Healthcare and Paediatrics

                                 What to Do If You Think Your Child Has Strep Throat?

Sore throat is a common problem during childhood and is usually the result of a bacterial or viral infection. Although sore throat usually resolves without complications, it sometimes requires treatment with an antibiotic. There are some less common causes of sore throat that are serious or even life-threatening.
The treatment of sore throat depends upon the cause; strep throat is treated with an antibiotic, while viral pharyngitis is treated with rest, pain relievers, and other measures to reduce symptoms.
• Strep throat —Children who are allergic to penicillin will be given an alternate antibiotic. The antibiotic is usually given in pill or liquid form one, two, or three times per day..
• Throat pain can be treated with non-prescription pain medication if needed.
• Viral throat pain — Sore throat caused by viral infections usually lasts four to five days. During this time, treatments to reduce pain may be helpful but will not help to eliminate the virus. Antibiotics do not improve throat pain caused by a virus and are not recommended.
• Pain medications — Throat pain can be treated with a mild pain reliever such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent such as ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin).
• Monitor for dehydration — some children with a sore throat are reluctant to drink or eat due to pain. Drinking less fluid can lead to dehydration. To reduce the risk of dehydration, parents can offer warm or cold liquids.
• Oral rinses — Salt-water gargles are an old standbyhttps://healthcare.healthconferences.org for relief of throat pain. It is not clear if this treatment is effective, but it is unlikely to be harmful. Most recipes suggest 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup (8 ounces [approximately 240 mL]) of warm water. The water should be gargled and then spit out (not swallowed). Children younger than six years usually are not able to gargle properly.
• Sprays — Sprays containing topical anaesthetics are available to treat sore throat.
• Lozenges — A variety of medicated throat lozenges are available to relieve dryness or pain.
• Alternative therapies — Health food stores, vitamin outlets, and websites offer alternative treatments for relief of sore throat pain. We do not recommend these treatments due to the risks of contamination with pesticides/herbicides, inaccurate labelling and dosing information, and a lack of studies showing that these treatments are safe and effective.