Complications

Inflammation or swelling of the tonsils from frequent or ongoing (chronic) tonsillitis can cause complications such as:

• Disrupted breathing during sleep (obstructive sleep apnea)
• Infection that spreads deep into surrounding tissue (tonsillar cellulitis)
• Infection that results in a collection of pus behind a tonsil (peritonsillar abscess)

Strep infection

If tonsillitis caused by group A streptococcus or another strain of streptococcal bacteria isn't treated or if antibiotic treatment is incomplete, your child has an increased risk of rare disorders such as:

• Rheumatic fever, a serious inflammatory condition that can affect the heart, joints, nervous system and skin
• Complications of scarlet fever, a streptococcal infection characterized by a prominent rash
• Inflammation of the kidney (poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis)
• Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis, a condition that causes inflammation of the joints