What to do if a child has a sore throat and fever?

A child's throat can either get sick by itself or become a symptom of a certain disease. At the same time, the high temperature often rises. What to do if your child has a sore throat and fever, you will learn by reading this article.

If a child has a sore throat, this in itself already indicates the fact of an inflammatory process in the body. Most likely a child has a viral infection. The temperature in this case performs an important immune function - as it rises, the existence of the virus in the body becomes difficult.

In some cases, the child has a sore throat due to infection with bacteria or fungi. With such diseases, high fever is also a sign of immunity, but already with pathogenic bacteria. It is not necessary to lower the increased temperature, which is at subfebrile values ​​(37.0-37.5), with the slowing down of the interferon production process, which means that the recovery is also delayed.

Antipyretic drugs should be given to the child after the temperature "step over" mark 38.0-38.5. The younger the child, the more quickly it should respond to high fever, because there is a high risk of febrile seizures. Heat in 39.0-40.0 degrees should be reduced immediately.

A fever almost always accompanies a sore throat - inflammation of the tonsils, which is officially called in medicine (acute tonsillitis). When her throat has the characteristic visual signs - reddened tonsil, possible plaque, the appearance of purulent or necrotic fragments.

Pain when swallowing white throat of a child appear when fungal infections, the temperature at them can be both normal and subfebrile - up to 37.5 degrees. The heat above 39.0 will rise only if the fungal infection is complicated and spreads to the internal organs through the bloodstream.

When allergic problems with the throat, the temperature rises extremely rarely, as well as with pain caused by mechanical damage to the throat, burns or hypothermia.

If a child complains of a sore throat and the thermometer shows a fever, you should carefully examine the baby’s throat, note its color, the presence of ulcers, vesicles, ulcers, plaque on the tonsils, throat, pharynx and tongue. Then you need to carefully examine the skin of the toddler - whether he has pimples, rashes, blemishes. After that, you should call your doctor, because only a specialist can assess the totality of symptoms, conduct laboratory tests and establish the true cause of sore throat and fever.

Call an ambulance immediately after a serious condition of the child - if the temperature is above 39.0 and keeps - despite the use of antipyretic drugs.Emergency situations include neck edema, shortness of breath, seizures, and severe vomiting. While doctors are on the way, you will need to give the child first aid.

First aid for sore throat (with concomitant heat) is to create an atmosphere of complete rest. The baby needs to be put to bed, turn on interesting cartoons or read a book to him, to occupy him, if only the crumb did not try to talk - and even more so to shout. Additional load on the vocal cords at the very beginning of the disease is contraindicated.

At temperatures above 38.5 degrees (and for children up to 3 years, the 38.0 degrees mark is considered “critical”) an antipyretic agent should be given. Children are allowed to use Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Both drugs may have a slight analgesic effect, which is important if the sore throat is very strong. "Aspirin" is contraindicated in children.

The child must be watered, even if he refuses to drink. Failure is understandable - swallow pain. However, without fluid, the situation may be complicated by dehydration. At a temperature, the child loses a large amount of heat and fluid, he sweats, and these losses require urgent replenishment. Drink should be warm. If the baby refuses to drink from the bottle, you should give the liquid a spoon (often - almost constantly, until he sleeps). If vomiting is added to the throat or fever, you should immediately call an ambulance.

It is better to drink tea, unsweetened compote (preferably from dried fruit), fruit drink. The temperature of the drink should be equal to the body temperature so that the fluid can be absorbed by the body as quickly as possible. Too sweet, carbonated, sour drinks, juices and milk should be avoided.

The main therapy should be prescribed by a doctor who will find out the exact name and origin of the disease. For bacterial infections of the child, antibiotics may be prescribed. At the same time, a fairly common treatment regimen implies a two-day pause.

During the first two days, the child is prescribed only local treatment of the throat - “Miramistin», «Vinyl". If necessary, appoint a means of temperature. If on the third day the heat does not decrease, antibiotics of the penicillin group are prescribed ("Amosin», «Amoxicillin" other). In cases with small children, extensive inflammatory processes do not wait two days, antibiotics are prescribed immediately.

In case of fungal infections, a long-term (at least 14 days) therapy with antifungal agents is prescribed, which should be taken in combination - antifungal spray in the throat, nose drops and pills inside.

If the throat hurts because of the long-term exposure of the allergens to the child’s body, the doctor will advise to humidify the air, air more often, remove carpets and soft toys from the children's room, as well as everything that is able to accumulate dust. Mother will have to do cleaning without chlorine-containing products, and laundry should be washed only with baby powder. From the diet of the child will need to eliminate all foods that may cause allergies.

Of the drugs may be recommended antihistamines "Suprastin" and "Loratadine", As well as local antiseptics in the throat ("Miramistin»).

In case of a viral infection (which is more than 80% of all cases associated with fever and sore throat), antiviral agents can be prescribed. However, today doctors believe that these drugs do not have proven efficacy, and therefore their use is not justified. It is believed that the best treatment is the lack of treatment in the broad sense of the word. The child needs to create good conditions to activate his own immunity, then in 3-5 days he will be able to completely defeat the infection.

These conditions include cool air in a room with a relative humidity of at least 50%.Create such a microclimate help room thermometer and a special device - a humidifier. If it is not there, you can arrange basins with water in the apartment, wet towels can be hung on the batteries during the heating season.

It is recommended as often as possible to instil saline solution into the nose, which can be easily prepared from a teaspoon of salt and a liter of boiled water. The same solution can gargle. This is necessary so that the mucus in the throat and nasopharynx, which in the liquid state has an important antiviral effect, does not thicken and does not dry out.

• Treat the child with folk remedies can only be with the permission of the doctor, because some advice "healers" can harm the baby. It is necessary to completely abandon the use of honey rinses, if the child is under 3 years old. Herbal decoctions for rinsing should not be given to children with allergies. To bad advice can also be attributed to the advice soar legs, pour mustard into socks and rubbing the chest and neck badger fat.
• If a child with a high temperature is wiped with cold water (with or without vinegar), as well as vodka or other alcohol-containing remedy, the process of heat transfer is disturbed, which is fraught with spasms of blood vessels, loss of consciousness, the occurrence of seizures. This should not be done.
• Warming compresses on the throat at a temperature they do not impose, since warming up intensifies the inflammatory process.

• Do not inhalesince they are absolutely contraindicated in case of heat, and after a decrease in temperature they are practically useless. Inhalation can be done with the permission of the doctor, with diseases of the lower respiratory system - the bronchi and lungs. In the treatment red throat Neither steam nor ultrasonic inhalers are needed. This also applies to nebulizers.
• During treatment of a sore throat, a child may refuse food., to force him to eat by force is by no means impossible. If he asks to eat, then the dishes should be crushed with a blender, so that all of them are soft, puree, not traumatic for a sore throat.

• During the entire course of treatment You should follow a diet that excludes sour, sweet, spicy, spices, pickled foods and canned goods.
• A child can walk immediately after how the temperature drops to normal.

What to do with sore throat will tell Dr. Komarovsky.