Strep Throat Treatment
As your children’s immune systems develop, they are likely to have certain illnesses like colds, flu, and even strep throat. At Tulsa Pediatric Urgent Care, Dr. Katie Dalton and Dr. Erin Grimes are your local caring pediatricians who provide special urgent care and can quickly diagnose and treat your little one’s strep throat and other ailments.
What Is Strep Throat?
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacteria create the infection known as strep throat. Children can get this highly contagious illness by contact with someone else who has it or from touching contaminated surfaces. While it can happen anytime, it’s most common in winter and early spring.
The most common sign of strep throat is a sore throat that quickly comes on and is very painful when your child swallows. Children may also have a fever that is 101°F or higher. Tonsils may become red and swollen, and they may also show streaks of pus. Check their mouths for signs of tiny red spots and their necks for tender, swollen lymph nodes. Headaches, body aches, vomiting, and loss of appetite are also regular symptoms. Some children may also develop a rash.
How Do Pediatricians Treat This Condition?
Because strep throat is caused by a bacterial infection, your pediatrician will prescribe antibiotics to get rid of the infection. Ensure your children complete the full range of antibiotics even if their symptoms begin to let up. It's also vital that your children get as much hydration and rest as possible. Give them plenty of water, broth, and other healthy fluids. If your children are still complaining about throat pain, headaches, or fever, you can give them something over-the-counter, like ibuprofen.
Take your children in for pediatric urgent care as soon as possible if they're having difficulty breathing or swallowing and have swollen and tender lymph nodes. If this condition worsens and goes untreated, it may cause sinus, skin, or middle ear infections. In worst cases, rheumatic fever or kidney inflammation can also result. Bring them back to the doctor if they don’t appear to improve after taking antibiotics for 48 hours.
Find a Pediatrician Near You Today
If your children have strep throat, a trip to urgent care can get them the relief they need and prevent further complications. When you bring your child to Tulsa Pediatric Urgent Care, they are in good hands with Dr. Dalton and Dr. Grimes. Call us at 918-895-7808 for more information.