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Parenting Advice From Your Physicians at Kaiser Permanente

Is This Sore Throat Strep Throat?

Is This Sore Throat Strep Throat?

Kids get sore throats all the time! Most of the time, the cause is a virus— COVID, influenza, RSV, or many of the other cold or upper respiratory viruses. And none of them need prescription medication to treat the sore throat. Sometimes though, a sore throat is due to an illness caused by the Streptococcus bacterium—and this infection needs to be treated with an antibiotic.

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Does My Kid Have Strep Throat? 6 Things to Understand

Does My Kid Have Strep Throat? 6 Things to Understand

I have a running joke with a good friend about how many times her children have been tested for strep throat. Many – and they’ve never actually had it! It’s fun to tease, but honestly, I get it. How’s a parent to know when a sore throat is strep throat? And isn’t it scary not to treat strep throat? Here are some of the responses to common questions I often share in my office – and with my best friends:

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