Question
A boy, aged 3, has just started experiencing throat pain when speaking and finds swallowing a bit difficult. He is also running a low fever. What clinical manifestations might a child with tonsillitis exhibit?
Answer
The tonsils are located in the throat area, so one of the most obvious symptoms of pediatric tonsillitis is throat pain and difficulty swallowing. The child may also experience varying degrees of fever, and infants may even have seizures due to high fever. Accompanying the fever are chills, fatigue, and headaches. Additionally, when the tonsils are congested, there may be visible redness. Such diseases can also lead to more serious complications such as sepsis, rheumatism, and arthritis. The symptoms of tonsillitis can be quite severe, even life-threatening, so timely treatment is essential.