When Should You Contact Premier Pediatrics? Sore Throat vs Strep Throat

Not every sore throat requires a visit to the pediatrician. Many sore throats are caused by viruses and improve on their own. However, certain symptoms may indicate strep throat, which is a bacterial infection that requires testing and, if confirmed, antibiotics.

Signs It May Be Strep Throat

Contact Premier Pediatrics if your child has:

• A sudden, severe sore throat

• Pain when swallowing

• Fever

• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

• Red or swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches

• A sore throat without a cough or runny nose

Signs It Is More Likely a Common Viral Sore Throat

Sore throats accompanied by the following symptoms are often caused by a virus:

• Runny nose

• Cough

• Hoarseness

• Pink eye

Call Premier Pediatrics If Your Child Has:

• Symptoms that suggest strep throat

• A sore throat lasting longer than 48 hours

• Swollen glands or a rash

• Difficulty swallowing or eating

• Fever along with a sore throat