We all dread getting that letter sent home that someone in the class has strep.
It often means your child is next.
The terms sore throat, strep throat, and tonsillitis often are used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing.
Tonsillitis refers to tonsils that are inflamed. Strep throat is an infection caused by a specific type of bacteria, Streptococcus.
When your child has a strep throat, the tonsils are usually very inflamed, and the inflammation may affect the surrounding part of the throat as well.