Strep Throat Exposure

Is this your child's symptom?

Close contact with someone who has a Strep throat infection.
Close contact means living in the same house with the infected person. It also includes close physical contact such as having a kissing relationship.

Household Close Contact. Lives with a person whose Strep test was positive. This can be a sibling, parent, or other household member.
Kissing relationship with someone (boyfriend, girlfriend) who has a positive Strep test.
Close contact should be within 10 days of onset of symptoms in exposed child. Reason: time from contact to Strep symptoms usually is 2 to 5 days.
Throat cultures and rapid Strep tests aren't urgent. Most can be done in your doctor's office.

Contact with someone outside the home with a positive Strep test. This type of contact occurs at school.
Sometimes, the contact is with someone who was treated for Strep without testing.
If fever is gone, children taking antibiotics for at least 12 hours do not spread Strep to others.

Stiff neck or can't move neck like normal
Great trouble swallowing fluids or spit
Trouble breathing, but not severe
Fever higher than 104° F (40° C)
Dehydration suspected. No urine in more than 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears.
Your child looks or acts very sick
You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent. Note: a Strep test alone is not urgent.

Sore throat pain is severe and not better 2 hours after taking ibuprofen
Age less than 1 year old
Earache or sinus pain (not just congestion)
Mild symptoms that could be from Strep throat. (Some are sore throat, cries during feeds, large lymph nodes in the neck, fever)
Sores present on the skin
You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent (or needs a Strep test)

Age over 1 year. Can sip warm fluids such as chicken broth or apple juice. Some children prefer cold foods such as popsicles or ice cream.
Age over 6 years. Can also suck on hard candy or lollipops. Butterscotch seems to help.
Age over 8 years. Can also gargle. Use warm water with a little table salt added. A liquid antacid can be added instead of salt. Use Mylanta or the store brand. No prescription is needed.
Medicated throat sprays or lozenges are generally not helpful.

For fevers higher than 102° F (39° C), give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
Note: fevers less than 102° F (39° C) are important for fighting infections.
For all fevers: keep your child well hydrated. Give lots of cold fluids.

Try to get your child to drink adequate fluids.
Goal: keep your child well hydrated.
Cold drinks, milk shakes, popsicles, slushes, and sherbet are good choices.
Solids. Offer a soft diet. Also avoid foods that need much chewing. Avoid citrus, salty, or spicy foods. Note: fluid intake is much more important than eating any solids.
Swollen tonsils can make some solid foods hard to swallow.

Your child may have a Strep throat infection. Wait for the result of the rapid Strep test. If it is negative, your child can go back to school.

Many children have contact with someone with Strep throat. Most will not come down with an infection. This is especially true if the contact occurs outside the home.
Strep tests are not needed for children without any symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.