How Does Strep Throat Spread?
Anybody can get strep throat, but it’s most common in school-age kids and teens. It occurs most often during the school year when big groups of kids and teens are in close quarters. The bacteria that cause strep throat tend to hang out in the nose and throat, so normal activities like sneezing, coughing, or shaking hands can easily spread the strep infection from one person to another. That’s why it’s so important to teach your child the importance of hand washing – good hygiene can lessen your child’s chances of getting contagious diseases like strep throat. What’s the Difference Between Strep Throat and a Sore Throat? Not all sore throats are strep throats. Most episodes of sore throat – which can be accompanied by a runny nose, cough, hoarseness, and red eyes – are caused by viruses. Sore throats usually clear up on their own without requiring medical treatment. If your child has strep throat, he or she will start to develop other symptoms within about 3 days. Those symptoms can inc
