Children are frequently exposed to contagious microorganisms which can cause a sore throat. What do you do if your child’s throat is sore? South Valley Ear Nose & Throat physicians weigh in on this topic:
Garner B. Meads, Jr., MD
Sore throats can be very uncomfortable for kids. Although it’s tempting, it’s best not to go to the doctor’s office immediately. Most often the sore throat is a viral infection and is not treatable with antibiotics. Make your child comfortable and watch him or her for a few days. If a high fever is present or it’s very obvious it’s not a viral cold (glands are painful, white puss in the back of the throat), an appointment with a physician is very appropriate.
Brian Peterson, MD
At the office we’ll do a thorough examination of your child to help determine the cause of the sore throat. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, a potential bacterials infection can spread and become a bigger problem. Although rare, bacteria can move to other parts of the body to cause bigger issues like scarlet fever, kidney inflammation, and rheumatic fever.
Ryan Gilbert, MD
If we suspect the sore throat is caused by a bacteria, we can perform a very simple throat culture to determine if it’s strep throat. The first is a ‘rapid’ test which gives us a quick idea of the cause. We can also elect to send the swabbed bacteria for a throat culture. This takes a little longer but is very accurate if we are dealing with strep throat.
Peter Anderson, MD
If the sore throat is viral, we recommend to make your child as comfortable as possible and wait it out. Usually a viral infection goes away in a few days. During this time, make sure your child has a humidifier close by–moist, cool air helps the throat from becoming too dry. Push as much liquid as possible. Also, a bit of hot honey and lemon tea will help soothe the painful symptoms. If your child’s pain is too great, give them a children’s dose of Ibuprofen (like Advil) and/or Acetaminophen (like Tylenol).