24 hours after starting antibiotics and when they don't have a fever, or as advised by the provider. 

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

• 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.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child’s health care provider as directed.

When to get medical advice

Contact your child's health care provider right away if your child has:

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

• Symptoms that don’t get better after your child takes prescribed medicine for 2 days, or the symptoms seem to be getting worse

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

• Lymph nodes that are getting larger and more tender.

• Lots of drooling, or your child can’t swallow liquids or can’t open their mouth wide because of throat pain.

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

• Noisy breathing.

• A muffled voice.

• A new rash.

Call 911

Call 911 if your child:

• Has trouble breathing.

• Seems confused.

• Feels drowsy or has trouble waking up.

• Is unresponsive.

• Faints or loses consciousness.

• Has a fast (rapid) heart rate.

• Has a seizure.