Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is inflammation of the
tonsils. Signs and symptoms of tonsillitis include swollen tonsils, sore
throat, difficulty swallowing, and tender lymph nodes on the sides of the neck.
Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by infection with a common virus,
but bacterial infections also may cause tonsillitis
SYMPTOMS
- Red, swollen tonsils
- White or yellow coating or patches on the tonsils
- Sore throat
- Difficult or painful swallowing
- Fever
- Enlarged, tender glands (lymph nodes) in the neck
- A scratchy, muffled, or throaty voice
- Bad breath
- Stomach ache
- Neck pain or stiff neck
- Headache
- Drooling due to difficult or painful swallowing
- Refusal to eat
- Unusual fussiness
RISK FACTORS
- Young age.
- Frequent exposure to germs.
COMPLICATIONS
- Disrupted breathing during sleep (obstructive sleep apnea)
- Infection that spreads deep into surrounding tissue (tonsillar
cellulitis)
- Infection that results in a collection of pus behind a tonsil
(peritonsillar abscess)
- Strep infection
- Rheumatic fever, a serious inflammatory condition that can affect the
heart, joints, nervous system, and skin
- Complications of scarlet fever, a streptococcal infection characterized
by a prominent rash
- Inflammation of the kidney (post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis)
- Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis, a condition that causes
inflammation of the joints
PREVENTION
- Wash hands thoroughly and frequently, especially after using the toilet
and before eating
- Avoid sharing food, drinking glasses, water bottles or utensils
- Keep your child at home when they are ill
- Teach your child to cough or sneeze into a tissue
- Teach your child to wash hands after sneezing or coughing
