Do not use leftover antibiotics from siblings or friends. Leftover antibiotics should be thrown out because they deteriorate faster than other drugs. Also, antibiotics help only strep throats. They have no effect on viruses, and they can cause harm. They also make it difficult to find out what is wrong if your child becomes sicker.
Rapid strep tests Rapid strep tests are helpful only when their results are positive.
Avoid rapid strep tests performed in shopping malls or at home because they tend to be inaccurate. Your child is having difficulty breathing. Your child is acting very sick. A throat culture is probably not necessary if your child's throat is just mildly sore AND the main symptom is croup, hoarseness, or a cough. Throat cultures are recommended for all other cases of sore throats because of an increased rate of acute rheumatic fever since 1987.