We are currently seeing quite a bit of strep throat. If your child has a sore throat, often with a fever, headache, or stomach ache and frequently without any other viral symptoms like congestion or cough, it may be strep throat. Bacteria, called Group A strep, cause this type of sore throat. Younger children are more likely to present with congestion. To diagnose strep throat, your physician will require a swab of your child's throat, and antibiotics will be needed if the strep test is positive.