Preventing Back-to-School Illnesses: Strep, Pink Eye, Lice

With students returning to school, a sense of excitement often fills the air for new classes, friends, and activities. Yet, the proximity in classrooms can unfortunately lead to the quick spread of common childhood and adolescent illnesses. At Express Urgent Care, we understand the difficulties of this season, often marked by sneezes, sniffles, and itching. Here’s a comprehensive guide to common back-to-school ailments like strep throat, pink eye, and lice, alongside guidance on when urgent care becomes necessary.

Strep Throat: More Than Just a Sore Throat

That scratchy, painful throat might be more than just a simple irritation. Strep throat is a bacterial infection that is highly contagious and common among school-aged children and teens.

Key Symptoms of Strep Throat:

• A sudden and severe sore throat
• Pain when swallowing
• Fever, often with a sudden onset 
• Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
• Tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Headache, stomach pain, and sometimes nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children

When to Visit Express Urgent Care for Strep Throat: If you suspect your child has strep throat, it’s important to seek a proper diagnosis. A rapid strep test can be performed at our clinic, with results available within minutes. If the test is positive, our providers can prescribe antibiotics to help your child feel better faster, prevent the spread of the infection, and reduce the risk of more serious complications like rheumatic fever.

Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis): The Red-Flag of a Contagious Infection

Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an inflammation or infection of the outer membrane of the eyeball and the inner eyelid. It’s notoriously contagious and can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or allergies.

Telltale Signs of Pink Eye:

• Redness in one or both eyes.
• Itchiness or a gritty feeling in the eye.
• A discharge that can form a crust overnight, sometimes making it difficult to open the eyes in the morning.
• Excessive tearing.
• Sensitivity to light.

When to Bring Your Child to Express Urgent Care for Pink Eye: While some mild cases of viral pink eye may resolve on their own, it’s wise to have it checked out, especially if the symptoms are severe or if your child’s school has a policy regarding pink eye. At Express Urgent Care, we can determine the cause of the pink eye. If it’s bacterial, we can prescribe antibiotic eye drops to speed up recovery and help your child get back to school sooner. If it’s related to allergies, we can recommend appropriate allergy medication.

Head Lice: An Unwelcome Classroom Visitor

The thought of head lice is enough to make any parent’s head itch. These tiny insects live on the scalp and are spread through close head-to-head contact, making schools a common place for them to be transmitted.

Common Symptoms of Head Lice:

• An itchy scalp, which is the most common symptom.
• A tickling feeling of something moving in the hair.
• Sores on the head caused by scratching.
• Difficulty sleeping, as lice are often more active in the dark.
• Visible nits (lice eggs) on the hair shafts, which look like tiny white or yellowish-brown specks and are difficult to remove.

When to Seek Help for Head Lice at Express Urgent Care: While many cases of head lice can be managed with over-the-counter treatments, sometimes these are not effective. If you’re unsure if your child has lice, or if at-home treatments have failed, our team at Express Urgent Care can help. We can confirm a diagnosis and recommend the most effective prescription treatments to get rid of the lice and nits for good. It’s especially important to see a healthcare provider if the scalp appears infected from scratching.

Express Urgent Care is Here When You Need Us

Don’t let back-to-school illnesses disrupt your family’s routine. For prompt and reliable care for these common conditions and more, visit Express Urgent Care. We’re here to provide the fast and effective treatment your child needs to get back to learning and having fun.