A peritonsillar abscess is a collection of pus around one of the tonsils. It is caused by bacteria (a type of germ). Someone with a peritonsillar abscess has severe throat pain and may also have a fever, drooling, a muffled voice, trouble opening the mouth or swallowing, or even trouble breathing. With treatment, most peritonsillar abscesses heal completely.

Your child was treated with antibiotics through an intravenous line (IV). The abscess also may have been drained by a surgeon. Your child is feeling better and can go home.

• Be sure to give all doses of any antibiotics that were prescribed, even if your child feels better. If you stop the antibiotics early, the infection could come back.
• If your child has pain and your health care provider says it's OK, you can give acetaminophen (Tylenol^® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand). Follow the package directions for how much to give and how often. 
• Encourage your child to drink plenty of liquids.
• Foods that are hard, salty, spicy, or acidic (like fruit juices) may be painful to swallow at first. Give your child soft, bland food and drinks until the pain eases.
• Follow your health care provider's advice on:
  • when it's OK to return to normal activities
  • when to follow up 
  • whether your child needs to see any specialists (such as an ear, nose, and throat doctor)

Your child:

• has a sore throat or neck pain that gets worse
• gets a fever
• gets a cough
• gets a rash
• seems to be getting sicker

You know your child best. If they have symptoms that worry you, call your health care provider.

Your child has:

• trouble breathing or swallowing
• trouble opening their mouth or moving their neck
• bleeding from the throat or mouth
• increased swelling in the neck
• chest pain
• signs of dehydration, such as dizziness, sleepiness, dry or sticky mouth and lips, sunken eyes, less pee than usual, darker pee than usual, or crying without making tears

What causes a peritonsillar abscess? It starts with a throat infection, often caused by the same bacteria that cause strep throat. The bacteria spread to the area around the tonsil and form a pocket. Pus builds up in the pocket, making the abscess bigger.

How are peritonsillar abscesses treated? Health care providers treat peritonsillar abscesses with antibiotics. Sometimes a patient can take the antibiotics by mouth, but many will need to get them through an IV to make sure the medicine gets into the abscess. Most peritonsillar abscesses also need to be drained by a surgeon to get most of the pus out.

What problems can happen from a peritonsillar abscess? An abscess that's not treated can swell and block the throat, making it hard to swallow, speak, and sometimes even breathe. The infection can also spread into the jaw, neck, and chest and cause serious problems.