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.
Call or Return If
Your child gets any Strep symptoms in the next 7 days
You think your child needs to be seen
About This Topic
Exposure (Close Contact)
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.
Other Types of Contact
Limited contact with Strep. 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.
Children taking antibiotics for over 12 hours and without fever do not spread Strep to others.
Throat cultures and rapid Strep tests aren't urgent. Most can be done in your doctor's office.
Symptoms of Strep Throat
Pain, discomfort or raw feeling of the throat
Throat pain is made worse when swallows
Children less than 2 years of age usually can't complain about a sore throat. A young child who does not want favorite foods may have a sore throat. They may also start to cry during feedings.
Other symptoms include sore throat, fever, headache, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.
Cough, hoarseness, red eyes, and runny nose are not seen with Strep throat. These symptoms point more to a viral cause.
Scarlet fever rash (fine, red, sandpaper-like rash) is highly suggestive of Strep throat.
If you look at the throat with a light, it will be bright red. The tonsil will be red and swollen, often covered with pus.
Peak age: 5 to 15 years old. Not common under 2 years old unless sibling has Strep.
Cause
Group A Strep is the only common bacterial cause of a throat infection. (called Strep pharyngitis).
It accounts for 20% of sore throats with fever.
Any infection of the throat usually also involves the tonsils. (called Strep tonsillitis)
After Care Advice
Overview:
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.
If Your Child Gets a Sore Throat:
It could be a Strep throat or just a viral infection of the throat.
A sore throat is often part of a cold.
The only way to tell is to get a Strep test.
A Strep test is not urgent.
What to Expect:
Time from contact to Strep symptoms usually is 2 to 5 days.
If your child goes 7 days without getting symptoms, he won't get Strep.
Return to School:
If your child has no symptoms, he does not need to miss any school.
