Symptoms and signs
Tonsillitis often starts with fever and a sore throat.
The child generally feels very sick.
There is often trouble with swallowing and not much of an appetite.
In a child with tonsillitis the lining or mucous membranes of the throat are red, which is a sign of inflammation. The tonsils are enlarged and often have white pus spots on them.
Some children complain of abdominal pain and may vomit, especially with strep throat. Sometimes strep throat can also cause a rash on the skin. This condition is called “scarlet fever” or “scarlatina.”
From time to time, the lymph nodes in the neck may swell with tonsillitis. This is especially true when the tonsillitis is caused by mononucleosis.
Complications
If children have a high fever and cannot drink enough fluid because it hurts to swallow, they can become dehydrated. This may mean intravenous fluids will be given into a vein or even being hospitalized.
In rare cases, untreated bacterial tonsillitis can lead to an abscess (an infected localized pocket of pus) around the tonsils. In this case the child will have a high fever, feel lousy, have even more trouble swallowing and may have problems opening the jaw. If this is the case, consult your doctor immediately.
Rare complications of strep throat include rheumatic fever, which can damage heart valves and cause arthritis (inflamed joints), as well as a type of kidney inflammation called acute glomerulonephritis.
If a child has repeated strep throats, the tonsils may need to be removed with an operation called a tonsillectomy.
A tonsillectomy may also be needed if the child’s tonsils are so big that the child has trouble swallowing, refuses to eat or has snoring and restless sleep patterns for a long time.
