Strep Throat in Babies and Toddlers: Signs and Treatment

Your little one might get a sore throat every now and then. While a viral infection is the most common cause of this in infants and babies, strep throat in babies is another possible reason. Let's break down what strep throat is, what causes it in little ones, how to recognize the signs, and the best ways to treat it.

What Is Strep Throat and Can Babies or Toddlers Get It?

Strep throat is a bacterial infection caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes bacterium. It can give you a sore throat and inflamed tonsils and is often mistaken for viral throat infections. 

Besides making your throat scratchy and sore, strep throat can bring on a fever, rash, and even kidney problems if it's not treated. The good news? Strep throat is easy to treat with antibiotics. 

Even though strep throat is most common in children aged 5 to 15, it can happen at any age. So yes, babies can get strep throat, but it's pretty rare in little ones. 

What Are the Symptoms of Strep Throat in Babies and Toddlers?

The symptoms of strep in babies and toddlers may differ from those of adults and older kids. 

Strep Throat Symptoms in Babies

The symptoms of strep throat in infants tend to be mild and may include the following: 

• a low fever 

• thickened or bloody nasal discharge 

• being unable to sleep 

• irritability 

• refusing to feed 

• swollen glands in the neck area 

• redness in the throat or tonsils 

• a fine, red rash on the torso, legs, and arms.

Strep Throat Symptoms in Toddlers

Among the symptoms of strep throat in toddlers are the following: 

• a thick or bloody nasal discharge 

• a mild fever 

• crankiness 

• lack of appetite 

• swollen glands in the neck 

• tummy pain and/or vomiting. 

Strep Throat Symptoms in Children Over 3 Years Old

For older children, strep throat can cause: 

• an extremely sore throat 

• swollen glands 

• a temperature over 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) 

• pus on the tonsils. 

What Causes Strep Throat?

The bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A streptococcus, is what causes strep throat. 

This kind of bacteria spreads easily. It can be passed through the air when someone sneezes or coughs, or by sharing food or drinks with an infected person. Your baby or toddler could also get infected if they touch a contaminated surface and then touch their nose, mouth, or eyes. 

How to Protect Your Little One Against Strep Throat

Here's what you can do to lower the chances of your baby or toddler (or anyone in the family) catching strep throat: 

• Wash hands frequently. Make sure you wash your hands before touching or feeding your little one, and ask other family members and guests to do the same when they come in. Clean your baby's hands often, and help older toddlers and kids wash their hands properly. 

• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or upper arm. Everyone looking after your little one should use a tissue or their elbow when coughing or sneezing. Encourage your toddler to do this too, and remember to toss any used tissues. 

• Avoid sharing drinking cups or utensils. This helps prevent your little one from picking up the bacteria from items used by someone who's sick. 

How Is Strep Throat Diagnosed?

If you think your child might have strep throat, it's best to take them to the healthcare provider. Diagnosing strep throat in babies may need a rapid strep test or a throat culture, which can give results in minutes. A negative result usually means the infection is likely caused by a virus. 

However, up to a third of negative rapid strep tests can be false negatives. So even if the rapid test says negative, if your healthcare provider thinks strep throat might be the cause, they might swab your child's throat to test for the presence of the streptococcus bacterium, just to be sure. The results from the throat culture usually come back in a day or two. 

What Is the Treatment for Strep Throat?

Strep throat in babies is easy to treat. If the tests come back positive, your healthcare provider will likely prescribe antibiotics that can be given as a liquid or injection. 

Make sure your little one takes the full course of antibiotics, even if they start feeling better before it's finished. For kids older than 3, it's really important that strep throat is fully treated to prevent serious complications, like abscesses in the tonsils or kidney problems. 

When Should You Contact Your Healthcare Provider?

If your little one isn't feeling well, it's always a good idea to check in with your healthcare provider.Get in touch if you notice any of these signs: 

• A sore throat that doesn't get better within a day. Keep an eye out if your little one's throat seems painful all the time. 

• A fever. Use a baby thermometer to check if your little one has a fever (a rectal temperature of 100. 4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher). This info can help your provider decide if you need to bring your baby in when you call. 

• Excessive drooling. This may indicate your baby is finding it hard to swallow, which could be a sign of a sore throat. 

• Signs of dehydration. Look for signs like a dry mouth or fewer wet diapers (less than six wet diapers a day for infants). If you're concerned about dehydration, learn more about it here. Look for signs like a dry mouth or fewer wet diapers (less than six wet diapers a day for infants). 

Very rarely, a group A strep infection can lead to complications like ear infections, sinusitis, abscesses in the tonsils, lymph node infections, or scarlet fever. That's why it's important to consult your child's healthcare provider and follow their treatment plan. 

What Is the Difference Between a Sore Throat, Tonsillitis, and Strep Throat?

You might have heard the terms tonsillitis, strep throat, and just a regular sore throat used interchangeably, and wonder what's the difference between them. Here’s a quick rundown: 

• Sore throat. In babies and young kids, a sore throat usually comes from a viral infection, which can cause inflammation in the throat and around the tonsils, but not the tonsils themselves. Viral infections don't need specific medicine, and your child should get better in 7 to 10 days. Sometimes a sore throat might come with a cold or even a mild fever. 

• Tonsillitis. Tonsillitis is when the tonsils get inflamed due to a viral or bacterial infection. This can make the tonsils swell up and turn red. A sore throat is a common symptom of tonsillitis, often causing pain or discomfort when swallowing. If it's caused by a bacterial infection, your healthcare provider will prescribe antibiotics. 

• Strep throat. Strep throat is caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes bacterium, not a virus. A sore throat is the main symptom, but in older kids, the tonsils can get really inflamed too. 

If you suspect your child’s throat is bothering them, consult your healthcare provider, who can make a diagnosis and recommend the appropriate treatment.

The Bottom Line

The good news about strep throat in babies is that it's super rare in infants and toddlers and is usually mild when it does happen in kids under 3. Even for older children, antibiotics usually do the trick. If you're ever worried about how your little one is feeling, reach out to your healthcare provider for advice and to make sure everything's okay. And while you focus on keeping your baby healthy, the Pampers Rewards App can help you save on essentials with exclusive discounts and digital offers—because every little moment matters!