Tonsilitus

[Tw1nkle]

Hi,
DD (4.3) tonsiulitus again - she gets it every few months.

I really don't like her having antibiotics everytime, as with calpol and calprofen she's actually not too bad anyway.

It does clear up by itself.

Should I be taking her to the doc's every time? having antibiotics every time?

Any advice welcome!!!
(Her temp goes up to 38-39, but always down down with medicine, she goes off her food, but only for a day or 2, and always manages something. She sleeps more than usual, but with medicine, she's up and playing as normal).

Are you sure it's tonsillitis? My DS1 had this when he was 12 and it was excruciating. Only antibiotics worked to alleviate it.

If your DD is getting recurrent infections, you should take her back to the GP.

If she is getting it every few months and you are not using AB to treat it it is very likely it is a recurrent step infection. I suggest you do get her throat swabbed. Strep can stay in the body and cause nasty secondary infections.

Tonsilitis with a viral infection will present more like a cold and have a runny nose and cough.

She always gets the white spots on her tonsils.

I've never heard of Strep!

I'll take her back to the doc's tomorrow and see what they say.....

Strep is one of the causes of tonsilitis and if left it can develop into other infections and quite nasty complications like Rheumatic fever. A good friend's DD also had it but didn't know and her tonsilitis would reoccur every 4 weeks she had so much time off school it was awful. She was DX with steep took AB and it hasn't occurred since.
Insist on a swab for Strep all these fevers will be taking their toll on your little one.

We're back from doc's!

Dr was great - she agreed that we didn't need to go every time, but she also said she would test for strep! So a swab was taken!

She's given me a few more swab things to use each time DD each another occurence, and they'll repeat the test.

Thanks so much to you all on here!!!! I'd never heard of strep before!

That's great news, Tw1nkle. I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

Hi op, hope your dd is all better quickly. Just wondered, did the gp give her antibiotics? My ds5 has just finished his 5th course of the winter (all ear infections) and now seems to have tonsillitis (his sister had this last week)
Have an appointment with gp this PM but I'm really worried about all the antibiotics.
Sorry to highjack.

Hi l4k

The way the dr explained it to me was that tonsillitis is normally 'viral' so antibiotics don't really do much, other than maybe shorten the recovery time. So they are not needed. (Calpol is sufficient)

I was like you, I didn't like my DD having them every few months.

The Dr then said that tonsillitis could also be 'bacterial' - which is Strep, that a poster above mentioned (which I'd never heard of). Strep does need to be treated with particular antibiotics, as the infection can spread, or it keeps coming back as tonsillitis.

I was lucky earlier, in that the Dr that I saw agreed that DD didn't need antibiotics, but is happy to test for strep each time, and only give antibiotics if it is strep.

Hope you get it sorted - it's horrible having a poorly little one so regularly - my employer is starting to think I'm taking the mickey I'm sure lol!!!

Thank you so much, I will ask if he's sure it's bacterial if he offers antibiotics.

That really confuses me, Tw1nkle. When DS1 had tonsillitis, the GP took one look at him and prescribed antibiotics. He didn't take a swab. DS1 was so ill he couldn't stand up straight and he was almost crying with the pain of swallowing. That was in the morning. By the afternoon (after he'd taken two of the antibiotics), he was on the mend.

So, does that mean his tonsillitis was bacterial? And, if so, how did the GP know without taking a swab? Or maybe he knew it was strep just by the level of pain or something?

14k - hope your DS5 (5! Am feeling respect and some envy for you here - I just have the two) is feeling better soon.

Yes strep tonsilitis will be extremely painful with a v high temp. Viral will present more like a cold with stuffed nose and a cough.

Toffee, just to clarify- DS is 5 !!! My mistake, although he is the youngest of 4 dc

So the gp said its not tonsillitis after all but a secondary infection to last weeks ear infection. He said the throat and respiratory tract is infected and I think he said the bronchi ? Im a bit confused, he is a lovely doctor but English is not his first language so I think he was saying that he needs a different antibiotic to before because it could become bronchitis

Or, has DS already got bronchitis ?
Sorry op. should start new thread.

Thanks for the clarification, DoctorAnge. So, in a case like my son's, you virtually only need to take one look at the patient to see that it's strep tonsillitis? I seem to remember the dr took his temperature and looked at his throat and then diagnosed him on the spot.

14k - well, four is still impressive ! Glad you have managed to get your DS to the doctor, although it's a shame you couldn't understand the diagnosis. I hope the new antibiotic works anyhow.

Hope your DD wakes up feeling better tomorrow, op.

Yes that is why the Dr should always see a child with inflamed tonsils. They will usually know its strep just the way it presents, I can now after 3 bouts with DD. It's nasty and the child will ache and feel sick as well as v high temp. But swabbing is obviously important to know for sure.

Update for any one who is following.....

Results came back and it wasn't 'strep' - so I'm pleased she didn't have antibiotics!

I'm also pleased that we have some swabs for next time too!

That's good news, Tw1nkle . I hope there won't be a next time, but it's good that you have the swabs to hand if there is.