What are the symptoms of strep throat?

Hello Hayden,

I think that is a common dilemma.

In general, symptoms of strep throat include

Throat pain
Difficulty swallowing
Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
Tiny red spots on the soft or hard palate — the area at the back of the roof of the mouth
Swollen, tender lymph glands (nodes) in your neck
Fever
Headache
Rash
Stomachache and sometimes vomiting, especially in younger children
Fatigue

Strep throat can affect people of all ages, but is more common between the ages of 5 and 15. Untreated, strep throat can sometimes cause complications such as kidney inflammation and rheumatic fever.

Call your doctor if you have:

A sore throat accompanied by tender, swollen lymph glands (nodes)
A sore throat that lasts longer than 48 hours
A fever higher than 101 F (38.3 C) in older children, or any fever lasting longer than 48 hours
A sore throat accompanied by a rash
Problems breathing or difficulty swallowing anything, including saliva
If strep has been diagnosed, a lack of improvement after taking antibiotics for 24 to 48 hours
A fever — or pain or swelling in the joints, shortness of breath or a rash — after a strep infection, even as long as three weeks after infection; these can be indicators of rheumatic fever
Cola-colored urine more than a week after a strep infection, as this may indicate kidney inflammation (poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis)

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Maryann