<p>Herpes - yes this is a viral sore throat (not the STD kind) and can be very painful. Often confused with mono.</p>
<p>Not to defend student health centers - they are no substitute for “Mom” (or Dad!). The thing with sick kids - if they have mono or mono symptoms and the throat culture comes back negative there really is nothing to do except to keep from being dehydrated.
You can’t do a mono spot for a week and it is a horrible week waiting and hoping the sore throat is viral and will go away soon.</p>
<p>What I worry about most as a mom - is dehydration. I always ask - if they are peeing 3 times a day - I know this is gross. Also the urine should not be dark yellow. (gross too).</p>
<p>years ago before the meningitis vaccine - I would read articles about how kids in dorms got sick and laid there in their beds. The roommate would go to class and the kid would just get sicker and sicker - horrifying. </p>
<p>Zixxa - hang in there!</p>