What to do when a child has a sore throat?

Children suffering from sore throat What is the cause?

According to statistics, about 80% baby has sore throat due to virus and weather factors. For children, the most common cause is viruses of different groups such as RSV Respiratory Syncytial Virus, measles, influenza A or influenza B.

There are many different reasons why child with sore throat. (Illustration)

In addition, there are a number of other causes from the environment such as sudden weather changes at the change of seasons, cold weather, irritating foods or allergies… Besides, there are other causes due to infection. These are the three main causes of sore throat in children.

Signs of a child with a sore throat

– For environmental causes or weather allergies: Common symptoms are runny nose, sneezing, stuffy nose, then fever. Viral fever also has different manifestations depending on the strain of the virus. These strains can cause a high fever like flu for about 3-5 days. Accompanied by a phenomenon that causes children to sneeze and have a runny nose.

This is followed by a cough in children, which in a few days will turn into a cough with phlegm. However, the number will usually go away in about 2-3 days and the cough symptoms in children will go away in about 1 week.

For infectious causes: Manifestations are usually sneezing, runny nose, starting with coughs, poor appetite, irritability and fever. In older children, there may be a sore throat followed by a fever. Depending on the bacteria, there will be different symptoms of fever, bacteria that cause more inflammation will have a higher fever than bacteria that cause inflammation, only mild fever.

When going to the doctor, the symptoms of these two groups of diseases are also different:

– When a child has a sore throat caused by a virus, the doctor will see a red, congested throat or a little more clear fluid from the nose.

– When a child has a sore throat caused by bacteria, the child’s throat will be bright red and hemorrhage will appear. In the later stage, there are cases of children with pharyngitis accompanied by purulent tonsils.

A sore throat can easily cause a child to have a fever. (Illustration)

Why do children often have recurrent sore throat?

Children with recurrent sore throat can be caused by causes such as:

– No definitive treatment of acute pharyngitis: This can be the main reason why a child’s sore throat often recurs, and at the same time, it is easy for acute pharyngitis to become a chronic disease and cause complications such as sinusitis, bronchitis, acute otitis media.. .

– Due to allergies: It is usually a disease with a family history. In addition, there are a number of other causes such as polluted living environment near industrial zones, changes in weather.

– Due to too many strains of bacteria and viruses that cause sore throat: When children have just finished treatment for this virus, they are infected with another virus right at the time when the body’s resistance is declining.

– Due to infection: Children with recurrent sore throat can be due to living with sick family members, cross-infection from one person to another. In particular, some families, when someone is sick, often close the door to avoid wind for the sick person, making the disease spread faster.

– Due to other reasons: In addition to the above reasons, there are also other reasons such as:

+ Effects of chronic sinusitis: When chronic sinusitis will cause secretions to flow down the throat. Viruses and bacteria in secretions cause chronic inflammation in the oropharynx.

+ Bad habits: When children go out after 8pm, children are easy to catch cold or go to crowded places can also be infected from other people.

+ Abnormalities in the nasal structure: Some children with anomalies in the nasal septum can also cause an abnormality in the secretion of secretions, causing the fluid to flow back to the back of the throat wall, causing recurrent pharyngitis in the nasal cavity. young.

How to treat a child with a sore throat?

For any case of a child with a sore throat, especially a newborn baby, every mother needs to find out the causes of the baby’s sore throat and treat it accordingly. Depending on the condition of the disease, there will be different treatment methods. If the child has severe sore throat or recurrent sore throat, the mother should take the child to the hospital for examination and treatment. If your baby has a mild sore throat, there are some home remedies that can be used.

Treatment of pharyngitis with medicine (used when prescribed by a doctor)

Pain relievers: When a child has a sore throat with fever, pain relievers such as Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen can be used to relieve pain and reduce fever.

– Sprays: Has the same effect as throat lozenges. It has the effect of fast pain relief, temporarily helping the baby to relieve burning and discomfort in the throat area.

– Types of lozenges: In case the baby has sore throat and cough many times, the mother can use lozenges to quickly relieve the sore throat, help the baby feel comfortable, reduce burning pain and discomfort. However, it does not cure sore throat in children and should only be applied to children over 1 year old.

Using medicine to treat sore throat requires a doctor’s prescription. (Illustration)

Treatment of sore throat for children with folklore

Add foods rich in vitamin C: When children have sore throats, mothers should increase their intake of natural vegetables and fruits to increase resistance.

Use honey: Honey has a very good antiseptic effect, suitable for children over 1 year old with sore throat, sore throat. Mother can mix warm water, with a teaspoon of honey, 1 slice of ginger or lemon for the baby to drink every day until the disease is cured.

– Soups and soups: When the baby has a sore throat, it is very difficult for the baby to eat and drink, often vomiting. Therefore, the cool soups from gourds and jute vegetables will help relieve coughs, reduce sore throats, and are also easy to swallow and eat.

– Add more water: Every day, the mother needs to give the baby enough water to drink, especially when the baby has a high fever. Water will help lubricate and create a mucous membrane to protect the throat and lungs, relieve sore throat, and quickly reduce fever for the baby.

Adding extra water by breastfeeding will help reduce sore throat. (Illustration)

– Gargle with salt water: Mothers can use physiological saline mixed with warm water to stir well and let the baby gargle daily.

Using a nebulizer: It will help humidify the air, help your baby sleep easier, and soothe the throat.

Using folk remedies: There are 2 folk remedies that mothers can use when their baby has a sore throat such as:

+ Remedy 1: Use lemon leaves and flowers to wash, dry and then finely chop. Add a little rock sugar, put in a bowl and steam. Use only the juice, dilute it with a little warm water and give it to the child to drink continuously for 2 hours / 4 teaspoons. Drink for 5 days in a row.

+ Remedy 2: Use lemon basil leaves, thinly sliced ​​kumquats and steamed alum sugar. Just take the juice mixed with a little warm water and give it to the child to drink every day.

Preventing children from getting a sore throat

– Regularly clean the ears, nose and throat for children every day.

– Teach children the habit of washing their hands often to avoid contact with bacteria.

– Limit taking children out when the season changes, the weather changes.

– Replace the toothbrush with a new one after the child has recovered from the sore throat to prevent the return of bacteria.

– Do not give your baby cold foods such as cold drinks, ice cream, etc.

– If you have a sore throat, you should not give your baby foods that can cause increased phlegm and cough such as sugarcane juice, seafood, fried food, coconut water…

– Maintain a clean, well-ventilated living environment, avoid dusty, crowded areas.

If the child has a sore throat, take him to the hospital immediately

– When the child shows signs of fever, for children under 3 months of age with a fever of 38 degrees C. Children aged 3-6 months with a fever of 38.3 degrees C and over 39 degrees C with children over 6 months old.

– When a baby has a sore throat, the baby is often fussy, poorly fed, and has anorexia, so it is often mistaken for some other signs. Therefore, if your baby has a high fever and rapid breathing and drooling, you need to take him to the doctor right away.

If your baby has a sore throat that lasts for more than a week, you need to see a doctor.

– If you notice that the children’s tonsils are swollen and heavy, there may be pus or white on the surface of the parents, you should also pay attention.

– If the baby appears on the side of the rash, immediately see a doctor.

– Take the child to the hospital if the child shows signs of vomiting, difficulty breathing.