Sore throat/no fever (sinuses, pain, cold, infections)

[ajzjmsmom]

Does anyone know if it is possible to have strep throat if there is no fever? My 12 yr old started coughing Friday night and then woke up Saturday morning complaining of a sore throat, he coughed all day yesterday, still has the sore throat today. He has cold symptoms but no temperature. I don't want to take him to the doctor if it is a cold since they can't do anything for him. I have been giving him tylenol and cough syrup. His throat is alittle red and his tonsils are swollen, no enlarged lymph nodes as of now.

[bellalunatic]

Are you seeing any white patches in the throat or on the tongue?

[myrc60]

My kids have always had a fever when they had strep.

[Viralmd]

Yup, it's absolutely possible.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by bellalunatic

Are you seeing any white patches in the throat or on the tongue?

No there is no white patches, his throat doesn't even look that red but one of his tonsils is swollen.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by Viralmd

Yup, it's absolutely possible.

How long should I wait before taking him to the doctor? My only hesitation is that we are not at home right now and I can't take him to his ped, but will have to take him to Urgent care. I probably wouldn't even have any hesitation if he were running a temp or his lymph nodes were enlarged but in the absence of both of these and the presence of the runny nose, cough and headache I am leaning towards either a cold or a viral infection.

[pitt_transplant]

tylenol and cough syrup = that is why there could be a lack of fever/swelling. Watch there is not some sort of pain reliever already in your cough syrup. He could of just coughed himself sore/post nasal drip stuff.

[Viralmd]

If there's a concern re: Streptococcus, you should get him tested soon so that if an antibiotic is necessary it can be started soon. What you don't want is to have to deal with scarlet fever or any post-Strep complication.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by pitt_transplant

tylenol and cough syrup = that is why there could be a lack of fever/swelling. Watch there is not some sort of pain reliever already in your cough syrup. He could of just coughed himself sore/post nasal drip stuff.

I am not giving him the tylenol every 6 to 8 hours like it says to, so there has been lapses and no fever. No pain reliever in the cough syrup either, just cough syrup and antihistamine since he is having alot of drainage down the back of his throat.

One of his tonsils is swollen just no swollen lymph nodes and normally if he has something bacterial going on in his sinuses or throat they get swollen.

I agree with you it maybe the coughing/post nasal drip that is irritating the throat. I guess we will see how he is tomorrow.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by Viralmd

If there's a concern re: Streptococcus, you should get him tested soon so that if an antibiotic is necessary it can be started soon. What you don't want is to have to deal with scarlet fever or any post-Strep complication.

In the absence of fever, swollen glands and no white patches or severely red throat I don't think it is strep right now. I will just keep an eye on him since as I posted to another person, normally this child will have swollen glands with bacterial infections. I know there is some viral thing going on where we are and it is affecting the throat.