Sore Throat: How to Care for Your Child
Lots of kids and teens gets sore throats from time to time. Sore throats are rarely serious. Many can be treated with simple methods at home.
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If your child needs medicine for pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand).
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Do not give aspirin to your child or teen. It can lead to serious medical problems.
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Offer your child plenty of warm or cold liquids.
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If your child is over 5 years old, you can give a hard candy or a lozenge. Don't give these to younger kids because they could choke.
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If your child is over 6 years old, try a saltwater gargle. Mix ¼ teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water and have your child gargle 4–6 times a day.
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Offer your child soft foods that are easy to swallow. Avoid salty, spicy, crunchy, or acidic foods (like citrus fruits), which can irritate a sore throat.
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Let your child rest as needed.
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Follow up with your health care provider as instructed.
Your child:
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is extremely tired
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has throat pain that gets worse
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has a new or higher fever
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develops a rash
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can't drink liquids
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has any of these signs of dehydration:
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a dry or sticky mouth
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peeing less
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no tears when crying
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dizziness or drowsiness
Your child:
What causes a sore throat? Viruses cause most sore throats. Other causes include bacteria, repeated coughing or vomiting, allergies, and secondhand smoke.
What is a throat culture? A throat culture is a test that looks for group A streptococci (also called strep) bacteria. Depending on a child's symptoms, the health care provider might do a throat culture, but it's not always needed. Results from a "rapid" strep test are ready right away, while results from a regular culture take 2–3 days.
Do all sore throats need treatment? A sore throat caused by a virus will get better on its own in 4–5 days. A sore throat caused by bacteria (for example, strep throat) is treated with antibiotics. A sore throat from vomiting or allergies may need other treatment.