Hi there! Welcome to my blog. My name is Debbie and I am a housewife from Alice Springs, Australia. I love the life I have here with my wonderful husband and our four kids. It all started about a year ago when I realised that I couldn't read the label on a jar of food I was trying to open. I asked my husband if there was a problem with the way the label had been printed but he said he could read it just fine. He booked me an appointment at Vision2000Kota and they carried out some test to rule out any serious problems. Thankfully, I just needed to start wearing glasses. I hope you enjoy my health and medical blog.
Beat Disease and Keep Fighting Fit
3 Signs Your Child Has Tonsillitis
Regina Barnett
Kids can pick up all kinds of bugs. Often, they deal with these bugs on their own but sometimes they need medical help.
If your child is feeling unwell and is complaining that they have a sore throat, then you may not be sure whether to give them a little TLC or whether to take them to a GP. You know that there is a chance that they may have tonsillitis. How can you tell if your child does have tonsillitis?
1. Look For Colour Changes in The Throat
The tissues in your mouth and throat are generally a pink colour when all is well. If your child has an infection like tonsillitis, then these tissues may look redder than usual.
So, get your child to open their mouth and look at the back of their mouth and throat. You may get a clearer view if you do this under a light. Look at your child's tonsils and the back of their throat. If these areas look more red than pink, then they may have a problem.
2. Look For Swelling
Tonsillitis can make areas of the throat swell. If these areas get infected, then they may look a little or even a lot bigger than usual.
Typically, this is most noticeable on the two tonsils at either side of the inner throat. If your child has tonsillitis, then one or both of their tonsils may look larger than normal. While it's common for both tonsils to be affected, sometimes only one will have changed size enough for you to notice.
Your child's uvula — the flap that sits at the back of your child's palate between their tonsils — may also look bigger than usual. Again, this can be a sign of an infection.
3. Look For Signs of Infection
Tonsillitis doesn't just cause redness and swelling. As the infection progresses, you may actually be able to see signs of it in your child's throat.
For example, you may see white or yellow spots of a pus-like substance on one or both of your child's tonsils. This is a sign that they do have an infection that might need antibiotic treatment.
If you think your child might have tonsillitis, then it's safer to make an appointment with your GP to have their throat checked out. If they do have an infection, they're likely to need a course of antibiotics to clear things up. Left alone, tonsillitis can lead to more serious health problems, so your GP will be happy to check your child over even if it turns out they don't have tonsil problems.
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