Doctors diagnose children with rheumatic fever if they have had a streptococcal infection and 2 major criteria or 1 major criterion and 2 minor criteria:
Major criteria for rheumatic fever:
Inflammation of the heart (carditis)
Jerky, uncontrollable movements (Sydenham chorea)
Rash (erythema marginatum)
Redness, pain, and swelling (arthritis) in several joints
Bumps (nodules) under the skin
Minor criteria for rheumatic fever:
Pain in several joints (without redness or swelling)
Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein
