Does your child have a sore throat? A persistent sore throat may be strep throat. Dr. Syed Husain and the dedicated medical team at Valley Pediatric Clinic can help your child recover from strep throat in Mission, or Edinburg, TX.
What Is Strep Throat?
Strep throat is an infection of the throat and tonsils caused by bacteria. This bacteria lives in the nose and throat. You can get the infection from someone who is carrying strep bacteria or is sick from it. Anyone can get strep throat, but it’s most common in children and teens.
Causes of Strep Throat
Strep throat is spread by person-to-person contact with fluids from the nose or saliva. It commonly spreads among family or household members due to close contact.
When Do You Need To See A Doctor To Treat Strep Throat?
Call your pediatrician if your child has some of these signs and symptoms:
- A sore throat accompanied by tender, swollen lymph glands
- A sore throat that lasts longer than 48 hours
- A sore throat accompanied by a fever
- A sore throat accompanied by a rash
- Problems breathing or swallowing
You should also visit us if your child was diagnosed with strep throat but isn’t showing improvement after taking antibiotics for 48 hours.
Treatment of Strep Throat in Mission, or Edinburg, TX
To treat your child’s strep throat, their doctor will ask about their symptoms and examine their throat and neck. They will then swab your child’s throat and test the swab for signs of infection. Two separate tests are run on the swabs with children. The first is a rapid strep test, which can provide results very quickly. The second is a throat culture, which takes a little more time but can pick up on infection that the rapid test could miss. This is extremely important for children as not treating strep throat can lead to serious complications, like rheumatic fever.
After a diagnosis is confirmed, antibiotics are given to fight the infection. Most children begin to feel better within a couple of days. However, it’s important that they not return to school or daycare until they no longer have a fever.
Valley Pediatric Clinic is here to treat your child’s strep throat in Mission, or Edinburg, TX. To book an appointment with Dr. Husain, contact us at (956) 424-7100 or (956) 383-9300.