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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can take a number of steps to reduce your child's discomfort and pain.
- Treat fever and pain. Consult your doctor about using ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to control the fever and minimize throat pain. You may also put a lukewarm cloth on your child's forehead to cool the fever if he or she doesn't have chills.
- Provide adequate fluids. Give your child plenty of water to keep the throat moist and prevent dehydration.
- Prepare a saltwater gargle. If your child is able to gargle water, give him or her salty water to gargle and then spit out. This may ease the throat pain.
- Humidify the air. Use a cool-air humidifier to eliminate dry air that may further irritate a sore throat.
- Offer lozenges. Children older than age 4 can suck on lozenges to relieve a sore throat.
- Provide comforting foods. Warm liquids such as soup and cold treats like popsicles can soothe a sore throat.
- Avoid irritants. Keep your home free from cigarette smoke and cleaning products that can irritate the throat.
References
- Arumugam V, et al. Scarlet fever. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119790350-5/802768093/1701/530.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50022-7--cesec71_11163. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Exanthems and drug eruptions. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119754552-5/802599473/1195/85.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50016-9--cesec21_1617. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Gerber MA. Group A streptococcus. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics.18th ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119754552-5/802599473/1608/526.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50184-5--cesec9_4149. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Streptococcal and enterococcal infections. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch171/ch171d.html. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Scarlet fever. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=familydoctor&lic=44&article_set=22939. American Academy of Family Physicians. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Fever in infants and children. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/504.html. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Leslie DL, et al. Neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection: A case-control study among privately insured children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2008;47:1166.
- Group A streptococcal infections. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/streptococcal/default.htm. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- Scarlet fever. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/scarletfever_g.htm. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
- PANDAS. Pediatrics & Developmental Neuroscience Branch. http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/pdn/web.htm. Accessed Feb. 10, 2009.
