Treatment of pharyngitis in children at home

Pharyngitis is a disease of the larynx and lymphoid tissues, the causes of which are often viral infections, and less often bacteria. The disease can be either acute or chronic. With the development of pharyngitis, the patient experiences the manifestation of the main symptom caused by an increase in body temperature. An elevated temperature means the immune system is resisting viruses and bacteria that have entered the body. Everyone knows that at elevated temperatures it should be reduced, since at a critical value a person can die. Let's figure out what this disease is, how it manifests itself, and what means can be used to reduce the fever.

How does pharyngitis manifest?

The primary signs of pharyngitis are the following types of ailments: runny nose, general malaise and the development of headache. With further spread of the virus, a severe cough develops, as well as a sore throat. If the symptoms of cough, fever and dry throat last for a long time over one week, then we can conclude that the disease is bacterial in nature.

In addition to the above-mentioned symptoms, the patient may experience redness of the mucous membrane, which can be detected by visual examination, as well as swelling of the lymph nodes and pain when swallowing. All of the above symptoms are characteristic primarily of the acute form of pharyngitis. With chronic pharyngitis, only some symptoms may appear in a mild form. With acute pharyngitis, the temperature can rise quickly enough to 39 degrees. Such a high temperature can be reduced with the help of antipyretic drugs.

It is important to know! With chronic pharyngitis, patients experience maintenance of low-grade fever, that is, its low value throughout the entire period of the disease.

If the temperature rises in children with pharyngitis, then there is no need to worry about it, the main thing is to take timely measures to reduce it. Many parents try to give their child medicine against the virus, which is wrong. All that parents should do if they detect a child’s temperature above 38 degrees is to give an antipyretic. After the temperature drops, you should consult a doctor who will make a diagnosis and prescribe a drug that will quickly and effectively combat viruses or bacteria.

It is important to know! Depending on whether the cause of pharyngitis is a virus or bacteria, the treatment method will differ.

How long can a high temperature last?

Every parent wonders how long a child’s fever with pharyngitis will last? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to initially find out the cause of provoking the disease.

With pharyngitis in children and adults, the temperature can last for a couple of days or several weeks. If the temperature lasts from one to three days, then this indicates a viral cause of the disease. When the temperature does not decrease for more than three days, this means that the disease is bacterial in nature, which is a more complex form of the disease. In order to cure bacterial pharyngitis, you will need to resort to taking antibiotics, which only the attending physician can prescribe.

When visiting a doctor, be sure to inform him about how many days the patient’s temperature lasts. Based on this information, the doctor will be able to predict the complexity of the disease. Medicines are prescribed only after the patient has been tested and the doctor is convinced of what actually causes the development of inflammatory processes in the pharyngeal mucosa.

What is needed to reduce body temperature in children

If parents assume that the child has a fever, then there is no need to rush to use antipyretics. First, you should use a thermometer and find out the exact temperature value. If the child is small, then measuring the temperature with a thermometer is quite difficult, but in any case, giving antipyretics without information is strictly prohibited.

In many children with the development of pharyngitis, body temperature is maintained within a range of no higher than 37.2 degrees. With this value, it is not necessary to knock it down, since the child’s immunity is able to independently cope with viruses that infect the body. If the value is above 38 degrees, then you should resort to the use of antipyretics. Children can be given the following types of antipyretic drugs:

• Paracetamol, as well as medications that contain this component, such as Panadol.
• Ibuprofen, which has also proven itself to be good.

Such drugs can be given to children from three months, which is their main advantage over other antipyretic drugs. If the temperature persists for the third day while taking antipyretic drugs, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe the necessary medications for treatment.

After taking an antipyretic drug, a decrease in temperature occurs in approximately 1-1.5 hours. If rectal suppositories are used, the process can begin after 20-40 minutes. If the child’s body temperature does not rise to 38 degrees, this does not mean that he can not bring it down. To reduce body temperature to 38 degrees, you should resort to the following actions:

• Give your child plenty of fluids, preferably in the form of warm water. This will prevent the development of signs of dehydration. You can also give your child a variety of natural juices, fruit drinks, compotes, and also give warm tea with honey and lemon. It is recommended to feed the child frequently, but in small quantities.
• At temperatures above 37 degrees, the child will shiver, so it is recommended to cover him with a warm blanket. It is imperative to control the air humidity in the room, avoiding overdrying it. It is unacceptable to create a draft in the room. You can only ventilate the room when the patient is not in it.
• Apply compresses or wipe it with water at room temperature. Applying a cold roller to your head is prohibited, as this will worsen the situation.
• Give your child ascorbic acid, which will help boost immunity.
• Use antiviral suppositories that have an effect on viral microorganisms. If, after using suppositories, the child feels normal, then this therapy should be continued for several days.

It is necessary to go to the hospital in the following cases:

1. If the patient (adults or children) has a high fever for more than 3 days.
2. If you experience convulsions and difficulty breathing.
3. If every day the intensity of pain in the throat becomes more and more pronounced.
4. With the development of dehydration of the body.

If you can't bring down the temperature

Situations often arise in which patients have not only a low-grade fever, but also a high temperature. If it is not possible to knock it down with traditional drugs, then you can use No-Shpa tablets. For children from one to 6 years old, it is allowed to give a quarter of a tablet; older children can be given a half of a tablet.

You should resort to taking No-Shpa only if the patient has a strong fever, and standard antipyretic drugs do not reduce it. If you do not help the body, vascular spasm may develop. No-Spa allows you to relieve spasms in blood vessels, due to the fact that antipyretic components enter the blood and spread throughout the body, providing the necessary effect.

After taking the No-Shpa tablet, a positive effect occurs in the form of a decrease in temperature after 15-30 minutes. No-Shpu should be used in exceptional cases, but often with the correct use of rectal suppositories, this is not necessary.

How to lower the temperature is not recommended

Folk methods of dealing with high temperatures are passed down from generation to generation. Such methods may have been effective and popular in the past, but today doctors do not recommend resorting to their use. It follows from this that lowering the temperature using the methods described below is strictly prohibited:

• alcohol wipes;
• using vinegar to wipe the skin;
• wrapping the patient with a wet sheet;
• use of cold baths.

All these methods lead to various negative consequences:

1. Rubbing with vinegar or alcohol causes these substances to penetrate the skin and cause harm to the body.
2. The use of wraps and cold baths can provoke the development of vasospasm and lead to seizures.

Presence of contraindications in the development of a febrile state

If the symptoms of pharyngitis are complicated by the development of fever, then the patient is prohibited from:

• wrap yourself in warm blankets, as this will interfere with the process of heat transfer from the body;
• stay in a room where there are drafts and high humidity;
• drink hot drinks;
• carry out steam inhalations, with the exception of inhalations using a nebulizer.

Pharyngitis is not a dangerous disease if treated in a timely manner and the development of complications is excluded. If you do not react in a timely manner, pharyngitis leads to complications such as tonsillitis, sore throat, sinusitis, etc. In addition, if body temperature is not controlled, then everything can end in death for a patient with pharyngitis. And remember that it is much easier to prevent any disease than to treat it.

What to do when the thermometer rises before your eyes? Should I lower the temperature to 37 with pharyngitis or not? How long will it last? What remedies are most effective for relieving fever? What increase is considered dangerous? Such questions inevitably arise if the doctor has diagnosed pharyngitis. We answer.

Why does the temperature rise

Characteristic manifestations of the onset of viral (rarely bacterial) inflammation of the pharynx are pain in the throat (can radiate to the ear), pain in the head, the appearance of a dry cough, with the transition to a productive form. Possibly a runny nose.

The increase in temperature values ​​during pharyngitis is due to the activation of the protective immune response

: the production of antibodies increases and the migration of lymphocytes increases, destroying pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens.

Pharyngitis usually occurs against a background of low-grade fever: 37–37.5°C. In what cases does it increase sharply, and why may it not rise at all:

• if the temperature fluctuates during pharyngitis in an adult from 38.5 to 39.5 ° C, and in children there is an instant increase to 39–40, then this indicates that a secondary bacterial infection has been added to the viral infection;
• the wide spread of the bacterial inflammatory process is indicated by an increase in degrees for more than 5 days;
• the non-infectious form of the disease is characterized by the absence or slight increase in temperature;
• there is no fever with pharyngitis of a fungal nature;
• there is no temperature if pharyngitis is caused by strains of viruses that do not cause severe inflammation of the epithelium. The disease occurs without fever;
• pharyngitis without fever may be due to a low level of immunity in severe cancer, tuberculosis, or in HIV-infected patients.

At temperatures above 38°C, the barrier function of the liver increases, which neutralizes toxins. The phagocytic ability of leukocytes also accelerates: they begin to quickly destroy foreign protein fractions of pathogenic microbes.

At what thermometer reading is there a danger to the body?

It is very dangerous for a child to have a temperature exceeding 38.5°C. Especially in newborn babies and toddlers with birth injuries or chronic illnesses.

How many days can a fever last with pharyngitis?

3–4 days, after which the temperature will stabilize. If this does not happen, it means that a bacterial infection has entered the body.

The fight for life begins:

1. The more the temperature rises, the more active and in large quantities the production of interferon begins.
2. The number and reactivity of antibodies increases.
3. There is a massive death of pathogenic microorganisms.
4. The breakdown and elimination of toxins from the body accelerates.
5. The greatest activation of immune defense occurs at values ​​of 38.6–39 degrees.
6. The threat to an adult with pharyngitis is an excess of 40 and above. 42 is death.

Why does the temperature last too long?

Prolonged fever indicates the possible development of complications of pharyngitis due to incorrect medical or self-treatment.

What dangers await a person who takes medications not prescribed by a doctor:

1. Retropharyngeal abscess is purulent inflammation in the area of ​​the lymph nodes and tissues behind the pharynx.
2. Phlegmonous tonsillitis or paratonsillitis - the formation of purulent abscesses in the tonsils begins.
3. Laryngitis is a lesion of the larynx.
4. Bronchitis is the spread of the inflammatory process along the branches of the bronchi.
5. Tracheitis is a purulent lesion of the trachea.
6. Otitis, eustachitis - inflammatory foci in the middle ear and Eustachian tube.
7. Lymphadenitis is damage to the lymph nodes in the neck.
8. Pathogenic bacteria can spread to the joint area, which will inevitably lead to rheumatism.

If the temperature does not go away during the treatment of pharyngitis for more than 7 days, an urgent additional examination is needed, since at any moment large swelling can form, causing respiratory arrest. Or blood poisoning may begin due to the rapid spread of infection throughout the body.

Drops for oral administration

Drops are used to relieve local inflammation in the nasopharynx, which occurs due to the spread of the disease to nearby organs. To treat pathology, these medications are used on average for no longer than 7 days. Topical drops for eliminating acute pharyngitis are preparations based on antibacterial components, such as Isofra, vasoconstrictor drugs - Nazol and Naphthyzin.

1. Isofra drops are produced on the basis of the local antibacterial agent framycetin. This component is effective for chronic respiratory diseases. The course of treatment usually lasts 10 days. Uncontrolled use of drops is fraught with addiction. The medicine Isofra does not have side effects and has no contraindications.
2. The drug Nazol Baby is actively used for pharyngitis in the treatment of children; the drops provide a vasoconstrictor effect. The medication effectively eliminates nasal congestion and inflammation in the nasal mucosa. These drops cannot be used for atherosclerosis, heart failure, and glaucoma. Side effects include nausea, sleep disturbances, and sometimes vomiting.
3. The drug Naphthyzin also has a vasoconstrictor effect and is used both for the treatment of pharyngitis and for acute and chronic diseases. Drops help eliminate swelling and reduce the amount of mucus. The medicine is contraindicated in children under 3 years of age.

In children under 3 years of age, the acute form of pharyngitis is usually accompanied by catarrhal rhinitis, an inflammatory process in the lining of the nasopharynx. Drops quite effectively eliminate these phenomena.

Medicine for pharyngitis Isofra

Nazol drug for the treatment of pharyngitis in children

Naphthyzin remedy for pharyngitis.

Antipyretic suppositories

It is unacceptable to self-medicate pharyngitis in children; even raspberry tea or linden blossom can cause an acute allergic reaction.

What can the doctor prescribe?

Of the huge number of medicines, the safest and most effective are rectal antipyretic suppositories for children and adults.

Advantages of use:

• guaranteed temperature reduction;
• harmlessness of plant components;
• The effect of suppositories for pharyngitis is longer than that of tablets;
• the possibility of drug rejection (as with vomiting) is excluded;
• Possibility of use while the child is sleeping;
• there is no psychological stress (if the child is afraid to drink pills and tinctures);
• there is no irritating effect on the throat and gastric mucous membranes inflamed from pharyngitis.

The most popular antipyretic suppositories:

• Cefekon;
• Panadol;
• Nurofen.

Contraindications: liver disease, diarrhea, renal failure, allergies to the ingredients of the composition.

Reasons for the development of pharyngitis

Pharyngitis is an inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa. Pharyngitis rarely occurs in isolation and is often observed together with rhinitis or tracheitis. Pharyngitis is caused by microorganisms: all kinds of viruses, bacteria and even fungi. But often the culprit in the development of pharyngitis is viruses (adeno- and rhinoviruses, influenza and parainfluenza viruses, RS virus). Basically, pharyngitis in children is a manifestation of ARVI.

It is not difficult to suspect pharyngitis in a child. Yesterday the baby was still active, but the next day he was already lethargic, coughing and complaining of pain and a sore throat.

note

Pharyngitis may also be accompanied by other manifestations of ARVI, namely: fever, runny nose, conjunctivitis.

In this situation, the mother can ask the baby to open his mouth and examine his throat. With pharyngitis, the mucous membrane of the pharynx and the back wall of the pharynx are red and swollen. In this case, it is important to pay attention to the palatine tonsils, are there any changes on them? If plaque can be detected on the tonsils, it means the child has a sore throat.

Common antipyretics

Tablets, syrups and suspensions of antipyretic action for pharyngitis are taken strictly as prescribed by the doctor, since they only relieve symptoms, but do not have a therapeutic effect.

Tips for choosing:

1. At a very high temperature against the background of an inflammatory process with severe pain, Ibuprofen will help better. For children, a suspension is preferable.
2. Paracetamol is the safest medicine, so children need to use medicines based on it.
3. The action of Ibuprofen is faster than Paracetamol, but it can only be taken from 3 months of age.
4. Children over 12 years old with pharyngitis with a very high fever and severe headaches are allowed to use Nimesulide tablets.
5. For adults, the doctor can prescribe tablets: Nise, Mefenamic acid, Nimesil, Nimesulide.

Important!

Analgin or Aspirin should not be used to reduce fever in a child.

The listed drugs have effective analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Drugs for treatment

Treatment of viral pharyngitis:

Symptomatic treatment, which aims to relieve pain and soften the throat. No antibiotics needed!

Frequent and uncontrolled use of antibiotics to treat viral inflammation causes oral microflora to become resistant to them.

Treatment of older children:

1. Sprays in the throat (Tantum verde, Oralcept, T-sept). They have local analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
2. Lozenges and lozenges for resorption (Strepsils, Suprima-ENT, Astrasept, Adzhisept, Tonzilgon N, Grammidin Neo). Contain antiseptics that soften and soothe the throat mucosa.

It is important to remember that topical drugs act only on the mucous membrane, without penetrating into the cells. They relieve pain when swallowing, eliminate the feeling of tickling, that is, they simply alleviate the condition of a sick child. They are ineffective for a bacterial throat infection!

Treatment of young children:

The use of sprays (there is a risk of laryngospasm, since the child cannot synchronize inhalation and exhalation) and lozenges (there is a risk of getting into the respiratory tract) is not recommended.

• the most important thing when treating young children is plenty of warm drinks;
• It is also permissible to gargle with a diluted solution of Malavita;
• Lizobact tablets (from three years old). For children, crush the tablet and apply it to the cheek mucosa with your finger.

How to gargle for a small child: draw the medicine into a syringe or bulb, tilt the child face down over the sink and direct the stream onto the cheeks.

Treatment of bacterial pharyngitis:

• antibiotic therapy only as prescribed by a doctor;
• reducing high fever with ibuprofen and paracetamol.

We recommend: Hypotrophy in newborns

Rules for using antipyretic drugs

To prevent side effects, the following conditions must be observed when using medications:

• Many drugs intended to reduce fever during pharyngitis cannot be used for more than 4–5 days.
• You should not take medications systematically; it is allowed only in cases of significant increases in temperature.
• The one-time norm cannot be exceeded.
• You can take no more than 4 times per day, with an interval of at least 4–5 hours.

Antipyretic tablets should be taken after or during meals.

Preparations for resorption

Medicinal lozenges are easy to use and have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Lozenges often have a pleasant taste and aroma so that children do not refuse to use this remedy.

1. Septolete. These lozenges can be used by children under 4 years of age. You need to dissolve the drug every 5 hours, 1 tablet, until the symptoms subside. The course of treatment should last no more than 7 days.
2. Faringosept. Lozenges for resorption include ambazone, which provides a powerful antiseptic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect. To get maximum results, you need to dissolve 1 tablet every 3 hours. Allowed for use by children over 3 years old. Children under 7 years old are given three pieces a day. The course of treatment should not last more than 5 days.
3. Grammidin. Lozenges are produced on the basis of lidocaine, this substance often provokes allergic reactions. Lozenges are prescribed for children over 4 years of age. You are allowed to take no more than 4 lozenges per day. The course of treatment lasts no longer than 6 days.

It should be noted that lozenges for pharyngitis are allowed for use in the absence of problems with the kidneys. It is important to make sure that the baby does not suffer from such diseases before giving him the pills.

Medicines to treat pharyngitis in children.

Faringosept resorption agent

Resorption agent for pharyngitis.

How do medications affect fever?

With different etiologies of pharyngitis, the effect of antipyretics is not clear:

1. Viral infection is characterized by a gradual, rarely rapid, increase during the first day. Then the temperature rise reaches its highest value - more than 38°C. After 2-3 doses of antipyretic drugs, the temperature first drops to 37.5, then 37. And after 5 days of treatment for pharyngitis, rarely 7, the body returns to normal.
2. When a bacterial infection develops, there is a sharp rise in temperature to 39 degrees; it does not subside for a long time, regardless of taking antipyretic medication. Or it drops slightly by half a degree. Its reduction begins only after the use of antibacterial drugs.
3. The intensity of the development of protective antibodies in the body and the increase in interferon synthesis do not occur immediately at elevated temperatures, but only after 36–48 hours.

However, if the value on the thermometer reaches 39.6 or more, the body’s immune defense is weakened, so medications should not be neglected.

Folk ways to combat fever

You need to drink as much warm liquid as possible every day and gargle with infusions of medicinal herbs:

• To restore the water-mineral balance and saturate the body with vitamins, decoctions and compotes of raspberries, viburnum, rose hips, and lingonberries, which have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antipyretic properties, are suitable;
• Willow bark and linden blossom contain a lot of natural aspirin. Medicinal decoctions of these plants help reduce fever no worse, and sometimes better, than pharmaceutical drugs;
• you need to gargle with decoctions of sage, calendula, chamomile, oak, which effectively destroy colonies of pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

Let's sum it up

Complex treatment of pharyngitis involves the use of:

• antiviral agents: Arbidol, Tsitovir, Remantadine;
• antibiotics if a bacterial infection develops: Amoxicillin, Suprax, Sumamed;
• antiseptics for disinfecting the pharyngeal mucosa: Miramistin, Ingalipt, Proposol;
• expectorant medications if you have a cough: Mucaltin, ACC, Flavamed;
• vasoconstrictor nasal drops (for rhinopharyngitis): Naphthyzin, Imidin, Rinazin;
• antipyretic suppositories: Cefekon, Panadol, Nurofen;
• tablets, suspensions should be used only at high temperatures of 38.6°C or more: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Nimesil.

Getting rid of high fever due to pharyngitis is possible only with appropriate and timely treatment of the inflammatory process in the throat.

Temperature with pharyngitis is considered a characteristic sign, which indicates that the immune system is actively fighting infection in the body.

Before treating pharyngitis, the symptoms of the disease that caused it should be eliminated.

Most often, the cause is respiratory diseases, so the primary symptoms are usually fever, runny nose, headache and general malaise.

How and how to treat pharyngitis in children

Treatment of pharyngitis should be aimed primarily at eliminating the cause of the disease or irritating factor. To do this, the doctor sanitizes chronic foci of infection in the upper respiratory tract and oral cavity. If necessary, surgery is performed to restore nasal breathing.

Treatment is carried out for concomitant diseases that not only irritate the mucous membrane of the posterior pharyngeal wall (gastroesophageal reflux in pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract), but also negatively affect the general condition of the body (heart disease, especially with decompensation).

Food should be rich in vitamins and microelements. Avoid spicy, sour, hot or cold foods. Drinking plenty of warm fluids is very important.

The room in which the child stays should not be dusty or stuffy.

At home, gargling with antiseptic solutions is recommended.

Treatment of pharyngitis in children at home is possible with a mild course of the disease. Gargling with antiseptic solutions (Chlorhexidine, Miramistin) and preparations with sea salt is recommended.

To reduce irritation, the mucous membrane of the posterior pharyngeal wall can be lubricated with an antiseptic solution of Collargol or Lugol.

Treatment of pharyngitis should be aimed primarily at eliminating the cause of the disease or irritating factor. To do this, the doctor sanitizes chronic foci of infection in the upper respiratory tract and oral cavity.

To eliminate pathogenic microbial flora, rinsing with Furacilin solution helps well. Alkaline inhalations are prescribed. A nebulizer can be conveniently used to carry them out.

For bacterial pharyngitis or a complicated course of the disease, antibiotic therapy is selected. Antibacterial drugs for the treatment of pharyngitis in children:

• protected penicillins;
• cephalosporins;
• macrolides.

At high body temperatures, anti-inflammatory drugs (Paracetamol, Nurofen) are used. To relieve swelling, vasoconstrictor sprays and nasal drops (Vibrocil, Nazivin) are prescribed.

Herbal infusions can be used for gargling

Treatment of pharyngitis in children aged 2 years and older is possible using folk remedies, in addition to basic medical prescriptions. The throat can be washed with chamomile, a solution with the addition of tincture of calendula and sage, a warm solution with baking soda or sea salt.

Complications of acute pharyngitis or nasopharyngitis in children may include:

• tracheobronchitis;
• bronchopneumonia;
• otitis;
• stomatitis;
• ethmoiditis;
• dacryocystitis;
• retropharyngeal abscess;
• purulent mediastinitis.

It is important to pay attention to the prevention of the development of pharyngitis, in particular, hardening

According to Dr. Komarovsky, prevention of pharyngitis in children should include:

• general strengthening procedures (hardening);
• timely detection and treatment of upper respiratory tract pathologies;
• rehabilitation of chronic foci of infection in the body;
• treatment of concomitant diseases.

Manifestation of the disease

Inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa is accompanied by a severe cough, sore throat, dryness and rawness in the throat, and if these symptoms do not subside within a week, we can talk about an acute bacterial infection.

Untimely treatment of exacerbation of pharyngitis can cause complications in the form of tonsillitis, laryngitis and scarlet fever.

An increase in temperature, as a rule, is considered a common symptom of bacterial etiology of the disease, accompanied by chills, headache and aches throughout the body.

Severe malaise is observed in the patient with low-grade fever; an increase in temperature above 38.5°-39° C is accompanied by intensive production of antibodies and improvement in the patient’s condition.

Antipyretic drugs are not prescribed at temperatures below 38° C, since the body must cope with the infectious pathogen on its own.

In children, pharyngitis in most cases is viral in nature and affects the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, tonsils, paranasal sinuses and middle parts of the respiratory system; in this case, an increase in temperature to 39°C is considered a classic manifestation of the disease.

The course of pharyngitis depends on the state of the immune system, so some patients continue their usual lifestyle during illness, while others do not get out of bed.

If pharyngitis has a streptococcal etiology, the course of the disease can last up to a year, accompanied by the release of purulent mucus, an increase in temperature to 38.5 ° C; children may experience vomiting and worsening appetite.

With pharyngitis, it is not so much the high temperature that is important, but the period during which it lasts; a long duration of the disease can be complicated by otitis media, meningitis or sinusitis.

High fever and fever are accompanied by redness of the throat, cough, mucous discharge from the nose and pain when swallowing.

First of all, treatment should be symptomatic, aimed at eliminating fever and reducing temperature, therefore, along with inhalations and rinses, the patient should drink large amounts of warm liquid and take anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by the doctor.

Symptoms

Symptoms of pharyngitis and the degree of their severity may vary depending on what cause causes the inflammatory process and what stage the disease is at. Symptoms of acute viral pharyngitis in children are: soreness, mild pain when swallowing, general discomfort in the larynx. Children complain of dry mouth and general weakness. The baby begins to cough a little, his voice sounds hoarse. Subsequently, a wet cough may appear.

The temperature with pharyngitis is rarely too high (no higher than 38 degrees). However, in the case when inflammatory processes in the larynx are provoked, for example, by the flu, the fever may intensify. Read about the incubation period of influenza, its pathogens and effective treatment methods here.

When examining the throat, the following is observed:

• Redness in the area of ​​the posterior and lateral walls of the larynx.
• Mucus and sometimes pus at the back of the throat.
• The mucous membranes look like a granular surface.

With pharyngitis, the tonsils are not hypertrophied, but enlarged lymph nodes in the cervical region can be detected. In infants, parents often mistake the symptoms of pharyngitis for signs normal for teething. In this case, you need to be especially careful. The baby may become overly restless, cry, and have difficulty falling asleep. Due to the fact that painful sensations occur when swallowing, the baby refuses to eat and does not swallow saliva (drooling).

Infants with viral pharyngitis may experience a significant increase in temperature (up to 39 degrees) and dyspepsia.

Bacterial pharyngitis has more severe symptoms:

• Strong headache.
• Enlarged tonsils.
• Feverish condition.

How to distinguish a viral bacterium from a bacterial one

The allergic type of disease often occurs without fever. The child coughs, but no sputum is produced when coughing. The pain in the throat is practically not felt.

If pharyngitis is caused by a fungal infection, you may notice a cheesy coating on the walls of the throat. Cracks form in the corners of the baby's mouth.

The symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are not very pronounced, and parents often find them difficult to notice. This is dangerous, since insufficient attention to the treatment of the disease causes complications. In addition, a chronic type of inflammation can lead to the development of atrophic or hypertrophic forms of pharyngitis. With atrophic pharyngitis, a child experiences the formation of crusts on the mucous membrane of the throat. The voice begins to sound hoarse and becomes hoarse. A dry cough develops.

It is sometimes quite difficult for parents to determine the baby’s condition as painful and, even more so, to diagnose pharyngitis. This is especially difficult if the child is very small. It is very important to identify manifestations of the inflammatory process in time and begin their effective treatment.

Is it worth lowering the temperature for pharyngitis?

Before treating pharyngitis with etiotropic therapy, it is necessary to eliminate the main symptoms of exacerbation and alleviate the patient’s condition, for this purpose the following means are used:

• antitussives and expectorants to relieve cough symptoms;
• antiseptic and local anesthetics (Strepsils, Septolete);
• antihistamines for severe swelling of the pharynx;
• immunomodulatory drugs (Imudon);
• local antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents (Bioparox);
• antibacterial and antimicrobial solutions for inhalation (Hexoral, Octenisept).

If a temperature occurs, the patient must constantly monitor its indicators.

A high temperature at an early stage of the disease indicates that the body has responded to a viral infection; if the fever does not stop within 2-3 days, we can talk about the addition of a bacterial infection that requires treatment with antibiotics.

Antibacterial and antiviral medications should be delayed if the temperature fluctuates, falling and rising throughout the illness.

However, even if the fever does not go away after using medications, you should immediately consult a doctor.

If the temperature persists for more than two days, intensive production of interferon begins to occur in the body, which leads to relief of the patient’s condition; after reaching a critical point, the reverse process begins, which is dangerous for the body and requires immediate help.

If the temperature is below 38° C, the use of antipyretics should be delayed, allowing the body to cope with the infectious effects on its own.

Taking medications that reduce fever in this case significantly weakens the immune system.

Diagnostics

Inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract without timely treatment lead to many complications and serious illnesses. The younger the child, the more seriously his health condition should be taken.

Pharyngitis in children under one year of age cannot be diagnosed independently. Sometimes parents, at the first manifestations, try to eliminate the accompanying symptoms, confusing the pathology with a cold, which leads to undesirable consequences. It is important to contact a pediatrician or otolaryngologist at the first clinical manifestations. Specialists carry out the following diagnostic measures:

• Anamnesis collection. The doctor listens to the parents’ complaints and studies the individuality of the child’s body.
• Auscultation is performed. The doctor listens to extraneous sounds that appear as a result of the inflammatory process. Possible breathing sounds can be heard in the armpit, middle and apical lobes of the chest.
• Pharyngoscopy is required. The doctor visually examines the nasal sinuses, septums, and passages.
• They practice otoscopy, which examines the external auditory canals and the tympanic cavity.

Additionally, laboratory tests of blood and urine may be prescribed. If necessary, a swab from the oropharynx is examined for microflora. This diagnostic procedure identifies the source of inflammation, the causative agent of the pathology. Based on the results, the attending doctor prescribes competent therapy, which in a few days can improve the general condition of a small patient, relieving the symptoms of the disease.

Otoscopy.

How to deal with hyperthermia

The peculiarity of chronic pharyngitis is that a high temperature can remain even after the use of antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs.

When the temperature rises to subfebrile and febrile levels, the patient feels overwhelmed, his appetite and ability to work decrease, he has a headache and is bothered by attacks of nausea.

As a rule, acute pharyngitis can be triggered by infectious diseases (acute respiratory infections, influenza); in this case, adult patients are prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aspirin or Paracetamol, as well as various symptomatic drugs (Fervex, Theraflu, etc.).

Medicinal powders are used to eliminate the first symptoms of a respiratory disease, but they should not be abused and taken throughout the entire period of the disease.

If the patient does not have allergic reactions, warm fruit drinks and tea with honey, raspberries, lemon or currants can provide an effect in the fight against fever.

If you have pharyngitis, it is not recommended to drink hot liquid, which will aggravate the condition of an already irritated throat.

After drinking plenty of fluids, the patient should take a horizontal position and cover himself with a cotton blanket.

In order to reduce elevated body temperature, there are the following ways:

• Rubbing with alcohol (vodka) or vinegar increases blood circulation and increases heat transfer. This effect is achieved due to the fact that the alcohol evaporates and causes a cooling effect;
• wrapping with cotton cloth soaked in yarrow tincture. The patient should wrap himself in a sheet and take a horizontal position, while covering himself with a blanket is not recommended;
• compresses of mint infusion or water, which are applied to the largest arteries on the temples, sides, neck, armpits, wrists.

Treatment at home

1. Frequent and abundant drinking of warm drinks to moisturize the mucous membranes. At least 5-6 times during the day, at night necessarily. Options: milk with honey and butter; tea with honey, jam; warm chamomile tea; decoction of calendula or linden; compote; rosehip decoction.
2. Take warm food in small portions, mainly in liquid form. Avoid foods that irritate the mucous membrane of the throat (hard, dry, hot, spicy, very hot foods).
3. Avoid tension on the vocal cords.
4. Avoid excessive nasal discharge, which, flowing down the throat, aggravates the course of pharyngitis. It is necessary to rinse your nose with saline solutions. First, in case of nasal congestion, you need to drip vasoconstrictor drops.
5. Increasing the humidity of the room (optimally - not lower than 40-50%) in which the child is located.
6. Inhalations with herbal decoctions, saline or mineral water. Contraindicated at high temperatures!
7. Through ventilation of the apartment several times a day.
8. Gargling with a decoction of chamomile, calendula, and sage.
9. Lubricating the throat mucosa with warm sea buckthorn oil.
10. Rinse with calendula tincture (pre-dilute with water).
11. Avoid heavy physical activity.
12. Daily walks in the absence of high fever.

In case of long-term pharyngitis (from two weeks), you should definitely consult a doctor! Chronic pharyngitis is dangerous due to exacerbations at the slightest cold.

How to lower a child's temperature

With pharyngitis in children, the elevated temperature lasts no more than 5 days, and if it is below 38°C, it is not recommended to take antipyretics, but the following recommendations must be followed:

• give the child as much warm liquid as he can drink, in this case it is very important to prevent dehydration;
• if the child is shivering, there is no need to increase the temperature in the room, it is better to simply cover him with a warm blanket;
• use antiviral rectal suppositories;
• wipe the child with water at room temperature;
• give the child ascorbic acid;
• Do not apply cooling objects (for example, a heating pad with ice) to the child’s body.

If the temperature continues to rise, only those antipyretic drugs should be given that are indicated for the child of that age.

Children under 12 years of age are contraindicated in products containing acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin), which can cause severe side effects.

In this case, the alternative is Ibuprofen, Panadol or Paracetamol, which are considered the most effective and safe means, which is why they are used for colds in children and pregnant women.

One of the common ways to reduce fever is rubbing with a vinegar solution, which uses a tablespoon of vinegar per half liter of water.

This composition can be used for wiping and as a compress on the forehead, which must be changed as it warms up. For these procedures, it is best to use apple cider vinegar or 9% table vinegar.

After rubbing the patient’s arms, legs, neck and chest, it is not recommended to wrap him up so that when the vinegar evaporates, a cooling effect occurs on the skin, which helps reduce the temperature.

It is recommended to consult a doctor if, after all attempts to reduce the temperature, the child experiences the following symptoms:

• the high temperature persists and continues to rise to 39°C and above, and in infants up to 38.5°C;
• the child has difficulty breathing;
• convulsions occur;
• sore throat becomes more intense;
• dehydration of the body.

Treatment

How and by what means to get rid of the problem largely depends on what caused the inflammation. The most common case of the disease is viral pharyngitis. In this case, it is necessary to help the child’s body cope with the disease on its own. To do this, you must follow the following rules:

1. Compliance with dietary recommendations. A child should not eat anything that irritates the laryngeal mucosa. Dishes should be warm, various seasonings, spicy, smoked and sour dishes should be excluded. Food should be easily absorbed by the body. Fatty and fried foods should also not be included in the baby’s menu.
2. The child should be provided with plenty of fluids.
3. Dry air in a child's room is unacceptable.

The best solution to the problem may be a humidifier. But the required degree of humidity can be ensured in any acceptable way.

By medication

When bacterial or fungal pharyngitis is diagnosed, children are prescribed antibiotics or appropriate antifungal drugs.
But parents should not take such medications “just in case.” This will significantly complicate treatment and may lead to worsening of the disease. To eliminate the symptoms that bother the child, rinsing lozenges, aerosols, antipyretics, mixtures or tablets that help remove sputum when coughing are prescribed. If the inflammatory process is triggered by exposure to an allergen, antihistamines are prescribed. But the fight against an allergic reaction will not be successful if the cause of the allergy is not identified and eliminated.

Folk remedies

Despite the apparent insignificance of the painful condition with pharyngitis in children (low temperature, absence of severe sore throat, etc.), treatment of this disease must be carried out on time, effectively and under the supervision of a pediatrician or ENT doctor. In this case, folk remedies play a supporting role; their use should be agreed with the attending physician.

Drinking plenty of fluids recommended for pharyngitis may include teas from medicinal plants (chamomile, linden, peppermint), infusion of rosehip or viburnum.

Herbal decoctions are used for gargling and inhalation. For these purposes, you can use chamomile, sage, calendula, oak bark, pine buds, and string. The decoction is prepared at the rate of 10 grams of crushed dry herbs per glass of water. You can gargle with a saline solution, which is prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon of salt per half liter of water. Gargle with warm infusion or solution 4 times a day. But it is not recommended to be too zealous with this treatment method. Inhalations can also be performed four times a day. The duration of the procedure should not exceed 5 minutes.

Contraindications for fever

Pharyngitis caused by acute respiratory diseases may in some cases be accompanied by fever.

In this case, the patient is prohibited from:

• cover yourself with thick warm blankets, which prevent heat transfer from the body and create a greenhouse effect;
• be in a draft and in a room with too humid or warm air (the optimal temperature in the room is 21-22 ° C);
• drink hot drinks (tea, coffee, milk with honey, etc.);
• carry out warming manipulations (hot shower, mustard plasters, heating pads, etc.);
• wipe with alcohol-containing solutions (this especially applies to children);
• perform steam inhalations

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An increase in body temperature with pharyngitis is a natural reaction of the body to an inflammatory process in the pharynx. If it is acute, the temperature goes through the roof, if the disease is chronic, it periodically rises slightly. By the value of the indicators on the thermometer, you can judge how the immune system reacts to what is happening in the pharynx.

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Definition of disease

The disease can occur in different forms. There are acute, subacute and chronic pharyngitis. Also, depending on the characteristics of the condition of the inflamed organ, hypertrophic or atrophic pharyngitis, or its mixed forms, are distinguished. The most common cause of pharyngitis in children is infection with viruses. An inflammatory process in the pharynx accompanies almost any case of ARVI or influenza in a child.

The characteristics of the child’s body, as well as reduced immunity, may be the reason that the viral form of pharyngitis “provokes” the development of the bacterial form of the disease.