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What is a sore throat?

A sore throat is an irritation of the throat that includes the back of the mouth and down the neck.

Sore throats are usually caused by a virus, bacteria, sinus drainage, or allergies.

Most sore throats are caused by a virus, but some are caused by the “strep” bacteria.

What are the symptoms of a sore throat?

  • Throat pain or scratchiness

  • Difficulty swallowing

  • Fever

  • Irritability

Home care

Your child should be evaluated in our office. Please call our office today for an appointment.

Your child may need to be treated with a prescription medicine if he  or she has an infection in the throat with the “strep” bacteria.

If your child seems to have a mild illness and is not taking in as  much by mouth, try increasing fluid intake by offering small amounts  more often.

  • For children under one year of age, give 1-2 ounces of formula, breast milk, or rehydration therapy (e.g. Pedialyte®, Rehydrate®, Infalyte®) every 30 minutes to an hour.

  • Do not give children under 2 large amounts of water.

  • Older children who are more severely dehydrated (see warning signs) should be given only rehydration therapy.

Try a salt water gargle for your child’s sore throat.

Use acetaminophen (Tylenol®, Tempra®, or Panadol®) or ibuprofen  (Advil®, Motrin®) for pain and discomfort. Avoid ibuprofen if your child  is dehydrated or unable to take anything by mouth.

Follow the package instructions to determine the appropriate dose by your child’s WEIGHT or age for acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Do not use aspirin because of the increased risk of Reye’s Syndrome with certain infections.

If your child gets a prescription:

  • Fill it right away and give the medicine as directed.

  • Continue giving the medicine for the prescribed number of days even if your child feels better.

  • Not taking the full course of medication can cause the infection to return and become harder to treat.

Warning signs – Call our office for advice if:

Your child cannot talk, Call Our Office Now.

Your child has trouble breathing, increasing difficulty swallowing, or begins to drool, Call Our Office Now.

Your child develops a rash, Call Our Office Now.

Your child’s sore throat lasts longer than a week, Call Our Office Now.

Your child has any signs of dehydration such as no tears while  crying, dry lips and mouth, fewer wet diapers (around 6 per day is  normal), or sunken eyes, Call Our Office Now.

Your child develops a fever, please refer to the fever page.

You have any questions or concerns, or if you have any doubts about the severity of your child’s symptoms, Call Our Office Now.

Sore Throat

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