Parents generally are urged to have a physician, preferably a pediatrician, examine their child if a sore throat is severe or persistent for more than a few days and is accompanied by any of the following:

• Blood in saliva or mucus
  
  
• Contact in recent period with someone infected with strep throat
  
  
• Dehydration characterized by sunken eyes, severe weakness and lower output of urine
  
  
• Fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in children under 6 months or 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius) in children over 6 months of age
  
  
• Headache
  
  
• Hoarseness lasting longer than two weeks
  
  
• Drooling
  
  
• Major fatigue
  
  
• Pus at the back of the throat
  
  
• Recurring sore throats
  
  
• Stomach ache
  
  
• Tender or swollen lymph glands in the neck