Strep throat (streptococcal pharyngitis) is a throat infection caused by a bacteria called Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS).

Symptoms

A child with a streptococcal throat infection may experience one or more of the following symptoms: sore throat, throat pain upon swallowing, fever, headache, or abdominal pain (with or without vomiting). Symptoms not typical of strep throat include nasal congestion, hoarseness, cough, or diarrhea; these symptoms are often indicators that a child's illness is caused by something else, commonly a viral syndrome.

In a child with strep throat, the tonsils and pharynx will appear reddened, sometimes to the point of being almost hemorrhagic, and exudates (pus) may be seen. The anterior cervical lymph nodes (the lymph nodes in the front of the neck, below the ear and just behind the jaw) may be tender or swollen, and the uvula in the back of the throat or the...