Tonsillitis In Teens

Tonsils help fight infection by sampling bacteria that enters the mouth and throat. This first line of defense can create red, inflamed or abscessed tonsils due to bacterial infection or viruses. The infection is called tonsillitis, and it is contagious. Teenagers can easily pass tonsillitis from one person to another by sneezing, coughing, kissing and by infrequent hand washing.

  1. Symptoms

    • If your teen has tonsillitis, tonsils will look infected and swollen, red, maybe with white spots or pus. You may notice bad breath and a white or yellow coating covering the tonsils. Your teen's throat will likely be sore, which can make eating and drinking difficult, and her ears might hurt. A fever may develop, making her irritable.

    Tonsillitis and Strep

    • Strep throat can accompany tonsillitis, so it is important that your teen's pediatrician swab the tonsils and back of the throat to rule out a bacterial infection that will need antibiotics to cure. A negative strep test means that your teen's tonsillitis is likely viral. Viruses cannot be cured with antibiotics. In this case, the tonsillitis will just have to run its course, usually in seven to 10 days. If your teen has started antibiotics, encourage him to finish them, even if he feels better, or the infection may recur.

    Chronic Tonsillitis

    • Your teen's pediatrician may recommend an eye, ear, nose and throat doctor, or ENT, if your teen develops recurring bouts with tonsillitis. The ENT will determine if a tonsillectomy is needed. A tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure to remove tonsils and often the adenoids. You can't see adenoids as they reside in the soft palate of the mouth, but they work together with tonsils to fight infection. Often adenoids become infected along with the tonsils, sometimes restricting breathing. The ENT will decide if they need to be removed along with the tonsils in a tonsillectomy.

    Special Teenage Considerations

    • Do not give aspirin as a pain reliever as your teen may develop Reye's Syndrome, a rare but deadly disease. Make sure that your teen has a new toothbrush so she doesn't reinfect herself. If you or your teen smoke, stop immediately as smoking is both a throat and lung irritant. Once your teen starts a round of antibiotics and her fever is gone, she may return to school 24 hours later.

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