Tonsillitis is probably one of the most common of all childhood illness and single cause of a sore throat.

Tonsillitis can be quite painful and make you lethargic in severe cases. It is caused by the inflammation of the tonsils and lymph tissues at the rear of the throat.

When the tonsils (lymph nodes) are enlarged, they become exposed to a range of viruses and bacterias. This is where the tonsils become inflamed and Tonsillitis causes the sore throat.

Usually tonsillitis is brought on by a bacterial or viral infection. The bacteria streptococcus pyogenes is by far the most common bacterial cause of Tonsillitis.

Epstein-Barr is by far the most common viral cause, and is commonly referred to as the "kissing Disease" due to the popularity of Tonsillitis in teenagers.

Signs and Symptoms

• Pain in the throat
• Difficulty with swallowing
• Chills
• Fever (40oC or greater)
• Swollen glands above the jaw
• Frequent headaches
• Earache
• In rare cases there is a cough

Incubation Period

The Incubation Period for Tonsillitis is 2 - 4 Days.

Treatment

Tonsillitis is very common in children and teenagers and you should contact your childs GP for further medical advice or treatment.

Tonsillitis should not go untreated when it is caused by the bacteria streptococcus as it needs to be treated using antibiotics to prevent strep-related complications later, but using antibiotics to treat a bacterial cause of Tonsillitis can be deemed harmful.

Repeated bouts of tonsillitis however may result in needing surgery to remove the tonsils.