Can Newborns Get Strep Throat? Let Protect Your Babies From That Disease

February 18, 2018

Jelly Bell

Can Newborns Get Strep Throat? Let Protect Your Babies From That Disease

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Introduction

Strep throat is quite a common disease that often occurs in adults and children with similar symptoms to a sore throat. But can newborns get strep throat? Yes, they can! There are nearly 5% of strep throat in newborns in the USA annually. Strep throat is also considered as one of inflaming tonsillitis, but even without tonsils, both adults and babies can get strep throat. You can get more information about tonsillitis and strep throat at CAN YOU GET STREP THROAT WITHOUT TONSILS.

To take care of your child well, you should find out more about strep throat in infants and the ways of how to prevent them from that disease. All you need to do is taking a look at the specific information below.

Can newborns get strep throat?

Strep throat – also known as streptococcal pharyngitis. The main reason that cause strep throat is a group of bacteria named Streptococcus, that accumulate in the throat for days, then makes tonsils be inflamed and painful seriously. When patients get an illness, their throat will be sore and very itchy.

Anyone in your family, both adults and children can get strep throat, especially the ones as age from 10 to 15 years old. But it is quite unusual as newborns get strep throat, even when they have some common signs such as fever or sneezing. Because the infant‘s natural antibodies they have before birth is still quite strong and their tonsils are very small.

Why babies get strep throat?

In order to take care of your babies well and protect them from getting strep throat, you must know the causes of this disease even newborns are affected by strep throat rarely. It is most worrying about the children between the age of 5 and 15 years old because their tonsils are in development stage and very easy to be attacked by bacteria.

You need to understand why your children get strep throat. It not only helps you to prevent the babies from disease but also contributes to having good treatments. Both infants and adults can’t cure themselves, you can see more details at DOES STREP THROAT GO AWAY ON ITS OWN?

strep throat can occur at newborns
Strep throat can occur at newborns

There are some main causes of strep throat that you can take note in your personal health handbook. Now you need to stop wondering the fact can newborns get strep throat and take a look at the details below to know why your babies get strep throat:

The original cause – Streptococcus bacteria

Streptococcus, which divide into two main types including Group A and Group B, is the original cause of strep throat.

  • Streptococcus group A: it is the most fearful factor that causes strep throat instantly. More than that, it also causes other dangerous diseases, includes red fever, skin allergy, and poison shock symptoms.
  • Streptococcus group B: this type of bacteria is more dangerous than Group A, which causes rare symptoms, such as blood infection, pneumonia, and even meningitis because of bacterial inflammation in brain and lungs. Luckily, these conditions are almost non – existent in newborns.

Being infected by other family members

Adult and teenagers are more likely to get strep throat than children, but newborns can be infected by bacteria from the other members of a family. Bacteria spread easily from adult to the babies by eating, breathing and touching, because your child‘s immune system is still not fully developed.

According to a research in America, there is 43% chance that babies can get strep throat when they stay with strep throat inflamed people.

Infection through breast milk

Strep throat is mainly caused by Streptococcus bacteria group A that incubate inside, then outbreak suddenly with some common signs like cough, itchy throat and irritation. Especially as you are feeding the child with breast milk and come down with strep, you need to stop for a while, because the bacteria may transmit to your babies through breast milk.

infection through breast milk
Infection through breast milk

The common symptoms and signs when your babies get strep throat

[1] Although the babies rarely get strep throat, parents should be careful because the symptoms in newborns are quite different from an adult. While the common symptoms that indicated by mature people are itchy feeling and swell tonsils in throat location, newborns will have some clear signs such as fever, lack of sleep, anorexia, inability to swallow and whole body rashes.

Can newborns get strep throat? Yes, they can get strep throat by infecting by other family members or breast milk. How do you know when your babies get strep throat? You should take a look at these specific descriptions of strep throat at babies below:

Fever

When babies have a fever, you should use a medical thermometer to measure their body temperature then record the results carefully. Thermoregulatory mechanism of infants is quite weak, so their average temperature is lower than mature ones. For good results, you should place the thermometer in the armpit or anus. If the temperature reaches more than 38 degrees, it is the sign of fever. In some rare cases, the sign of fever is not clear enough to identify, your babies get strep throat or not? Please read CAN YOU HAVE STREP THROAT WITHOUT FEVER.

Vomiting

If your babies have nausea that repeats too regularly, parents need to monitor your child‘s condition hour by hour. Vomiting may be signs of digestive disorder or stomach ache but it can be a suspect symptom of strep throat. Because when the bacteria injure the baby‘s throat, it will swell and very hurt that make the babies vomit.

Weird patches inside throat

There are some small patches that appear in the baby‘s throat. In order to check them clearly, you should try to open your child’s mouth and use a torch to look for the tiny red or white patches inside throat. The swelling patch is one of the main causes of fever and strep throat.

Slight cough

While the patches spread widely inside the throat, your babies will feel too itching because of irritation. During this period, throat is very sensitive especially the child has breast milk. The annoyed slight cough, which prevents your babies to fall into good sleep, is a sign of strep throat.

Swollen chin

It is the most serious sign to diagnose if your child gets strep throat. The node under chin will be swollen instinctively to protect the babies from being attacked by Streptococcus bacteria. Parents should check it carefully when the child‘s chin is swollen suddenly.

Red rash on leg, arm, and chest

You can recognize red rash easily when they appear on the child’s skin. But you also need to distinguish sign of usual allergy and strep throat. While your babies get strep throat, these rashes are spreading from arm to leg and the baby ‘s whole body with fever.

Irritable behaviors

If you are searching on the internet the phrase “can newborns get strep throat”, the newborns can get strep throat but it is not usual. As your child has irritable behaviors, such as anorexia and sleepless, you should check it out right away. These signs may be the result of injuring throat that causes by Streptococcus bacteria. The smart way is to follow the babies at night, then pay attention when the babies wake up so regularly.

Strep throat and tonsillitis in newborns. How to distinguish?

Can newborns get strep throat or just tonsillitis? Do you know that strep throat and tonsillitis also have some similar symptoms, just because strep throat is a serious result of swelling tonsillitis. You can feel comfortable as your child just gets tonsillitis. Beside the common signs, such as a sore throat, sleeplessness, expression of anorexia and tender lymph nodes, strep throat and tonsillitis has different symptoms. To identify your child‘s condition more exactly, please take a look at these differences between strep throat and tonsillitis below:

Tonsils

  • Tonsillitis: Tonsils get red and swell. They become more sensitive that cause some cough. The child‘s tonsils turn into red or yellow. The area around inside throat is also swollen and itching.
  • Strep throat: There are some tiny red spots on the roof of baby ‘s mouth that is swollen seriously. It is more serious when the newborns get strep throat. The tonsils will be swelling, color into the hot red with the small white streak of pus.

Fever

  • Tonsillitis: Fever is the result of swollen tonsils. But the whole body temperature will be balanced after using antipyretics.
  • Strep throat: Abnormal fever that is higher and longer lasting than the symptom of tonsillitis.

Vomiting

  • Tonsillitis: When tonsillitis is inflamed, the babies will eat less because of usual stomach ache but without regular vomiting.
  • Strep throat: You will find that your child has nausea and vomiting, especially after a meal a few minutes. Streptococcus bacteria pervasion weakens the digestive system quickly.

Most infants get tonsillitis, but can newborns get strep throat? Of course, they can, so parents should pay attention to the unusual signs that repeat and repeat in short time period. When it seems to be complicated status, you need to take your child to see the doctor as soon as possible.

The best treatments for strep throat for newborns

Infants rarely get strep throat that is so serious to have treatments. But when your children have these symptoms such as fever or inability to swallow, you need to take them to the doctor for a true diagnosis. If strep throat is already confirmed, the doctor will advise treating the babies with antibiotics, even it seems not really serious.

Antibiotics

[2] Treatments with antibiotics bring some benefits that so helpful for your babies. Take a look at them to understand why it is so necessary.

  • Your babies can be contagious again and again, even when the symptoms may be better. It is totally safe if your child is treated with antibiotics because he/she will not be infected by bacteria in 24 to 48 hours after taking antibiotics.
  • The baby ‘s health and immune system will recover faster when they are treated with antibiotics.
  • Antibiotics are very useful to prevent the infants from getting the complication.

Parents may worry that antibiotics can cause side effect to their children. But it is not a big problem because the doctor will provide you the most suitable treatments for baby ‘s condition. Without antibiotics, your child ‘s disease may get longer, you can find out about this treatment at HOW LONG DOES STREP THROAT LAST WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS.

The babies can get strep throat by infected from their parents. So you have to take care of yourself well, even when you get hard strep throat, you should be treated with antibiotics. Achieve more helpful ways at BEST ANTIBIOTIC FOR STREP THROAT IN ADULTS.

Taking care of your babies at home

Soothe the child‘s throat with warm liquid:

While your babies get strep throat, all the area in the throat is injuring by bacteria, so it needs to be soothed and purified with warm liquid. You can feed your child warm water or lemonade add a little bit honey.

How to protect your babies from strep throat?

Although strep throat is a common disease that usually inflamed in adults and children from 10 to 15 years old, newborns are also more likely to be infected by strep throat. So parents should stop searching for the information “can newborns get strep throat”, and pay attention to protect them in the safe condition, especially when another member of your family is getting strep throat.

Streptococcus bacteria can spread quite quickly from person to person by communication and touching. If you worry that your infant may get strep throat by external factors, you can follow these tips below to not only prevent the babies from strep throat but also know how to help yourself avoid that disease.

Clear the child‘s items carefully

Firstly, you have to hygiene all items of the babies that includes milk bottle, clothes, nipple and towel as well. Because your child can be infected by bacteria if he or she uses these infected objects that touch by strep throat patients.

  • Wash your child‘s items twice times with hot water before and after use. Then place them in a well-ventilated area and let them dry naturally in 15 to 20 minutes. In the other way, you can dry these objects by dry – cleanser.
  • Sink the nipple into a bowl of warm water to ensure that it is cleaned up perfectly because this item is pouched in the baby‘s mouth where bacteria can penetrate into a throat.

 Wash your hands before feeding your child

You also need to wash your hands carefully with soap before feeding the babies. Just imagine, your hands are dirty that contain hidden risks of Streptococcus bacteria, which cling to spoon and milk bottle, is such a dangerous cause of disease.

  • Use good soap to wash your hands and don’t forget to dry them with a soft towel. Please note if your hands are scratched, because it is perfect way that allows the bacteria to infiltrate into your body
  • If you know that you have communicated with a person who gets strep throat, please don’t touch your child or any baby item. Just wash your hands immediately with soap or alcohol based hand sanitiser.
wash your hands before feeding your child
Wash your hands before feeding your child

Feed the babies more vitamin

Can newborns get strep throat? You should help your children boost their immune system with an abundant source of vitamin because the answer is yes. Even when the newborns can’t eat food except for liquid like milk, you can feed them necessary amount of vitamin in some simple ways below:

  • Squeeze the fruit and vegetables into a fruit machine, then feed your child some spoons of juice daily. The good sources of vitamin C include broccoli, strawberry, and tomato. Moreover, vitamin A, which found in spinach, is also very helpful to defend Streptococcus bacteria
  • Vitamin C boosts the immune system: Support the production of interferon a protein produced by body cells to fight pathogens, which is an important protein component of the immune system. It strengthens the immune system, gains the allergic defend of the baby. Parents can take vitamin C supplements for children as tablets or syrup.

Conclusion

Although strep throat rarely occurs in the infants, you also need to pay attention because your child may be contagious through other members of your family, especially breast milk feeding mom. Can newborns get strep throat? The answer is “Yes”. You can apply these details above to diagnose the babies ‘s condition as they have some symptoms like fever, vomiting or irritation. And your friends also need to know good methods to take care their children, so if you pick up any good ideas from this article, let share with them now!

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