SORE THROAT IN CHILDREN: SYMPTOMS, HOME CARE, ETC
Signs and symptoms
It is difficult to be certain that an infant or toddler has a sore throat because the child cannot communicate, but swollen glands in the neck or difficulty swallowing are clues. Determining the cause of a sore throat depends on the results of a throat or other type of culture; on a complete blood count; and on the doctor’s skill in performing the physical examination, knowledge of the illnesses in the community, and professional judgment.
Home care
Older children may gargle with warm salt water to relieve a sore throat; all children should drink extra fluids and eat then-usual diet if they can. Give aspirin or paracetamol to reduce pain or fever and isolate the child from other children, particularly infants, until the cause of the problem is found.
• Take the child to a doctor if a sore throat is accompanied by any of the following symptoms: moderately or severely swollen and tender neck glands; difficulty swallowing that cannot be relieved by aspirin or paracetamol; pus-like discharge from the eyes or nose; moderate or severe earache; tenderness over the sinuses; breathing difficulty; chest pain; reddish-purple rash or a rash resembling scarlet fever (fine, slightly raised red spots resembling coarse red sandpaper); stiff neck; weakness or exhaustion; confusion; or continual vomiting.
• If a sore throat and a fever continue to worsen after 24 to 36 hours, consult a doctor.
Medical treatment
Your doctor will conduct a complete physical examination and order a throat culture and, perhaps, other laboratory tests. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor may treat a sore throat with antibiotics. Regardless of the treatment prescribed, you should report any new symptoms to your doctor. Also consult the doctor if there’s no improvement in the child’s condition after 48 hours.
*194/84/5*
