Problems affect throat are common in young children. Let us take a look at the common throat problems in children and how to take care of such problems.Tonsillitis
Tonsils do the job of a watchman. Their role is to warn the body about a possible infection. The tonsils, located at the back of the throat, trap the infection that enters through the mouth and attempts to localize it in the throat. The symptoms of tonsillitis are a sore throat, and red and swollen tonsils that may have white patches on them.
Treatment:Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics to deal with the infection. Ice cream and cold liquids will soothe your child's throat. Earlier, it was quite common to have a child's tonsils removed. Today, a tonsillectomy is only considered if a child has severe and frequent attacks leading to ear infection and deafness. Tonsillitis can lead to middle ear infection and chronic deafness.
Strep Throat in Children
During the
winter months it is not unusual for children to catch an illness known as strep throat. It is a kind of
bacterial infection caused by a member of the bacteria family known as streptococcus. This type of infection is found especially in children of the age group give to fifteen. Children who are younger than these are generally not at threat from these bacteria. It is one of the most common throat diseases that children are afflicted to.
All about Strep Throat
Strep throat is an infectious disease and children can get easily get it from some friends or classmates. Germs are usually transmitted through nasal secretions and saliva of the infected child. If one child gets it in the house or at school, other children soon start to get the same affliction, as the bacteria spreads very soon. Children are generally not careful when they sneeze or cough and other children who come in contact can easily get the disease.
Fever – the first Symptom
Soon after the child gets the infection, symptoms start from the third or fifth day. The bacteria spread through the blood very fast, with the first symptom being
fever. Strep throat has many symptoms but it is difficult to detect the infection as the symptoms are similar to several other diseases. Some children can get very high fever, while some get really mild fever. There is difference in severity of symptom from child to child.
Sore Throat
Your child will get a sore throat but that is a symptom common to several
viral diseases. The sore throat may get really bad to the point that your child cannot swallow any food or drink without feeling pain. Like in
tonsils, the glands of the theist might swell up and become really red. Some children also get white patches on the throat region while many may not. The taste buds on the tongue can get really red and swollen, it is called strawberry marks. It causes difficulty in eating anything. Your child may feel a scraping on their tongue.
Swollen Neck and Lymph Nodes
Swollen neck and lymph nodes are other common symptoms of throat problem. Your child might have a loss of the desire to eat. She might be having high fever or mild fever all the time. It also causes shivering and chills. Headache and congested nasal cavity might be experienced. The muscles and joints may pain and become stiff. Your child might not feel like getting up from bed. She might also get pain in the abdomen and might also experience some nausea.
It is advisable that if the symptoms are observed, your child should be taken to a paediatrician immediately as she can determine best if it is a case of some throat problem.
Treatment:If the doctors confirms after tests that it a strep throat, sore throat or swollen neck and lymph nodes, he can prescribe treatments. He will subscribe antibiotics which must be taken to completely destroy the bacterial or viral infection in the body. Even after treatment is being conducted, your child is contagious so try to keep her indoors and away from other children. If not treated, strep thrust bacteria can stay for twenty one days in the body. The symptoms will stop if proper antibiotics are given; else your child has to suffer for a long time. Taking proper medicines prevent any complications.
Give your child lots of liquids to drink as it flushes out bacterial or viral infection in the body. Soups and salt water gurgles really help. See that you do not make your child drink fruit juices that have acidic content. Make sure that you complete the full dosage, so that complications are prevented. If bacteria are not cleansed, it can sometimes reach the heart through blood stream and cause diseases like rheumatic fever. It can also cause inflammation of kidneys and scarcely fever.
