When your child feels that tickle in the back of her throat, it could be due to allergies, temporary environmental irritants, or a more serious viral or bacterial infection. Home remedies will help ease the pain of any type of sore throat, and you can use them in tandem with an antibiotic if your doctor prescribes one. The Mayo Clinic cautions to keep tabs on your child's temperature. Notify your doctor of changes, if the sore throat gets worse or if your child isn't better in a day or two.
Cool Drinks
A cool drink is very soothing for a sore throat, and the increased fluids are good for the body. Water or milk are good choices. Offer your child his favorite fruit juice, but keep away from acidic juices such as citrus and tomato. Apple juice and apple/berry juice blends are smooth and soothing. Freeze fruit juice in an ice cube tray or frozen treat mold for variety.
Smooth Foods
Jello, applesauce and pudding are cooling foods that are smooth and easy to swallow. For a special treat when you make jello, replace the cold water with applesauce or fruit juice. MotherNature.com recommends ice cream to soothe your child's throat, or you can substitute frozen yogurt. Avoid crackers, chips or crunchy foods; they can scratch sensitive throat tissues and cause more irritation. Spicy foods may burn sore areas, and should be avoided.
Humidity
Breathing dry air will dry throat tissues, making your child's sore throat feel even worse. Use a humidifier if you have one, or run a clean vaporizer to add warm moisture to the air. You can use a vaporizer with plain water. It is not necessary to add mentholated medication to the vaporizer, but it may help if your child has congestion along with a sore throat. Adding moisture to the air is especially important at night, when your child may breathe through her mouth. The steamy moisture from a warm bath or shower will also help. Close the door to keep the moisture in the bathroom.
Warm Salt Water
If your child is old enough, gargling with warm salt water will soothe his sore throat. Some kids really get into the fun of gargling. Just be sure he knows not to swallow. Use 1 tsp. salt in 8 oz. warm water, and stir to dissolve. Use the gargle as often as necessary to relieve pain. The warm salt water washes away mucus and dilates capillaries. This increases the blood flow to the throat tissues, helping the immune system do its job.
Honey/Lemon Juice
Mix equal parts honey and lemon juice. Give to your child as often as necessary to coat and soothe her sore, dry throat.
Toss the Toothbrush
Give your child a new toothbrush at the first sign of a sore throat, and get rid of the germy one, suggests Vicks. If your child has a prolonged sore throat that doesn't subside in a day or two, consider replacing the toothbrush after about three or four days. Prevent reinfection by replacing the toothbrush again when your child has recovered.
