Sore throat is common in children, and you can expect your kid to suffer from it a few times every year. Winter is the high-risk phase as kids spend more time together indoors, giving strep and viruses an opportunity to spread. It is crucial to understand when it is the right time to treat the child at home or see a specialist. Essentially, a sore throat is only a symptom with varying causes, such as a strep infection or viral infection. Your child is most likely to pick it up in school, though it may also be an outcome of an old upper respiratory infection. It may happen due to dryness in the air. Whatever the reason, you must watch out for signs indicating the need to get help. Here are some cues that you must visit a pediatrician sooner than later.
Pain and trouble in swallowing
Pain is a sign you should never ignore, though it may be hard to detect for younger children. The child seems to complain of pain at all times, and it does not get better with home remedies. Your kid may have trouble swallowing when the pain aggravates. Loss of appetite or changes in food preferences may follow. At a point, the youngster may even have trouble drinking water. Young children may start drooling because they are unable to swallow their secretions. Watch out for these red flags because they indicate your child needs immediate attention. You must take them to a specialist for evaluation right away.
High fever
High fever is another cause of concern and warrants a checkup by a pediatrician. While many viral infections may cause high fevers, it is mainly a sign of strep throat infection. The child may develop pus on the tonsils along with high fevers in this case. Your child will need to get a throat swab to rule out the possibility. If the test comes positive, the doctor will start antibiotic treatment. Strep infections cannot possibly be treated with home remedies, and they require medical attention. So make sure you do not ignore these signs and get help on time.
Recurring episodes
Although kids may have a sore throat often, you cannot leave recurring episodes to chance. If it happens more than six times a year, further investigation is necessary. Recurring infections mean that your kid may require tonsillectomy as a permanent solution. Also, keep track of the duration of the problem. If the child does not improve within a week, a pediatrician visit is a must. Watch out for signs like high fever, ear pain, loss of appetite, drooling, and not swallowing. Even if some of them happen together, you must take the child to the doctor without delay.
Sore throat is treatable with rest and good hydration in most cases, but things are different if the kid has a strep infection. The condition requires timely and apt treatment from a specialist. Keep track of these signs and get help before the problem worsens because you will not want your child to be in pain.