Sore Throat, Strep. Throat Infection

• Fever
• Swollen glands and sore throat in adults
• Throat pain and red, swollen tonsils in pediatric age groups
• Headache
• Painful swallowing, throat “hurts,” and a stomach ache, especially in children
• General tiredness and a loss of appetite

When you walk in, our staff will triage you. Let them know you or your child is here for a sore throat / strep throat. It only takes 3 minutes for us to diagnose pediatric strep throat in our urgent care clinic. It’s that fast!

If the strep test is positive, both adults and children will need treatment with antibiotics. With proper antibiotics and plenty of rest and fluids, a child can return to school or play within a few days of the diagnosis of strep throat.

Strep infection of the throat is a contagious disease in children and adults. The bacteria that cause strep throat (group A streptococcus) in children tend to reside in the nose and throat, so a normal activity like sneezing, coughing, or shaking hands will easily spread this infection from one child to another.

Poor hand washing is one of the reasons why children tend to get strep throat infections more commonly than adults. To prevent the spread of strep throat to others, keep the child’s eating utensils, dishes, and glasses separate. Wash them in hot, soapy water and do not allow sharing of food, drinks or towels with other family members.

Don’t forget to change the toothbrush! Make sure your child covers his or her mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing to prevent others from getting the infection via droplets.

After taking antibiotic treatment for about 24 hours, you or your child won’t be contagious and by the second or third day after taking treatment with antibiotics, other symptoms should start to subside.

However, you still need to complete a full course of antibiotic treatment or else the strep infection will relapse or lead to complications.