Tonsillitis - Symptoms 

The main symptom of tonsillitis is a sore throat.

Other common symptoms include:

• red and swollen tonsils
• pain when swallowing
• high temperature (fever) over 38°C (100.4°F)
• coughing
• headache
• tiredness
• pain in your child’s ears or neck
• white pus-filled spots on your child’s tonsils
• swollen lymph nodes (glands) in your child’s neck
• loss of voice or changes to your child’s normal tone of voice

Less common symptoms of tonsillitis may include:

• being sick
• a 'furry' tongue
• bad breath
• difficulty opening the mouth

Younger children may also complain of a stomach ache, which can be caused by the swelling of the lymph nodes in the abdomen.