Is tonsillitis contagious?

[Mckayz]

I think DS2 has tonsillitis. He's got a bad cough and isn't feeling well. I've had a look and they look swollen. Will get him to GP first thing in the morning.

DD has similar symptoms but seems a bit better in herself. She's only 17 months so won't let me have a look.

Thanks.

Depends if it's bacterial or viral? And even then it's quite difficult to pass on. Usually kissing, licking etc.

If they're just swollen and he hasn't got a temperature or spots on them I would just give him painkillers. It's more than likely viral. Having said that if you're concerned then do take him.

Yes it is very contagious. Very easily passed on through airborne particles. She probably has it too and will need an antibiotic.

They do look like they have spots on. He had a bit of a temp earlier but has gone with calpol.

doctors always told me very difficult to pass on unless your kissing them.

airborne

I had it a few years ago and both boys got colds, but that could have been a coincidence. It's just that they have such similar symptoms that's made me wonder.

I think (and could be wrong!) that the viruses and bacteria themselves are contagious but not everyone who develops an infection will get tonsillitis, some might just get a sore throat or coldy symptoms.

from experience tonsillitis has very different symptoms and severity. somewhat pertinent as I'm suffering now

dd gets colds with sore throat. halls and strepsils help.

tonsillitis nothing helps. it is agony. you just wait for the antibiotics to kick in

I've had it once at 25, much to the doctors surprise, and I don't think I have ever felt worse.

I'm going to take him in the morning and see what they say.

if you had it once your lucky.

if your prone once a year is an excellent year, twice still a good. I stacked up eight one year

Tonsillitis is grim however it's rarely bacterial and usually caused by a virus. The most up to date evidence is now suggesting that even the presence of spots doesn't mean a bacterial infection. Pain relief and fluids to keep those membranes moist is the current advice. I sometimes suggest ice lollies in children who are reluctant to drink because it's too sore.

I hope he gets better soon.

Paper that's awful don't they take them out anymore? I remember quite a few friends having them out at school.

DH and I both had it at similar times once, so it seems likely we passed it between us. It was grim.

pennysillin- from experience that's bollocks in my case.

If I left it it gets progressively worse before you head into drawling and dehydration. or in the case of a mild case I did go on for a month before I went to the doctors. they were but it had not gone away

I can almost predict the recovery rate 2-3 days from start of antibiotics. (if its killer tonsillitis 2 totally dead days 2vaguely human) ds can have penicillin so he takes less 1-2

fwiw I've never passed it to anyone either. but I do stop kissing anywhere other than forehead. it comes on whenever I'm stressed

yes I really wish they would. as a kid they said 4 times. I had it three . at 8 gp referred (they actually tested for glandular fever) hospital wouldn't.

But generally I can catch it quite quickly now. I don't wait for the drawling stage

Fair enough paperlantern I can't argue with your personal experience (which sounds horrendous ) and of course everyone doesn't fit into the text book description.

However the evidence remains the same - most (not all) tonsillitis is viral, therefore antibiotics won't help, you are more likely to experience side effects from them than benefits, however some infections are bacterial and some people will benefit.

It can be very contagious, I caught it after my dd ended up in a&e with it aged 6mo! Awful experience! Keep an eye on your younger one, although by 17 months they are so much more robust than at 6 months, I think the whole thing left me mentally scarred!

I remember getting Strep B tonsillitis when I had a 2 year old and a baby.

I was fobbed off for 6 weeks being told it was "viral".

When I had lost 10 lbs and could no longer eat or drink anything my GP relented and took a swab. Three days of antibiotics was all it took to get rid of that bout, but it came back 3 or 4 times the following year. It started to get better once I began to get some sleep!

There is a determination to label everything as viral IME, which is very hard on the people who have a bacterial infection.

Tonsillitis is nasty, debilitating and contagious.

There was a bought of Strep B tonsillitis at my girls primary earlier this year - DD2 (6) got it along with about 6 other kids - thankfully none of my others caught it as she was very poorly before the antibiotics kicked in. She only got them after a hospital visit because she came out in a rash that wouldn't go away under the glass test.

I was told by two doctors that it was because she had strained when vomiting which wasn't true (it looked like burst blood vessels) but was then told that actually it can be a symptom/sign of a strep B infection!

Of course it's contagious, whether viral or bacterial.

Sounds like he has an upper respiratory infection which are usually viral and should NOT be routinely treated with antibiotics.

And no, tonsils do not get taken out as a matter of routine either anymore.

Even bacterial tonsillitis takes about 5-7 days to go away with antibiotics and a week without .
One of the most horrendous throat infection is Glandular Fever which is viral.

So, give very regular pain relief (Calpol or Brufen for Kids, no benefit of giving both), offer sips of cold water/ice lolly etc. By all means see your dr, but an antibiotic may well be inappropriate and even if given may not shorten the course of the illness.

Hope he feels better soon.

The word 'tonsillitis' simply means 'inflammed tonsils' and tells you nothing about what is causing the pain/fever/general malaise.

5-7 days for symptomatic treatment - 6 weeks sounds horrendous, 3littlefrogs*.
The fact remains, 90% of URTI are viral.

There is a huge and pressing need to stop prescribing antibiotics for self-limiting illnesses, miserable as they may need, because there is the imminent danger of widespread antibiotic resistance in bacteria populations due to overuse and improper use of antibiotics.
There are very few new antibiotics in development, they are getting ever more toxic and less efficient and there are predictions that things like open heart surgery and, say, joint replacements won't be possible in the near future (think 2-3 decades) due to bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

DD2(5) has just had tonsilitus. She started with a sore neck on and off for almost a week then she just started burning up and coughing and looking quite ill. DD3 had a chest infection so we took her to docs expecting the same.

We were gobsmacked when she said tonsilitus. Doc could see pockets of pus on her tonsils and her throat was slightly swollen, her temp was 102. She gave her penicillin, she is on day 5 and still doesn't look right. She has however loved the ice pops to help with swallowing.
Pennysillin (love the name) how long should it take for her to get better?

Hope he gets better soon

Debs he may need a different antibiotic

What's wrong with 'airborne' paper lantern?

Protective mother , your user name is very apt Its isn't very contagious and not contagious at all
If it is bacterial.