A 6-year-old boy presents with a sore throat, fever, and difficulty swallowing. He has been refusing to eat or drink due to the pain. On examination, his tonsils are swollen and covered with white patches. What is the most likely diagnosis, and what are the next steps?
The symptoms of sore throat, fever, difficulty swallowing, and swollen tonsils with white patches are consistent with tonsillitis, which could be either viral or bacterial in nature. Given his age and symptoms, Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a common bacterial cause. The next step should be to conduct a rapid strep test and/or throat culture to confirm the diagnosis. If GAS is confirmed, treatment would typically involve antibiotics, such as penicillin or amoxicillin.