Sore throats may be symptomatic of problems as simple as allergies or as serious as strep throat. Rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis -- all conditions that might get classified as a “common cold” -- often include throat irritation caused not by virus or bacteria but by post-nasal drip of mucus. Kids often can’t tell the difference.
First Response
Kids don’t have good volume controls, so outlaw outdoor voices, stock up on age-appropriate library books and encourage your child to rest and be quiet. Provide plenty of warm, clear liquids to relax swollen throat tissues. If the child is older than 5 years and can keep from chewing on them, lemon drops or fruit-flavored lozenges help keep his throat hydrated because they encourage saliva production. Milk and cream soups replicate mucus, further aggravating sore throat due to post-nasal drip, so avoid them. Humidify the air, particularly in winter and in the room where your child sleeps, where he is more likely to breathe through his mouth for long periods.
Soothers
Honey and lemon juice is a traditional treatment for a scratchy throat, but are packed with sugars -- as are most frozen fruit bars; you shouldn't, in any case, give honey to children younger than 1 year due to the risk of botulism. Substitute sugarless lemonade, homemade frozen fruit-juice pops and ice chips to reduce sugar consumption and soothe irritation. Suggesting a gargle with warm salt water to a child may bring flat refusals from all but the sickest and most desperate for relief, but a proffer of lemonade, warmed in a microwave, may help soothe a sore throat. Use acetaminophen or a pain reliever recommended by your child’s doctor for fever, but read any over-the-counter remedies carefully -- most are for adult use only.
Cautions
Several cautions are important when dealing with children’s sore throats. Tobacco smoke irritates little throats; aspirin should not be given to children except under the direction of a medical professional. Lemon and lime juices may be soothing to some throats, but the citric acid in them may irritate tissue in higher concentrations. If you child has frequent sore throats or they occur at the same times each year, you might want to consult an allergist. The solution could be as simple as installing an air filter or using filters designed to remove allergens on your current heating and air-conditioning system.
Call the Doctor
Sore throats that last longer than five days or are accompanied by a fever that lasts longer than a day or does not respond to a pain reliever may indicate a problem more serious than a common cold or irritation caused by allergies. Viruses must be treated symptomatically; bacteria like strep respond to antibiotics. Fevers, even low-grade temperatures, can be more serious in children than adults, warns MayoClinic.com. Record your child’s temperature and any other symptoms so you can report them to your pediatrician or family doctor when you call; she might want to see a child who could have strep immediately, but handle chicken pox without bringing the child into the waiting room.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Sore Throat: Lifestyle and Home Remedies; Sept. 25, 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Sore Throat: In-Depth
- University of Michigan Health System; Sore Throat (Pharyngitis); July 2006
- Seattle Children's Hospital; Should Your Child See a Doctor? Sore Throat; Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.; 2010
- CIWEC Clinic; Travel Medicine Center: The Common Cold; January 2009
- MotherNature.com: Sore Throat
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Laryngitis
