Very often, children complain of sore throat when swallowing, which in most cases occurs during the off-season and SARS epidemics. Pain is often accompanied by symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and weakness. The main reason for this, as a rule, is angina and other bacterial and viral lesions of the laryngeal mucosa. In the article we will look at what to do if it hurts for a child to swallow.
Reasons
There are some of the most common reasons why it hurts for a child to swallow, among which are:
- Viral infections. These include flu, parainfluenza, colds, chickenpox, measles, infectious mononucleosis.
- Bacterial infections. These are diphtheria, mycoplasmosis, gonorrhea, chlamydia.
Allergic reactions, esophageal reflux, low mucosal moisture,throat muscle strain.
In addition to the above, factors contributing to the development of these pathological conditions can be:
- cases where the child does not follow the rules of oral hygiene;
- chronic diseases of the nose;
- breathing tobacco smoke when adults smoke regularly in the vicinity;
- prone to allergic reactions;
- impaired immune system functions;
- long stay in a stuffy room;
- exposure to the respiratory system of chemical irritants.
Possible diseases
When it is painful for a child to swallow, this is often accompanied by numerous concomitant phenomena that give an idea of the general picture of the disease, help to find out its causes and make the correct diagnosis. For example, with pharyngitis in children, nasal congestion and abundant mucous discharge from it are observed. This may develop a persistent dry cough.
And sore throat when swallowing in children is a symptom of the following pathologies:
- viral pharyngitis;
- meningitis;
- laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis;
- presence of a foreign object in the throat;
- mucosal injury (for example, fish bone);
- retropharyngeal abscess (in the form of purulent inflammation);
- acute tonsillitis;
- diseases of teeth and periodontal tissues associated with the presence of a focus of infection;
- teething;
- strain of the vocal cords (with prolonged crying);
- neoplasm development;
- thyroid disease.
Let's just look at some of them.
Pain when swallowing with meningitis
Meningitis is an inflammatory pathology of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord of an infectious nature of origin. Symptoms of this disease are a sharp headache, high body temperature, pain when swallowing, impaired consciousness, photosensitivity, etc. The main causes of meningitis are viral, fungal and bacterial infections. Often, such pathologies become a complication of other infectious diseases and in some cases end in the death of the child.
The basis of pathology therapy
The basis of meningitis treatment is antiviral, antibacterial or antifungal therapy, which depends mainly on the causative agent of the disease. It is carried out exclusively in a hospital.
Meningitis in children is more common than in adults, and the number of cases increases significantly in the autumn-winter period. This is facilitated by fluctuations in temperature, hypothermia of the child's body, limited nutrition (insufficient amount of fresh vegetables and fruits).
It hurts for a child to swallow with pharyngitis
During the off-season, it's no surprise that children have sore throats, nasal congestion and severe coughs. And usually viral pharyngitis manifests itself with similar signs. If treatment is not started on time, thena bacterial infection can join the disease and the disease will take a more complex form. In such a case, the course of the disease becomes longer and requires the use of antibacterial agents.
As a rule, with viral pharyngitis, it is painful for a child to swallow, and in addition, this disease is characterized by the following processes: the epithelium of the throat and lymphoid tissue begin to become inflamed when infected with viruses, and if local immunity could not cope with them, the infection actively multiplies. The walls of the throat begin to redden and swell. Nasopharyngeal glands produce clear mucus, causing runny nose symptoms.
What do you find on examination?
Symptoms of viral pharyngitis in children should not be ignored. And usually, when examining a child's throat, they reveal:
- lymphoid follicles on the back wall of the pharynx in the form of tubercles that increase in size, which is a sign of an active immune response - the fight against viral agents;
- mucous epithelium on the arches of the palate and tonsils becomes inflamed, swollen, reddens.
Such changes form the main symptom of pharyngitis - looseness of the surface of the posterior pharyngeal wall. Other symptoms of viral pharyngitis:
- sore throat when swallowing;
- tickle;
- fever accompanied by excessive sweating and weakness;
- cough;
- enlarged cervical lymph nodes;
- temperature increase.
Infectious mononucleosis
And how to treat infectious mononucleosis in children? With him, too, the patientthere is a sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes, as well as the spleen and liver, which are accompanied by a change in the composition of the blood. This disease is dangerous with the possibility of rupture of the spleen. And it is transmitted from the virus carrier both by airborne droplets and by blood transfusion.
There is no specific treatment for this pathology. As a rule, carry out symptomatic therapy. Therefore, it is possible to treat infectious mononucleosis in children at home under the guidance of a pediatrician and an infectious disease specialist. In severe cases, the patient is hospitalized in the infectious diseases department.
Basic principles of treatment
A child complaining of a sore throat should be treated following all the doctor's recommendations. If a bacterial throat infection is identified, antibiotic treatment is recommended. With pathologies of a viral nature, the basis of therapy is immunostimulants and antiviral drugs. Fungal infections of the larynx are treated with antifungal medicines.
If the treatment is carried out with the use of antibiotics, then it is very important to choose a pharmacological preparation that is suitable for the child. The most effective medicines allowed for children is Flemoklav Solutab, which contains clavulanic acid and amoxicillin. These substances destroy bacterial cells, eliminating the inflammatory process. After taking the medicine, the child becomes easier to swallow, his temperature drops, and the cough disappears.
Among antibacterial agentsAmoxiclav, Azithromycin, Summamed, etc. are also used. So that the child does not have allergic reactions and the swelling of the back of the throat disappears, it is recommended to combine antibiotics with antihistamines - Zirtek, Fenistil. Throat remedies for children should be selected by a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable!
If it is painful for a child to swallow due to the development of a viral infection in the throat, the following pharmacological agents are used:
- "Isoprinosine";
- "Anaferon";
- Arbidol;
- "Kagocel";
- Remantadine.
These drugs stop the reproduction of the virus and eliminate the risk of possible complications. After such therapy, the child can swallow food, cough softens, temperature normalizes, inflammation and redness in the throat are eliminated. If a sore throat in a child is provoked by fungal infections, then one of the most effective drugs in this case is Nystatin.
Furacilin treatment
Most often, Furacilin is used to relieve sore throat - an antimicrobial drug for internal or external use, which has a pronounced antiseptic and antibacterial effect. It is produced in several pharmacological forms: tablets, alcohol and aqueous solutions.
The active substance of this medicine is nitrofural, which perfectly copes with pathogens and slows down their growth. In the foci of the inflammatory process, it contacts with cellularshells, causing the death of the infection within 3 minutes.
It should be noted that it is necessary to dilute "Furacilin" for gargling for children only after the patient's five years of age. And it gives effect only with regular use. After the procedure, the effect of the drug lasts for about 40 minutes, so experts recommend doing it every 1-2 hours. The effect of rinsing with "Furacilin" is observed on the 4th day of regular procedures.
Treatment with Miramistin medication
In addition to Furacilin, Miramistin is used to treat a sore throat in adults and children. Instructions for use define it as a broad-spectrum agent with antiseptic properties.
In most cases, it is prescribed for the treatment of ENT organs for the treatment of mucous tonsils and pharynx. The drug showed high efficiency in various inflammatory processes of the oral cavity. It contains an active element - benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride monohydrate, which can penetrate into the cells of pathogenic bacteria, as a result of which they die. The antiseptic does not penetrate the circulatory system and does not affect the internal systems, causing harm to he alth, therefore it is widely prescribed for children.
Instructions for use for "Miramistin" indicates that this medicine is a tasteless, odorless, transparent liquid, which is produced in plastic bottles of various sizes. The drug is produced both in the form of solutions and in the form of sprays. The latter are more convenient to use, especially if they are prescribed to a child: they cantreat hard-to-reach areas. If the baby knows how to gargle, Miramistin can also be prescribed to him in the form of a solution.
It is recommended in cases where the child has a sore throat and painful swallowing, and the following diseases have become the cause of this:
- pharyngitis;
- angina;
- laryngitis;
- tonsillitis.
Treatment of sore throats in children with folk methods
If it hurts for a child to swallow, you can use some folk recipes. Such methods include rinsing, irrigation and lubrication with a variety of solutions, decoctions and infusions that are prepared at home or purchased at a pharmacy. But it must be remembered that the treatment of a child requires great care and consultation with a pediatrician.
If it hurts for a child to swallow, every adult should know how to help. So, for infections of any origin, a plentiful warm drink is recommended, which helps to eliminate toxins and prevents dehydration. To do this, teas are brewed from linden, cranberries, rose hips, raspberries, sage, currant leaves. In order not to irritate the mucous membrane, such teas should not be overly acidic.
Rinses
Parents often ask what to give their child with laryngitis and other throat diseases. Basically, doctors recommend rinsing. The following recipes apply to them:
- Decoction of eucalyptus, which is known for its antiseptic action. For rinsing, you need a teaspoon of crushedboil eucalyptus leaves in water and gargle with a solution of throat 2 times a day.
- Infusion of sage. The effectiveness of this medicinal plant is explained by the presence of cineole in it, a natural antiseptic. Rinsing with such an infusion has an analgesic, regenerating and hemostatic effect. The infusion is prepared from a tablespoon of raw materials and a glass of water.
- Infusion of calendula flowers perfectly relieves irritation of the throat mucosa, disinfects it. To gargle a child, you need to make an infusion from a teaspoon of dry raw materials and 300 ml of water.
- Mint decoction for gargling in children gives pain relief and a slight cooling effect. It is used for moderate discomfort in the throat.
- Infusion of plantain is used for sore throats in children. For cooking, you need to take 50 g of medicinal raw materials, brew in a liter of boiling water. It is necessary to insist the remedy for about an hour, then strain and use for rinsing.
- Gourdweed is a very effective medicinal plant when it hurts for a child to swallow. To make a decoction, you need 15 g of grass and 100 ml of water. The mixture is boiled over low heat, after which it is allowed to infuse.
- Chamomile infusion is a well-known and effective remedy for hygiene and throat treatment in children. A tablespoon of herbs is brewed in boiling water, filtered and rinsed.
Natural honey
If the child does not suffer from allergies, you can use folk remedies based on natural honey. For example, a very popular drugis an infusion of lemon and honey. For its preparation, squeezed juice of 3 lemons is taken, which is mixed with a glass of honey. When it is painful for a child to swallow, you can give him a teaspoon of this mixture to dissolve every hour. By the end of the first day, this method of treatment helps to significantly reduce inflammation of the throat and relieve severe pain.
We hope now you know if it hurts your child to swallow, how to treat him and how to alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
