Sore Throats And Children
Sore throats are very common in children. They are usually caused by a virus. The child will normally also have a runny rose, cough, sore ears, a fever, be tired and be off their food.
It is more likely to be strep throat if the child is older than 3 years and if they have swollen glands in the neck, swollen, red tonsils with white spots, a rash and vomiting.
If youre not sure about your childs symptoms, or you are worried, see your doctor.
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Best Natural Remedies For A Sore Throat
Zarbee’s products are more than 96% honey, which is one of the best natural remedies for a sore throat as it helps suppress coughing.
Pros: Natural ingredients no processed sugars, artificial colors, or artificial flavors tasty
Cons: Expensive, not suitable for kids under 5
“Honey is great because it coats the throat,” Richard Bowen, PA-C, a primary care provider in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Georgetown, SC told Insider. This reduces the irritation, which is why some use honey to soothe burns. As an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral, studies show that honey can help with all kinds of healing.
Bowen says honey won’t get rid of your cold, but he does feel that it is a great natural remedy for a sore throat as it soothes the pain and irritation by tackling the inflammation.
In fact, naturopathic doctor Melanie Keller, ND, says that honey is her first recommendation for any cold symptoms. “Honey has been used both as food and medicine since ancient times.” She adds that research shows honey has an inhibitory effect on around 60 species of bacteria and some fungi and viruses.
We like Zarbee’s cough drops in particular because its formula is entirely honey and natural flavorings, so there’s more of the natural medicine and no processed sugars, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. The medicine comes in lozenge form, so it’s less messy than a liquid-based honey formula. And most of all, it tastes good.
How Is Strep Throat Treated
Strep throat is treated using antibiotics. An antibiotic is a type of medicine that kills the bacteria that cause the infection.
Antibiotics are often taken as pills or given as a shot. Penicillin and amoxicillin are common antibiotics used to treat strep throat. Other antibiotics are ordered for people who are allergic to penicillin.
Your healthcare provider may give your child a shot or prescribe an antibiotic in either pill or liquid form. The pills or liquid are usually taken for 10 days. Follow your healthcare providers instructions. Your child should take all of the medication, even if he or she feels better. The bacteria can still be alive even if your child feels okay.
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Best Home Remedy For Sore Throat
Numi Ginger Lemon Tea combines soothing heat from the warm water with natural throat soothers.
Pros: Tea is a great way to rehydrate and soothe your throat, cost-effective
Cons: May not be strong enough for severe pain
While Dr. Domingo is a big fan of Chloraseptic spray, she says warm water tea is actually her first recommendation to patients, since it keeps you hydrated and may potentially help open up your airways. “I usually recommend hot water with lemon as well as ginger tea.” She adds that Numi has all of that combined, along with an ingredient panel that gets a thumbs up.
Dr. Keller also likes this easy, natural remedy for a sore throat. Its ingredients of gGinger, lemongrass licorice, and lemon verbena “may help to decrease inflammation and soothe irritation in the lining of the throat,” she explains.
And she likes that it contains antioxidant-packed decaf green tea, pointing to a 2016 Iranian study that found gargling green tea was more effective at lowering sore throat pain for patients who had had a tube down their throat during surgery, compared to water.
When I tried Numi Ginger Lemon Tea, I thought the taste was decent, though I did find the licorice root to be slightly off-putting. Nonetheless, the tea was still quite drinkable. It would be good with a bit more added honey in it . As is, this tea is an especially great option for children with a sore throat, like Dr. Domingo’s pediatric patients.
How Well Do Antibiotics Work To Treat A Sore Throat
Antibiotics dont work at all for a sore throat caused by a virus. These kinds of sore throats usually go away on their own in 4 to 5 days.
If you have strep throatwhich is caused by bacteriayour doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, such as penicillin. But strep throat goes away on its own in 3 to 7 days with or without antibiotics.
Antibiotics may not make you well faster. But they may shorten the time you are able to spread strep throat to others by a day or so.
Antibiotics may also lower the risk of a bacterial infection spreading to other parts of your body, such as your ears and sinuses. They can also prevent serious but rare problems such as rheumatic fever in children.
Antibiotics may cause side effects, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin rashes.
Besides side effects, there are other good reasons not to use antibiotics unless you really need them.
- Antibiotics cost money.
- You will probably have to see the doctor to get a prescription. This costs you time.
- If you take antibiotics when you dont need them, they may not work when you do need them. Each time you take antibiotics, you are more likely to carry some bacteria that were not killed by the medicine. Over time, these bacteria get tougher and can cause longer and more serious infections. To treat them, you may need different, stronger, and more costly antibiotics.
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How Reliable Are Home Strep Tests
Rapid strep tests arent 100 percent accurate. According to a 2016 review, they correctly identify strep throat in 86 percent of people who have it. Based on these results, the test would return a negative result for 14% of those who have strep throat. This is known as a false negative result.
Its also important to use strep tests correctly for the most accurate results. Doctors and nurses go through training to learn how to effectively collect throat swabs. But for someone without any medical training, it can be hard to do initially.
Still, a 2017 study found that, under supervision of clinic staff, 71 out of 76 parents were able to successfully obtain a throat swab sample from their child after watching a short instructional video.
If your child gets sore throats often, considering asking a doctor to show you how to properly collect a throat swab on your own.
But home tests still carry the same risk of producing a false negative. Doctors can combat this by doing a throat swab culture. This involves taking collecting another throat swab and sending it off to a lab.
If you have strep throat, the lab will be able to grow GAS bacteria from your sample. This test isnt available for home use, and the results take a few days to come in.
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What Matters Most To You
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to take antibiotics for a sore throat
Reasons not to take antibiotics for a sore throat
I want to take medicine even if theres only a chance it will help me get well faster.
I may not want to take medicine if it wont help me get well faster.
Im worried about my sore throat turning into an ear infection or sinus infection.
Im not worried about my sore throat turning into an ear infection or sinus infection.
Im not worried about the risk of taking antibiotics too often.
Im worried about the risks of taking antibiotics too often.
Ive had a sore throat for more than a week, and its not getting better.
Ive had a sore throat for just a few days.
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How Soon Will They Start Working
Antibiotics start working right away and you should be feeling better within one to two days. The sore throat will feel better right away if you gargle with salt water , or if you use throat lozenges
If itâs been longer than two to three days and youâre still feeling under the weather, or if you are feeling worse, talk to your doctor to see if something else is going on.
Strep Throat Treatment Options
If your strep test comes back positive, your healthcare provider will most likely prescribe an antibiotic treatment. Once treatment starts, you should feel improvement within a day or two. It is very important to finish your antibiotics even if you feel better because strep throat can cause serious complications, such as rheumatic fever or glomerulonephritis , or turn into other serious infections within the streptococcal infection group, such as scarlet fever or impetigo. To manage the symptoms of strep throat there are over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen to reduce fever and pain, and at-home remedies like drinking plenty of water.
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What Else Do You Need To Make Your Decision
Check the facts
- Youâre right. Most of the time, sore throats go away on their own. It may take a few days or up to a week, depending on the cause.
- Sorry, thatâs not right. Most of the time, sore throats go away on their own. It may take a few days or up to a week, depending on the cause.
- It may help to go back and read âGet the Facts.â Most of the time, sore throats go away on their own. It may take a few days or up to a week, depending on the cause.
- Youâre right. Taking antibiotics too often or when you donât need them can be harmful and costly. The medicine may not work the next time you take it when you really do need it.
- Sorry, thatâs not right. Taking antibiotics too often or when you donât need them can be harmful and costly. The medicine may not work the next time you take it when you really do need it.
- It may help to go back and read âGet the Facts.â Taking antibiotics too often or when you donât need them can be harmful and costly. The medicine may not work the next time you take it when you really do need it.
When Should I Get An At
There are no universal guidelines for when to use at-home strep testing. But if you have sore throat symptoms coupled with fever and swollen lymph nodes, those symptoms could indicate a Strep A bacterial throat infection. If you are asymptomatic but have been in close contact with someone who has strep throat, you might want to take an at-home strep test to see if you are a carrier to avoid spreading the illness. Theres no harm in home testing if you have a sore throat.
Strep A is most common in children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 15. For this reason, doctors are more likely to test for strep throat in people of these ages if they have symptoms like a sudden sore throat, a fever, enlarged lymph nodes, or a rash.
However, a strep A test is not always done in people with a sore throat. In many cases, sore throat is caused by a viral infection. Viral infections often trigger additional symptoms like a runny nose or coughing. As a result, doctors may reserve strep A testing for situations when sore throat occurs without other symptoms of a viral infection.
Routine strep A testing is not usually used in adults or in children under three years old. In these groups, it is rare for strep throat to cause complications, so it is less important to detect a strep A infection early. However, a doctor is in the best position to assess the appropriateness of strep testing.
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Sore Throats In Children
Sore throats are a common childhood ailment. Theyre often caused by viruses and will get better in four or five days. If your child is running a fever of 101°F or higher, pay a visit to the pediatrician. A fever could be a sign of strep throat. Because strep is caused by bacteria, it needs to be treated with an antibiotic.
You can relieve the pain of your childs sore throat with medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen . Just check with your pediatrician first if your child is less than six months old. Dont give aspirin to kids younger than 18, because of the risk of a rare but serious condition called Reyes syndrome.
Here are a few other ways to relieve your childs throat pain:
- Mix 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of warm water, and have your child gargle with it. Kids over the age of 6 are usually old enough to gargle without swallowing.
- Give your child warm liquids, such as chicken broth or tea. Kids over a year old can have a little honey mixed into the tea to soothe their throat.
- Let your child suck on something cold, such as an ice pop.
Avoid using sore throat sprays on children. These products contain the anesthetic benzocaine , which can cause an allergic reaction in some kids.
You dont have to endure a sore throat. Plenty of OTC treatments and home remedies can help you find relief from the pain and discomfort.
If the pain doesnt improve, see your doctor. Also make an appointment if you:
How Do People Get Strep Throat
Students tend to get strep throat most often during the school year, with peaks in winter and early spring, when big groups of people are close together.
The bacteria that cause strep throat tend to hang out in the nose and throat, so sneezing, coughing, or shaking hands can easily spread the strep infection from one person to another. Thats why its so important to wash your hands as often as possible.
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Description Of The Intervention
The administration of antibiotics is likely to shorten the time to the remittance of symptoms and reduce the likelihood of complications in patients whose sore throat has a bacteriological aetiology . However, their benefits may be limited in the treatment of sore throat more generally . Traditionally, doctors have attempted to decide whether the cause of the infection is bacterial, especially when caused by the group A betahaemolytic Streptococcus . However, deciding the aetiological agent is difficult .
Whats The Best Way To Avoid Getting Strep Throat
Strep is pretty common, and most people will get it at some point in their lives. But there are some common sense ways to avoid it:
-
Wash your hands regularly and correctly
-
If youâre sick, wear a mask to avoid spreading respiratory droplets
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Avoid prolonged contact with someone who is sick
-
Donât share drink glasses or food with a sick person
If you practice good standard hygiene, itâll go a long way toward reducing your chances of getting strep.
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Antibiotics Get You Well Fast
Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics. Either penicillin or amoxicillin are recommended as a first choice for people who are not allergic to penicillin. Doctors can use other antibiotics to treat strep throat in people who are allergic to penicillin.
Benefits of antibiotics include:
- Preventing the bacteria from spreading to others
- Preventing serious complications like rheumatic fever
Someone who tests positive for strep throat but has no symptoms usually does not need antibiotics. They are less likely to spread the bacteria to others and very unlikely to get complications. If a carrier gets a sore throat illness caused by a virus, the rapid strep test can be positive. In these cases it can be hard to know what is causing the sore throat. If someone keeps getting a sore throat after taking the right antibiotics, they may be a strep carrier and have a viral throat infection. Talk to a doctor if you think you or your child may be a strep carrier.
What Is The Difference Between Strep Throat And A Sore Throat
Sore throat describes the symptoms of having a painful throat. Strep throat means that the sore throat is caused by a particular bacteria, group A streptococcus. While most causes of sore throat will go away on their own, strep throat is treated with antibiotics to prevent complications like rheumatic fever.
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Best Sore Throat Remedies To Make You Feel Better Fast According To Doctors
Some home remedies only mask painbut these solutions can help you get rid of your sore throat completely.
Sore throat symptoms can be rough. Your saliva goes down like sandpaper, every cough makes you wince, and the only thing you can think about is making that lump in the back of your throat go away.
But to ease the pain, you need to understand whats causing your sore throat in the first place: dry air, smoking, acid reflux, viral infections like the flu or common cold, and bacterial infections like strep can all lead to a sore throat.
In general, a viral infection usually comes with other symptoms, like muscle aches and fatigue, along with your sore throat, says Chester Griffiths MD, an otolaryngologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. With a bacterial infection, on the other hand, the pain is usually more focused on your throat and the soreness tends to be pretty severe, Dr. Griffiths says. You may also have intense pain when you swallow, along with a high fever.
Exposure to smoke, breathing in dry air, and having acid reflux tends to feel very different from an infection, says Jason Abramowitz, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at ENT and Allergy Associates. Usually patients do not feel as sick overall the pain is also usually not as severe, he says.
