“When should I take my child to the doctor for a sore throat?”
My son is 6 years old. He has a sore throat. When should I take my child to the doctor for a sore throat?
4 Answers
Hello
Most sore throats are caused by viruses. If he still has one after 3 days, you can take him to make sure it’s not Strep
Most sore throats are caused by viruses. If he still has one after 3 days, you can take him to make sure it’s not Strep
If your child has a sore throat with fever and no cough, then he needs to be seen to make sure he does not have strep throat, which requires antibiotics. Sore throat with cough congestion runny nose and/or watery eyes is likely to be a viral infection. Sore throat without the cough runny nose congestion is more likely to be strep. Call your doctor's office for advice if you are uncertain.
Dr. K
Dr. K
It depends on whether he looks sick, difficulty with breathing or if he has fever. He should be seen promptly if he has any of the above with the sore throat. You can otherwise wait for a day or 2. Strep accounts for 15 to 30 percent of all cases of sore throat in children between the ages of 5-15, so most cases are due to viral infections that don’t require antibiotic treatment. Confirmation of strep throat before initiation of antibiotic therapy helps to prevent the unnecessary use of antibiotics in children.
If there is fever, rash, or sore throat persists he should be evaluated
