Tonsils sit at the back of your throat, behind the tongue, and catch bacteria and viruses before they get into the body. Tonsillitis is when the tonsils become infected by the bacteria or a virus.
When this happens, tonsils get sore, red, and swollen. It may be hard to swallow and kids may have a fever. Doctors do tests to find out if a virus or bacteria caused the infection.
For bacterial infection, the doctor can give antibiotics to get rid of it. When a virus is the problem, kids just have to take it easy until their tonsils gets better.
Kids who get tonsillitis a lot, or who don't get better after antibiotics, might need surgery to remove the tonsils.
More information
Sites 2
[ Teens/Mature Teens ]
Explains the causes, symptoms, and treatment, with advice on when to seek medical care.
[ Kids/Teens ]
Answers questions about tonsils, how they get infected, and how it is treated.
[ Kids/Teens ]
Answers questions about tonsils, how they get infected, and how it is treated.
[ Teens/Mature Teens ]
Explains the causes, symptoms, and treatment, with advice on when to seek medical care.
