kids encyclopedia robot

Tonsillitis facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Tonsillitis is a disease. It is also known as pharyngitis, laryngitis and Tonsillar infection. Tonsillitis is caused by either a virus or bacteria. It is the inflammation and infection of the tonsils. The tonsils are in the back of the throat. The tonsils get inflamed and red. Other symptoms include headaches, fevers, back and neck aches, chills, bad breath, weak voice, fatigue, having trouble swallowing, and more. There are treatments for tonsillitis. One treatment is antibiotics. Medicines to relieve pain like Tylenol and Advil are also suggested. The tonsils may be removed surgically if it is medically necessary. This operation is called a tonsillectomy. It is the most effective way to get rid of the infection. All kinds of tonsillitis are contagious. Tonsillitis is spread by human contact.

Images for kids

  • Blausen 0860 Tonsils&Throat Anatomy

    Illustration comparing normal tonsil anatomy and tonsillitis

  • Tonsillitis cause

    Bacteria or viruses can cause tonsillitis.

  • Throat Culture

    Throat swab.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Amigdalitis para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Tonsillitis Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.