It is a disease that is accompanied by a strong inflammatory process in the lymphoid tissue and mucous membranes of the throat. This pathology is often diagnosed in children and causes unpleasant symptoms.
The insidiousness of pharyngitis lies in the fact that it can be infectious in nature and in childhood this disease is more pronounced. The progression of such a disease in the body can cause many complications, so parents should know how to treat pharyngitis in children. To eliminate pathology, both drug treatment and traditional medicine are widely used.
In most cases, it develops in children and adults as infections of viral or bacterial origin progress in the body. This leads to the development of an active inflammatory process in the mucous membranes of the throat. Most often, inflammation develops under the influence of the following groups of pathogenic microorganisms:
The development of pharyngitis of bacterial origin occurs under the influence of:
If the child’s immune system is impaired, this can trigger the development of fungal pharyngitis. In childhood, this type of disease is diagnosed with severe pathologies and intensive treatment with antibacterial drugs.
More rare causes of the development of an inflammatory process in the pharynx are:
The likelihood of developing pharyngitis increases when the child’s body is exposed to the following factors:
Another important reason for the development of chronic pharyngitis is the penetration of stomach contents into the pharynx during regurgitation, reflux, vomiting and hiatal hernia.
Chronic pharyngitis can occur when inflammatory processes in the nasal cavity, tonsils and paranasal sinuses progress in the child’s body.
Pathology can be provoked by constant breathing through the mouth due to nasal congestion, as well as long-term treatment with. The fact is that such drugs fall on the back wall of the pharynx and thereby cause severe irritation of the mucous membrane.
Pharyngitis in children causes the following symptoms:
Medical practice shows that pharyngitis in young children is quite severe. There is a rise in body temperature and a deterioration in the general condition, which is complemented by pronounced lethargy of the baby. Pharyngitis is often combined with the course of a disease such as adenoiditis, as evidenced by deterioration of appetite, sleep problems and increased ESR levels in the body.
To make a diagnosis, a specialist examines the child’s pharynx and notes the following signs of the disease:
With further progression, the lateral ridges in the pharynx become stained. Children are often diagnosed with pharyngitis of viral origin, which is characterized by a bright red throat with the appearance of hemorrhages and blisters on the back of the throat. Local symptoms continue for 2-3 days, an irritating cough and cough appear, which gradually subside.
In some cases, there may be no general signs of the disease, but a secondary complication develops in the form of adenoiditis.
Sometimes patients complain of referred pain in the ears, which is considered one of the symptoms of pharyngitis. Medical practice shows that this disease is most severe in young children and causes the development of complications.
The most dangerous complications after pharyngitis are considered to be autoimmune pathologies, which develop as a result of the child’s body’s increased sensitivity to pathogenic microorganisms that provoked the disease.
In fact, pharyngitis does not pose a serious danger to the body, but its progression and lack of effective treatment can cause the development of many complications.
The greatest danger is streptococcal pharyngitis, the progression of which in the body causes various complications. The most common purulent complications are:
In young children, complications may develop as a result of damage to the nasopharyngeal region in the form of and. In addition, after pharyngitis the following can be diagnosed:
The most dangerous complication is inflammation of the membranes of the brain, which experts call meningitis and encephalitis.
In the smallest children under 1 year of age, the disease is too painful and at that age they do not yet know how to gargle on their own. If parents suspect acute pharyngitis, they should definitely seek advice from a specialist. In the absence of high body temperature and an allergic reaction, it is allowed to apply a honey-mustard compress to the throat area. In addition, you can treat the pharynx with antiseptics without menthol and alcohol.
Experts recommend the following treatment regimen for pharyngitis in young children: it is necessary to crush the Faringosept tablet well, dip a pacifier in it and offer it to the child. It is recommended to pick up the child and lightly pat him on the back, which helps improve drainage in the bronchi.
In children aged 1-2 years, pharyngitis is also quite severe, but not as intense as in infants. Treatment of the disease involves:
At this age, treatment of pharyngitis can be carried out using antiseptic drugs in the form of a spray, for example, Yox or Givalex. Such medicines have a disinfecting effect on the throat and speed up the child’s healing process. It is recommended to constantly ventilate the room where the child is and ensure that the required humidity is maintained.
When pharyngitis develops in children over 3 years of age, it is necessary to adhere to bed rest and drink large amounts of liquid that contains alkali.
In addition, it is necessary to organize a gentle diet and completely exclude fried and sweet foods from the child’s diet.
To treat the disease, you can make honey-based compresses and apply them to your feet. Hot foot baths and inhalations have a good effect. It is recommended to gargle with special antiseptic agents purchased ready-made at the pharmacy. You can prepare gargling solutions yourself at home by dissolving 2-3 drops of iodine in 30 ml of warm water. This mixture must be brought to room temperature and offered to the child for rinsing.
Good results are achieved by using antiseptic sprays such as Yox and Givalex. If the child already knows how to dissolve medications in the form of tablets, then you can offer him:
The use of antibacterial drugs in the treatment of pharyngitis in children remains a rather controversial issue. There are many situations where it is possible to cure a disease without the use of antibacterial drugs. Despite this, in severe forms of pharyngitis you simply cannot do without antibiotics, especially in situations where there is a threat to the child’s life or an advanced stage with atrophied mucosa is diagnosed. Most often, antibiotics are prescribed when diagnosing a viral, bacterial or infectious disease.
More information about pharyngitis can be found in the video:
Treatment of pharyngitis in children can be carried out by laser exposure to the pharyngeal mucosa. If the disease reaches an advanced stage, then the following is prescribed:
In some cases, treatment of the inflammatory process in the pharynx is carried out through surgery. The specialist uses a laser to target purulent granules and overgrown mucous membranes, but healthy tissue is not affected.
It must be remembered that treatment of pharyngitis in children with folk remedies is carried out only after consultation with a specialist. Independent use of various herbal decoctions, infusions, and bee products can lead to undesirable consequences for children's health.
At home, you can make a honey compress on your feet according to the following scheme:
When treating acute pharyngitis, you can use herbal decoctions for. With their help, it is possible to get rid of pain, reduce the severity of the inflammatory process and alleviate the general condition of the child. To prepare herbal infusions you can use:
Such herbal decoctions also have an analgesic effect on the inflamed tissue of the larynx, and it is necessary to gargle with their help until the child recovers completely.
A folk remedy made from tomato juice and carefully chopped garlic gives a good effect. It is recommended to use this medicine every day after lunch for 7 days. It should be remembered that treatment in this way is contraindicated in patients with gastrointestinal problems.
Pharyngitis is not considered a very dangerous disease, but its consequences can pose a serious threat to the child's health.
It is for this reason that when a child shows the first signs of illness, it is necessary to show him to a specialist. Proper nutrition, fortification of the body, increasing the protective properties of the body and timely vaccination help to avoid infection with such a pathology.
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Yesterday the child was hypothermic, and in the morning he complains of a sore throat, weakness and pain when swallowing? Pharyngitis makes itself felt immediately, and this is the first sign of the rapid spread of inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa. There are other symptoms that indicate this disease, and what is more important: how and with what to treat the disease in children?
A child’s weak immune system, hypothermia, microbes are all possible causes of the disease. What are the signs of pharyngitis that help diagnose an inflammatory disease? These include dry mouth, pain when swallowing, low fever, swelling of the soft tissues in the back of the throat, and cough. Symptoms of pharyngitis in children can appear to varying degrees, with the following features being distinguished:
Before puberty, this form of the disease occurs more often than others. Acute pharyngitis in children can be caused by bacteria (streptococci), which cause the tonsils to swell and turn red, then white spots appear, and the lymph nodes become enlarged. Inflammation of the soft tissues may be accompanied by nausea, which is a sign of the nature of the disease. When viral in nature, inflammatory processes resemble a cold, while often acute pharyngitis is not a single disease, but develops together with others.
If the disease starts or the body does not have enough strength to cope with viruses and bacteria, then the prognosis is disappointing. The progressive course of the disease threatens the appearance of chronic pharyngitis in a child, and this is a serious threat to health. It is believed that the lack of improvement after two weeks is a direct fact indicating a protracted illness. Bacteria penetrate the child’s gastrointestinal tract, causing gastritis and pancreatitis. The causes of the chronic form of the disease can be: foreign body, adenoids, dry air, tobacco smoke, chronic runny nose.
A raw sensation, moderate pain, a gradual increase in temperature, combination with other signs of a cold - all these are common signs of inflammation of the soft tissues. If you know how to distinguish a sore throat from pharyngitis, pharyngolaryngitis, pharyngotonsillitis, you will be able to cure your child faster. With pharyngitis it is unpleasant to swallow, and with a sore throat it is painful; The first type of illness is characterized by a low temperature, and the difference between the second is a rapid rise to 40 degrees, while pharyngitis is often accompanied by a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and watery eyes.
It is difficult for a weakened child’s body to resist the effects of viruses. Strength is taken away by an increasing pain in the throat and a gradually rising temperature, so the first rule for a speedy recovery is rest. How to treat pharyngitis in a child at home? The following procedures are recommended:
The cause of an active inflammatory process can be a viral infection, which makes the symptoms of pharyngitis in children similar to a cold. This type of disease, which affects the mucous membrane and the back wall of the pharynx, accounts for about two-thirds of all cases of the disease. The causative agents of viral pharyngitis represent a wide group - from adeno-, rhino- or coronaviruses to influenza viruses and cytomegaly.
The second most common type of illness that is caused by certain types of microbes. Factors that provoke the appearance of the inflammatory process can be mycoplasma (fungi) or a decrease in immune defense. Then the disease takes a severe form, and bacterial pharyngitis - symptoms, treatment in children - requires serious attention. For streptococci, staphylococci, and meningococcal infections, drug treatment is required, the basis of which is local antibacterial drugs or systemic antibiotics are prescribed.
Not only viruses, bacteria, hypothermia, a weak immune system, but also irritating factors can provoke the appearance of the disease. Allergic pharyngitis, which is rarer according to statistics, is more difficult to diagnose, and this form of the disease is dangerous due to the appearance of a chronic form. Dust, the smell of tobacco, and some other potent substances can lead to inflammation of the mucous membrane. Allergens enter the child’s body, and if the treatment is chosen incorrectly or contact with the irritant is not eliminated, then recovery is delayed for a long time.
In the youngest, this disease is aggravated by a combination of inflammation of the mucous membrane and acute rhinitis. The developing immune system is not able to resist infections, and the baby cannot complain or show where it hurts. It is difficult to treat pharyngitis in an infant at home, because a systematic approach is required (drinking plenty of fluids, taking medications, dry neck warming, compresses, massage), in addition, you will have to monitor the cough and carry out procedures aimed at improving lung drainage and sputum discharge.
If the diagnosis has been made correctly, the next step on the path to recovery will be treatment. Antiseptic solutions, such as herbal ones, are necessary for gargling. To help the child’s body cope with the disease more quickly, aerosols can be used, and the frequency of use of these agents will be the same as with antiseptics: at least three times a day. How else to treat pharyngitis in a child:
Treatment with antibiotics should be used in case of a purulent, herpetic form of the disease or in the acute development of an illness that threatens the appearance of nasopharyngitis. With infection, when pharyngitis - symptoms and treatment vary in children - the drug Azithromycin copes well. An infectious cough becomes a threat only when the inflammation of the oropharynx is viral, and an illness caused by bacteria can be transmitted only by sharing household items. A good way to prevent the inflammatory process is to harden the child.
The use of medications in this group is allowed only after administration and examination by a pediatrician. The specific properties of these drugs limit the range of possible use, because when prescribing antibiotics for pharyngitis, the doctor will have to take into account: age, type and spectrum of bacterial activity, toxic effect, allergic reactions. If the disease is viral in nature, taking antibacterial drugs is contraindicated, but if complications are observed or the mucous membrane is affected by microbes, then you cannot do without them. For children, a solution or suspension is considered a more convenient option.
Treatment of pharyngitis in children will be faster if you do useful procedures at home. These include irrigation with throat antiseptics. Such remedies as Miramistin, Furacilin, Hexoral, Chlorophyllipt help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Reddened tonsils can be treated with steam inhalations with essential oils or use drugs that are good for treating tonsillitis: Iodinol, Lugol, Yox. If there is no allergy to the anesthetic, the child can be given pain-relieving lozenges to dissolve.
This question is one of the three most popular, along with what pharyngitis looks like and how long the disease lasts. Both correct diagnosis, selection of a drug treatment regimen, and home methods - all this contributes to the baby’s speedy recovery. How to treat pharyngitis at home:
Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.
Found an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we will fix everything!The route of spread of pharyngitis is airborne or household. A child can become infected in kindergarten, school, on the street or from sick relatives, including through toys and household items. The peak of the disease occurs during the transition seasons and winter.
As an independent disease, acute pharyngitis in childhood occurs when infectious agents - viruses or pathogenic microorganisms - come into contact with the mucous membrane. In addition, this disease can be one of the symptoms of any other pathologies of the respiratory organs and other systems.
Most often, the inflammatory process of the oropharynx is provoked by a viral infection. The main pathogens are herpes viruses, influenza, enterovirus and others. Microorganisms that cause pharyngitis include Haemophilus influenzae, streptococci, diplococci and many others. Viral pharyngitis in childhood accounts for about 70% of all cases, the remaining 30% are bacterial.
As a concomitant symptom, pharyngitis accompanies diseases such as mononucleosis, acute respiratory viral infections, scarlet fever and others. Less commonly, the cause of inflammation in the oropharynx in babies 1 year of age is foreign objects that damage the delicate mucous membrane.
There are predisposing factors that provoke the inflammatory process. These include hypothermia, chronic exposure to irritants (for example, spicy foods or dust), vitamin deficiency, abnormalities in the structure of the respiratory tract, and various endocrine diseases.
During acute pharyngitis, several characteristic symptoms can be identified:
The onset of pharyngitis is usually gradual - first there is a sore and dry throat, followed by a slight increase in body temperature. If the inflammatory process covers the tonsils, the child begins with all the ensuing symptoms, for example, the appearance of plaque. In acute pharyngitis, the pain in the throat is usually moderate, aching, aggravated by swallowing; with sore throat, the pain is more intense.
In the case when pharyngitis occurs against the background of a viral infection, the body temperature is most often quite high. In children of the first year of life, the general signs of the disease are more pronounced - fever, loss of appetite, disturbed sleep, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, rashes on the body, indigestion.
First-time pharyngitis is usually treated by a local pediatrician. If complications develop or frequent recurrent episodes of the disease occur, it is recommended to consult an ENT doctor.
As a rule, it is not difficult to diagnose pharyngitis in children due to the presence of characteristic symptoms. To make a diagnosis, a specialist visually examines the oral cavity and oropharynx, palpates the lymph nodes, pays attention to the ears, nasal passages, and measures the child’s body temperature.
In case of frequent relapses of the disease, the doctor takes a swab from the throat to identify the pathogen and draw up the correct treatment plan. Differential diagnosis is carried out with diphtheria, catarrhal tonsillitis and other inflammatory diseases.
An additional diagnostic method is pharyngoscopy - examination of the oropharynx using a special device. With pharyngitis, one can note hyperemia of the mucous membrane, a pronounced vascular pattern on the back wall of the pharynx and palate.
As a rule, pharyngitis in children requires only local treatment to relieve unpleasant symptoms. General therapy is necessary for frequent bacterial infections when the causative agent of the disease is identified. With local therapy, it is necessary to exclude all irritating foods from the child’s diet - spicy, sour, hot and too cold foods. To speed up recovery, it is necessary to give the baby as much warm drink as possible - fruit drinks, compotes, teas.
Local treatment consists of a whole range of measures:
If there is a high risk of bacterial infection, antibacterial drugs are included in the complex treatment. Typically, the course of antibiotics is 10 days. The drugs of choice in pediatrics are penicillin, amoxicillin, azithromycin and erythromycin.
An important rule necessary for a successful recovery is that the course of taking antibacterial drugs should not be stopped prematurely, even if the unpleasant symptoms have already disappeared. Otherwise, there is a risk of pathogenic microorganisms developing resistance to the action of these drugs, which will lead to problems in the future. After starting treatment, the child remains infectious to others for 24 hours.
In addition to antibiotics, for acute bacterial pharyngitis, antihistamines are indicated - Fenistil, Zodak, and the throat is also treated with antiseptic solutions and herbal decoctions. To relieve pain and reduce body temperature, you can give drugs based on paracetamol and ibuprofen.
As a rule, with proper and timely treatment, pharyngitis does not entail any complications. In rare cases, when the disease is bacterial in nature, improper therapy can lead to such serious consequences as an abscess or meningitis. In addition, complications of inflammation of the oropharynx can include tonsillitis, sore throat, and rheumatic fever. The latter disease is especially dangerous, as there is a risk of damage to the heart valves. Streptococcal sore throat most often entails the development of abscesses of the soft tissues of the pharynx.
To prevent inflammatory pathologies of the oropharynx, it is recommended to carry out general strengthening therapy - hardening the body, strengthening the immune system, timely administration of vaccines, taking multivitamins, maintaining the microclimate in the child’s room and nutritious nutrition.
It is important to prevent the development of chronic diseases of the oropharynx and other ENT organs. Parents should promptly treat diseases of the teeth, oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract.
With viral pharyngitis, unpleasant symptoms go away quickly with proper treatment: one week is enough for the symptoms to disappear. The prognosis is usually favorable, children recover completely and without complications.
The child has a sore throat. Grandmothers with the air of experts claim that this is a cold due to an extra portion of ice cream eaten the day before. Moms suspect a sore throat. The last word belongs to the doctor, who is urgently taken to see the child or who is called to the house. However, the doctor does not share the points of view of the parents and representatives of the older generation and confidently declares that the baby has pharyngitis. Authoritative children's doctor Evgeny Komarovsky will talk about pharyngitis in children.
Pharyngitis is an inflammation of the mucous and lymphoid tissue of the pharynx. If the inflammatory process moves and invades the nasopharynx, this is already rhinopharyngitis (its other name is nasopharyngitis). Inflammation of the pharynx occurs for a variety of reasons:
Pharyngitis can be acute or chronic. Acute develops immediately after a negative impact or infection, and chronic develops against the background of constant or sometimes recurring unfavorable factors that haunt the child for quite a long time. Sometimes chronic pharyngitis is generally an independent disease, not viral or allergic, and in no way related to ARVI, influenza or manifestations of an allergic reaction. Moreover, such “independent” pharyngitis can have full periods of exacerbation and remission.
Evgeny Komarovsky claims that there is nothing unusual about pharyngitis - the disease occurs in childhood more often than parents are used to thinking. There are children who receive this diagnosis 3-4 times a year, but this can no longer be considered the norm. Quite often, inflammation of the pharynx and nasopharynx can be caused by too dry air inhaled by a child, whose parents are very fond of closing all the windows and maintaining a hot microclimate in the apartment.
Viral pharyngitis is usually acute. It develops against the background of ARVI or influenza, which means that it is characterized by all the symptoms of these diseases - runny nose, running snot, headaches, fever up to 38.0 degrees. With such pharyngitis, the child will complain of pain or a sore throat, and it will be painful for him to swallow. An infant who cannot complain about anything will begin to refuse food, cry and worry.
Another distinctive sign of pharyngitis is a dry cough that torments the child, especially at night. The lymph nodes in the neck often become inflamed. Evgeny Komarovsky claims that this is not surprising, because it is through these nodes that the outflow of lymph from the inflamed larynx occurs. Sometimes large red granular granules can be seen on the tonsils or walls of the larynx. Then pharyngitis will be called granulosa (with damage to lymphoid tissue).
Allergic pharyngitis most often develops acutely, too, a short time after inhaling chemicals or allergens. There are no symptoms of ARVI, but there may well be a runny nose. The temperature rises slightly - up to 37.0-37.5, higher - extremely rarely. A dry, unproductive cough and pain when swallowing are also quite intense.
Bacterial pharyngitis is severe, with a temperature rise above 38.5 degrees, with severe pain in the throat. Upon visual examination, purulent formations may be noticeable in the larynx and tonsils, which are often confused with sore throat.
The main difference between acute tonsillitis (tonsillitis) and acute pharyngitis (for the information of parents) is that with angina, the tonsils are affected, and with pharyngitis, the inflammatory process is more diffuse, it spreads to the walls of the larynx. With tonsillitis, the child complains of pain when swallowing; with pharyngitis, a dry cough will certainly be observed, as well as other symptoms characteristic of the disease.
Chronic pharyngitis is less pronounced, and sometimes it is noticed only during periods of exacerbation. A child with a chronic form of the disease often has a sore throat, a feeling of dryness in the mouth and larynx, and a dry cough often appears, but the temperature does not rise (at least until the next exacerbation). An exacerbation will resemble ordinary acute pharyngitis like two peas in a pod.
The choice of treatment tactics depends on what kind of illness the child has developed - viral, bacterial or allergic. It should be noted that even a very experienced doctor will not be able to answer this important question solely on the basis of a visual examination of the child and an assessment of all accompanying symptoms. The doctor, of course, will say that the baby has pharyngitis, but only two simple tests will help determine its origin: a clinical blood test and a throat smear for flora and sensitivity to antibiotics.
Without these studies, says Evgeniy Komarovsky, there can be no talk of any normal, responsible and conscious treatment of pharyngitis. After all, all three types of illness are treated with completely different methods and medications.
You should not rush to follow the recommendations of a doctor who, having looked into the throat and established the presence of a disease, immediately prescribes antibiotics or prescribes several types of antiviral drugs. Such a doctor should be asked to write out a referral for tests, which should show how and what is best to treat.
Viral pharyngitis is more common than other types, since children get sick with viral infections more often than all others. Approximately 85% of acute pharyngitis are viral. Such pharyngitis cannot be treated with antibiotics, says Evgeny Komarovsky. Antimicrobial agents are completely inactive against viruses, but increase the risk of developing a bacterial complication by 7-8 times.
The only correct treatment for viral pharyngitis is drinking plenty of warm fluids., sufficiently humidified air in the apartment where the sick child is, irrigation of the nasal mucosa and nasopharynx with saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water). If the child’s age allows, you can gargle the sore throat with the same saline solution. An antiseptic (for example, Miramistin), as well as lozenges with an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, are used locally for an inflamed throat. Komarovsky warns that there is no need to use “Lugol” (and even more so to cauterize the tonsils and larynx with iodine), since this is much more harmful to the child than pharyngitis, which is not smeared with anything, not treated or cauterized.
Allergic pharyngitis will require a more detailed approach. Antibiotics are strictly contraindicated in the treatment of such a disease. The doctor may prescribe antihistamines, depending on the allergen (if its type can be quickly determined). Salt rinses of the nose and larynx, as well as local antiseptics (except iodine), are relevant.
In addition, you will need to remove from the room all objects that can accumulate dust - carpets, soft toys, books. The air is humidified to a level of 50-70%, ventilated, and the child’s room is often wet cleaned.
For bacterial pharyngitis, according to Evgeny Komarovsky, the issue of the need to use antibiotics is decided on an individual basis. Not in all cases are antimicrobial agents needed at all. If there is a need for them, drugs of the penicillin group are most often used.
A child is contagious until he is given antibiotics. Usually, a day after this, the child can easily attend school or kindergarten if he does not have a fever. Bed rest is optional.
If a child's laboratory tests confirm streptococcal pharyngitis, then all family members should take similar throat swabs. If necessary, all household members should undergo antibiotic treatment to avoid re-infection of the baby.
The best antiseptic for the throat, which even the most expensive pharmaceuticals cannot compare with, is saliva. If there is enough of it, it may well protect the child from pharyngitis. To prevent saliva from drying out, it is advisable to have a humidifier in the house and use it for its intended purpose. In addition, the child should drink enough fluids (to maintain the consistency of saliva). There are no vaccinations against pharyngitis. The main prevention is taking care of the quality of saliva and strengthening the immune system.
In the next video, Dr. Komarovsky will talk about sore throats in children.
What happens to our throat during pharyngitis? Our throat consists of 3 sections: upper, middle and lower. When the infection affects the mucous membrane of the upper section, it becomes inflamed and irritated, and the child begins to suffer from: dry throat, severe sore throat, pain during swallowing, hoarseness, hoarseness.
If pharyngitis is an independent disease, then the body temperature does not increase. The temperature will rise if the underlying disease is a viral infection, and its symptom is pharyngitis. With viral pharyngitis, the back wall of the pharynx is very bright, and swelling is noted. With a bacterial or fungal infection, the back wall also turns red, but white-yellow spots appear on the tonsils, and an unpleasant odor occurs. It is also possible that the submandibular and anterior cervical lymph nodes become enlarged; they become painful when palpated.
The cough with pharyngitis is usually superficial and dry. It usually occurs 2 days after the child is infected. Then a runny nose appears. For the first 2 to 3 days, the cough occurs due to reflex irritation of the dry lining of the throat. If there is severe swelling of the throat, the pain can spread to the ears and there will be a feeling of stuffiness.
Infants tolerate pharyngitis worse: their health worsens due to general symptoms: increased temperature, poor sleep, refusal to eat, severe drooling, regurgitation, runny nose, conjunctivitis.
Symptoms of allergic pharyngitis include rhinitis or swelling of the nose.
Complications of a viral infection include tonsillitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, and pneumonia.
Differences between viral pharyngitis and tonsillitis.
The source of chronic pharyngitis is opportunistic bacteria of the oral cavity, which become more active when local and general immunity decreases. The main predisposing factor for chronic pharyngitis is untreated or inadequately treated acute pharyngitis. With chronic pharyngitis, one anatomical part of the pharynx is affected, and neighboring parts are not included; the child’s well-being is almost never affected. There are no signs of intoxication, the temperature almost does not rise. The main signs are dry throat, lump in the throat, coughing. Due to daily itching, a dry, obsessive cough occurs, which becomes productive over time. Chronic streptococcal pharyngitis causes complications on the heart, kidneys, and thyroid gland.
Endoscopic examination of the nose and nasopharynx;
Consultation with an allergist (to rule out an allergic cause of the disease);
Consultation with a gastroenterologist (exclude reflux disease).
How to properly examine the throat of children.
For a thorough examination of the throat, daylight or artificial lighting is not enough; you should resort to a flashlight or lamp with warm light. To examine the throat, you will need a wooden spatula or something resembling it, such as a spoon handle. It is necessary to press not on the root, but on the end or middle of the tongue. Picture of acute pharyngitis: inflammation of the soft palate, the presence of red walls of the pharynx and enlarged follicles on the back wall. If the back wall is loose, there is also an increase in follicles, but there is no noticeable redness, then this symptom indicates chronic pharyngitis. If the back wall has a thin, dryish appearance, it is pale, and vessels are visible on it, then this is atrophic pharyngitis.
First of all, parents should go to the pediatrician. If cases of pharyngitis recur, if not all symptoms disappear after therapy, you should go to an otolaryngologist.
1. Home mode.
2. Avoid contact.
3. Compliance with personal hygiene rules: personal dishes, personal towel.
4. Warm, light food.
Diet for pharyngitis
Refusal of seeds and products containing them. From nuts and products containing them. Cold lemonades, from very sour, very cold, very hot, smoked, peppery and salty, because all this irritates the mucous membrane of the pharynx.
5. Ventilation and wet cleaning.
6. Since the main symptom is a feeling of dry throat, it needs to be constantly moistened. Therefore, plenty of warm drinks are prescribed: berry fruit drinks, tea with lemon, milk with honey and butter, mineral water, still.
Complex treatment helps more effectively with pharyngitis. Children should gargle and irrigate the throat and dissolve the tablets.
7. Treatment is determined by the source of the disease. Antibiotics for pharyngitis are not indicated unless a bacterial infection has occurred and a complication has not developed. In case of a viral infection, you should start giving antiviral drugs (Anaferon, Ergoferon, Isoprinosine, Ingavirin). For fungal infections, antifungal drugs are prescribed.
8. Children over 3 years old should often gargle with antiseptic solutions: Miramistin, Chlorhexedine, Furacilin, Chlorophyllipt alcohol solution. Repeat every 2 hours.
If there is no allergy, you can use herbal decoctions for rinsing (chamomile, calendula, sage, propolis tincture). The solution should be prepared at the rate of 10 grams of dry matter per glass of boiled water. Gargle for 5 minutes every hour.
It is most effective to treat pharyngitis comprehensively; the use of traditional medicines alone often leads to complications. Children with allergies should be given iodine and honey containing medications with caution.
9. Local irrigation of the throat with solutions of antiseptics and antibacterial agents in the form of an aerosol. Sprays used: Miramistin, Ingalipt, Tantum-Verde, Kameton, Hexoral. It is important to alternate rinsing with sprays, since by rinsing you do not reach the back wall of the throat, but the spray copes with this.
10. Lozenges: Lizobakt, Gramidin, Strepsils, Faringosept. It should be dissolved 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after meals and in between other methods of treating the throat.
11. Moisturizing the mucous membrane of the oropharynx using a nebulizer: you can use saline yourself. solution.
12. When coughing, it is better to use herbal syrups (Gerbion plantain syrup, Linkas, Bronchipret). If the cough is dry, severely torments the child, and prevents him from falling asleep, you can give an antitussive drug (Sinekod, Stoptussin, Codelac Neo).
13. For pharyngolaryngitis the following is prescribed:
If a child has a tendency to laryngospasms, the inhaler should be in the house so that if stenosis occurs, parents can inhale themselves with a glucocorticoid (Pulmicort, Budenit) until the ambulance arrives.
Antihistamines to relieve swelling.
In cases of acute pharyngitis, children usually recover within 7 to 14 days. For chronic pharyngitis, children should either be regularly treated symptomatically or resort to surgical treatment. For obvious hyperplasia of lymphoid tissue, laser cauterization of granules, radio wave treatment, and cryotherapy are performed.
If pharyngitis recurs frequently or is not cured for a long time, this is an indicator to search for the real causes of the disease; in addition, pharyngitis is rarely an independent disease, and often concomitant diseases are adenoiditis, tonsillitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Prevention of pharyngitis consists of hardening, increasing immunity, vaccination against infections, creating an optimal microclimate in the house, nutritious food rich in vitamins. Sanitation of foci of chronic infection: caries, chronic tonsillitis, treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Remember that you should not treat yourself; know that only a doctor, after a professional examination, prescribes medicine, taking into account all the characteristics of the child.
Pharyngitis is more common in children than in adults due to the weakness of the children's immune system. Symptoms of pharyngitis in children begin immediately - on the first or second day of the disease and usually manifest themselves in the form of redness of the throat.
Pharyngitis can be an independent disease (with viral lesions), but much more often in children it develops secondarily, that is, it is a consequence of another underlying disease.
To consolidate the treatment of acute pharyngitis during the recovery period, as well as to treat chronic pharyngitis, lubricating the pharynx with solutions of Lugol, protargol, propolis, etc. is used.
In situations where pharyngitis develops in children: treatment involves carrying out the activities described in this article.
How to treat pharyngitis in children? The disease usually goes away on its own without treatment within a few days. However, treatment can speed up the recovery of a sick child.
Pharyngitis- inflammation of the pharynx, or rather, its back wall, is rarely an independent disease, but is, as a rule, a symptom of respiratory infections. Chronic pharyngitis is associated with stomach diseases and is often the result of reflux of gastric contents, especially at night. This disease responds well to traditional treatment; recipes based on traditional medicine can relieve soreness, pain when coughing, and symptoms.
In children under 2 years of age, pharyngitis is more severe. The disease is often combined with inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and acute catarrhal rhinitis.
And now a little about the symptoms themselves and folk treatment of pharyngitis. In acute pharyngitis, symptoms include a sore throat (especially when swallowing), a dry cough, and discharge of mucus or pus. Acute pharyngitis often develops after hypothermia, ingestion of cold or too hot food, or inhalation of irritating gases and dust. Patients complain of sore throat and sore throat, dry and sometimes painful cough. Symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are less pronounced. Patients complain of a dry or sore throat and a dry, painful cough. With exacerbation, the symptoms of chronic pharyngitis resemble those of acute pharyngitis.
Symptoms and treatment of acute pharyngitis in a child. Pharyngitis is a fairly common disease and occurs in a variety of forms. According to localization, it can be superficial - the mucous membrane of the pharynx suffers - this is a catarrhal form. Damage to the lymphadenoid elements located in a deeper layer, under the mucous membrane, is another form called granulosa pharyngitis.
Pharyngitis can be limited, for example, to the area of the lateral ridges and more widespread throughout the posterior wall of the pharynx. The nature of inflammation can be acute, subacute and chronic. Pharyngitis can be an independent disease (with viral lesions), but much more often in children it develops secondarily, that is, it is a consequence of another underlying disease. Typically, such pharyngitis is a symptom of acute or subacute adenoiditis, tonsillitis, or exacerbation of chronic tonsillitis.
There are complaints of discomfort in the throat (“sore throat”), pain, which in most cases is insignificant, but sometimes very sharp and accompanied by a rise in body temperature to 38 ° C.
Acute pharyngitis in young children is severe, with high fever and pronounced general symptoms: adynamia (severe lethargy), lack of appetite, sleep disturbance, increased ESR to 25-30 mm/h. However, it must be considered that in these cases the disease should be regarded as acute adenoiditis with corresponding symptoms.
The diagnosis is made based on examination of the pharynx: there is hyperemia (redness), swelling and infiltration of the mucous membrane of the posterior wall of the pharynx, velopharyngeal arches, and sometimes the soft palate. With lateral pharyngitis, hyperemia and swelling of the lateral ridges of the pharynx are determined.
Viral pharyngitis is usually observed in acute viral respiratory diseases. Characterized by extensive bright red hyperemia, involving the palatine tonsils and soft palate. Sometimes red dots (pinpoint hemorrhages) or blisters appear on the mucous membrane of the back of the throat.
Local sensations are represented by a dry, irritating cough for 2-3 days, which gradually subsides. General manifestations may be absent. When a secondary infection occurs, the signs of the disease change accordingly.
Acute pharyngitis is an acute inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa - a common manifestation of acute respiratory diseases. As a rule, with pharyngitis, children complain of pain, discomfort in the throat (burning, soreness, itching), coughing, and sometimes itching and pain in the ears. Infants cannot complain of being unwell, but attentive parents pay attention to restless behavior, sleep disturbances, and worsening appetite. Pharyngitis can be combined with other manifestations of acute respiratory infections, such as runny nose, cough, fever, conjunctivitis.
It should be noted that acute pharyngitis is rarely an isolated disease. It is usually combined with other upper respiratory tract diseases. In children under 2 years of age, the disease is more severe and is often combined with inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and acute catarrhal rhinitis. In this case, symptoms of acute rhinitis will be observed - impaired nasal breathing, copious mucous or mucopurulent discharge from the nose.
Treatment is carried out by an ENT doctor at a clinic or a pediatrician.
Therapeutic measures for pharyngitis include the following manipulations.
In case of acute and exacerbation of chronic pharyngitis, not accompanied by pronounced disorders of the general condition, symptomatic treatment is sufficient, including a gentle diet, hot foot baths, warm compresses on the front surface of the neck, milk with honey, steam inhalations and gargling.
In children under 2 years of age the disease is more severe and is often combined with inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and acute catarrhal rhinitis.
Treatment of pharyngitis in children under two years of age involves dry warming of the neck, plenty of warm drinks and taking mild restoratives.
How to properly treat a child with a sore throat: Selecting medications for children is not easy, since many of the drugs that are successfully used by adults are contraindicated for children, or do not have all the necessary properties. In most cases, throat diseases cause erosive damage to the mucous membrane of the oropharynx and the appearance of epithelial defects. The faster these defects are eliminated, the faster the unpleasant symptoms will disappear and recovery will occur. Conventional drugs are not able to restore the damaged integrity of the mucous membranes of the oropharynx. Drugs that can perform this task include Derinat, which, in addition to antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and immunomodulatory properties, also has a pronounced reparative effect, that is, it restores the integrity of the epithelium and its protective functions. Thanks to these properties, the drug helps at all stages of the disease. The most convenient way to treat a throat is to use the drug Derinat in the form of a spray. Derinat speeds up the healing process, strengthens the immune system, which prevents possible recurrence of the disease.
Treatment of cough in infants and children under 1 year of age at home is quite difficult. Very few folk remedies are suitable for this. The softest and safest remedy for infants is compresses. And also massage. Compresses should not be used at elevated temperatures.
Honey mustard scone
This folk remedy will help cure a cough in an infant. You need to mix equal amounts of honey, mustard powder, flour, vegetable oil, vodka, divide into two parts, place on a cloth, apply to the chest and back. Secure with a bandage and put on pajamas. This compress can be left overnight, if cough is being treated in children under 1 year of age - for two hours. It’s even better to do this: for the first use, leave it for two hours, if the child tolerated this product well and there are no allergic reactions on the skin, then leave this compress on all night
Compress for a child’s cough with honey and fat.
Mix 2 tbsp. honey, vodka, pork or goose fat. Rub this mixture onto the child's chest, back, feet, wrap the torso in a warm diaper, put on socks and put him to bed.
Potato compress.
Boil finely chopped potatoes (better yet, peel them), drain the water, put them in a plastic bag, tie them, then wrap them in several layers of cloth and secure them on your chest. We must make sure that it is not hot, but pleasant. The temperature of the compress can be adjusted by layers of fabric - as it cools, remove excess layers. Warm the baby's chest for 1 hour. After several procedures, the cough goes away.
Mustard wraps
In addition to compresses, treatment of cough in infants and children under one year of age requires the following measures:
1. Do not limit the child’s mobility - movements promote the discharge of sputum and help cleanse the bronchi of mucus.
2. Take the baby in your arms more often, pat it gently on the back, this will also improve bronchial drainage
3. To quickly cure a baby’s cough, let him drink warm water as often as possible.
4. Get a massage. You can use vegetable oil or massage creams to treat colds in children. You can do a light honey massage. Foot massage is very useful.
5. Humidify the air in the room where the sick baby is, use a special device for this, in winter you can hang a damp cloth on the radiator, or even better, go into the bathtub where the shower was previously running. Moist air will improve the baby's condition.
Mustard wraps
Treatment of cough in children under 1 year of age can be carried out using mustard wraps. This is safer than mustard plasters, which are used to treat coughs in older people.
1 tbsp. l. dissolve dry mustard in 500 ml of warm water, moisten 4 layers of gauze in the solution and wrap the baby’s body, or place the cloth on the back. Wrap a towel on top and cover with a blanket. After 5 minutes, remove the compress and wipe the skin with warm water. After 4 such procedures, the child’s dry cough goes away
Irritating foods (hot, cold, sour, spicy, salty) are excluded from the diet; plenty of warm drinks are recommended - tea with lemon, milk with mineral water, etc.
Treatmentpharyngitisatchildrenfolkmeans: Gargling with antiseptic, herbal solutions (for example, a solution of 1% chlorophyllipt, rotokan, sea salt, eucalyptus, etc.) 3 - 4 times a day after meals. However, this is only possible in children older than 2-3 years. Who already know how to gargle.
The following herbal infusions are most effective for gargling:
1. Calendula flowers, plantain leaves, sage leaves, chamomile flowers.
2. Chamomile flowers, oregano herb, sage leaves, St. John's wort herb
3. Dandelion flowers, plantain leaves, birch leaves, pine buds.
Preparation of fees 1-3:
Mix the components in equal parts. 1 tbsp. collection, pour 1 cup of boiling water, boil for 3 minutes over low heat, leave for 1 hour, strain.
4. Oak bark - 2 parts, linden flowers - 1 part
5. Linden flowers - 2 parts, chamomile flowers - 3 parts
Preparation of fees 4-5:
Brew 1 teaspoon of the mixture in 1 glass of boiling water, strain, and cool.
Rinse with warm infusion 5-6 times a day.
To gargle, you can use a pharmacy tincture of eucalyptus - 20-30 drops per glass of warm water and eucalyptus oil - 15-20 drops per glass.
Irrigation of the pharynx with antiseptic or antibiotic-containing aerosols (a list by age is given below) 2-3 doses 2-4 times a day. Alternate gargling with herbal infusions and antiseptic solutions.
Gargling should be combined with inhalations. For inhalation, you can use an infusion of the following herbs: St. John's wort, mint herb, sage leaves, coltsfoot leaves, oregano herb, wild rosemary herb, chamomile flowers, eucalyptus leaves, plantain leaf. It is better to use a mixture of 2-3 herbs. The infusion is prepared as in collections 1-3.
1. Linden flowers, raspberries (if there are no allergies).
2. Raspberry berries - 2 parts, black currant leaves - 2 parts, coltsfoot leaves - 1 part, oregano herb - 1 part.
3. Plantain leaves, linden flowers, raspberries, anise.
Preparation: pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture with 1 glass of boiling water, boil for 3-5 minutes, leave for 30 minutes. Drink the decoction in 2 doses (1/2 cup each) with an interval of 2 hours.
Resorption of tablets or lozenges with antibacterial, analgesic, emollient substances (faringosept, falimint, strepsils, laripront, etc.), in children over 5 years old.
For bacterial pharyngitis, systemic antibiotics are necessary. Antibacterial therapy is justified only if the etiology of the disease is known or suspected to be streptococcal. Unjustified antibacterial therapy contributes to the development of resistance to antibiotics, and can also be complicated by adverse drug reactions. Antibiotics, if necessary, will be prescribed to you by your doctor!
Infants and young children cannot gargle or swallow tablets, so they are only prescribed to drink plenty of fluids and irrigate the throat with an antiseptic. It should be noted that children under two years of age should use all aerosols with caution due to the possibility of developing a spasm of the glottis.
Rinse method: take one sip of the prepared solution, clearly pronouncing the letter “O” or “E”, gargle, then spit out the solution. Rinse 3-4 times a day after meals.
For influenza, rimantadine is prescribed, for herpes infection - acyclovir.
For bacterial pharyngitis, local antibacterial drugs are prescribed - Bioparox (4 inhalations in the mouth every 4 hours) or Hexasprey (2 injections 3 times a day). The limitation for the use of these drugs is the age of up to 2.5 years (laryngospasm may develop).
The drug Yox, an otorhinolaryngological disinfectant containing polyvidone iodine, which releases active iodine upon contact with the mucous membrane, has a good therapeutic effect. Iodine, in turn, has a wide spectrum of antimicrobial effects; in addition, iodine accelerates the process of cleansing the mucous membranes of necrotic tissue (plaques). Yox also has an anesthetic (pain-relieving) effect.
Prevention: hardening the body, eliminating harmful factors, restoring impaired nasal breathing, increasing the body's defenses (use of immunocorrector drugs)
Chronic pharyngitis is often not an independent disease, but a manifestation of the pathology of the entire gastrointestinal tract: chronic atrophic gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis. The entry of acidic gastric contents into the pharynx during sleep with gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia is often a hidden cause of the development of chronic catarrhal pharyngitis, and in this case, without eliminating the underlying cause of the disease, any local treatment methods provide an insufficient and short-lived effect. Smoking (and passive smoking too) and tonsillectomy (removal of the tonsils) lead to the development of atrophic changes in the pharyngeal mucosa.
Pharyngitis often develops with constantly difficult nasal breathing. It can be caused not only by switching to mouth breathing, but also by the abuse of vasoconstrictor drops, which flow from the nasal cavity into the pharynx and have an unnecessary anemic effect there. Symptoms of pharyngitis may be present with the so-called postnasal drip (postnasal drip). In this case, discomfort in the throat is associated with the flow of pathological secretions from the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses along the back wall of the pharynx. In addition to constant coughing, this condition can cause wheezing in children, which requires differential diagnosis with bronchial asthma.
Local antibacterial agents can be widely used in the treatment of pharyngitis. The choice of the optimal drug is determined by the spectrum of its antimicrobial activity, the absence of allergenicity and toxic effect. Of course, the most effective local drugs will not completely replace the need for systemic administration of antibiotics for sore throat and pharyngitis caused by beta-hemolytic streptococcus. On the other hand, due to the nonbacterial etiology of many forms of pharyngitis, the emergence of an increasing number of resistant strains of bacteria, as well as the undesirable effects of general antibiotic therapy, local administration of drugs with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity is in many cases the method of choice.
For treatment of pharyngitis In children, local, symptomatic general and folk remedies are used that increase immunity.
Attention! Medicines containing alcohol should not be given to children and adolescents!
Pharyngitis is an inflammatory process localized on the back wall of the pharynx. The main symptom of this disease, which a child may complain to parents about, is pain and discomfort in the throat. In most cases, pharyngitis develops against the background of acute respiratory infections, together with other catarrhal processes in the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract, much less often as an independent pathology. It occurs in children of all ages. The smaller the child, the more severe the disease and the more difficult the choice of medications.
Diagnosis of the disease Treatment of pharyngitis
Possible complications and prevention
Pharyngitis in children can develop as an independent disease or be a consequence of some other disease. In most cases, inflammation of the pharynx occurs against the background of damage to the body by acute respiratory viral infections (influenza virus, parainfluenza, adenovirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus) and other viruses (cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus). Less commonly, bacterial pathogens (streptococci, staphylococci, Haemophilus influenzae and diphtheria bacillus, meningococci) become the cause of pharyngitis. The greatest risks of pharyngitis occur in children attending kindergartens and schools in the autumn-winter period during seasonal epidemics of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections.
The following factors can contribute to the development of the inflammatory process on the back wall of the pharynx:
Sometimes the causes of pharyngitis are allergic reactions that occur in response to an allergen entering the mucous membrane of the throat. Inflammation of the pharynx can also be caused by mechanical damage to its mucous membrane from foreign bodies or surgical operations, exposure to vapors of chemical solvents, dust, tobacco smoke, and hot air. Also, inflammation of the pharynx develops as a result of eating too hot, rough, spicy or sour foods.
Taking into account the etiological factor, pharyngitis in adults and children can be infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal), traumatic, allergic, or caused by contact of the pharyngeal mucosa with irritating factors. Treatment of the disease directly depends on its type.
According to the nature of the disease, the disease occurs in acute or chronic form. In the first case, children experience acute inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa. Chronic pharyngitis is a sluggish inflammatory process that lasts several months or more and is characterized by phases of remissions and exacerbations. Most often it occurs as a result of incompletely cured acute pharyngitis or as an independent disease due to prolonged irritation of the pharyngeal mucosa by aggressive factors.
Depending on the severity of the inflammatory process, chronic pharyngitis occurs:
Symptoms of pharyngitis in children differ depending on the form of the disease and severity. A characteristic sign of acute inflammation is:
With chronic pharyngitis, the symptoms are less pronounced; there is dryness and a sore throat. This form of inflammation is not characterized by an increase in temperature and a change in the general condition and activity of the child. However, during exacerbations, the symptoms of chronic pharyngitis intensify and the clinical picture is similar to acute pharyngitis.
With granulosa chronic pharyngitis, a viscous coating of thick mucus accumulates on the back wall of the pharynx, red swollen plaques form, the submandibular lymph nodes may be enlarged and painful on palpation, and there is a nagging pain in the back of the head.
The atrophic form of chronic pharyngitis in children is diagnosed extremely rarely. It is characterized by pallor and dryness of the mucous membrane of the throat, the formation of crusts on it, which are dried mucus, and the appearance of a vascular pattern on the back wall of the pharynx.
With pharyngitis that occurs against the background of ARVI, the inflammatory process spreads to the entire pharynx, including the tonsils and soft palate. It is often accompanied by a runny nose, conjunctivitis, cough, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Pharyngitis caused by pathogenic bacteria is characterized by a long course, headache, fever, and tonsillitis. When the throat is affected by fungi, cracks and erosions form on its mucous membrane and in the corners of the mouth, a characteristic white cheesy coating appears on the back wall of the pharynx, and the posterior cervical lymph nodes become enlarged.
If the cause of pharyngitis is an allergen on the mucous membrane of the throat, it manifests itself in the form of a dry cough and is not accompanied by fever and severe sore throat.
Parents can suspect pharyngitis in infants who cannot yet express themselves and show where it hurts based on the following signs:
For young children under 2 years of age, acute pharyngitis is severe. If its cause is ARVI, then it is combined with acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx, runny nose, cough, and is accompanied by a rise in body temperature, general weakness and lethargy, and decreased appetite.
If you suspect pharyngitis in children, parents should consult a doctor. Self-diagnosis and self-medication are fraught with complications, and the younger the child, the more serious they can be. Confirmation of the presence of an inflammatory process on the mucous membrane of the posterior pharyngeal wall, as well as its form and causes, is established on the basis of:
With pharyngitis, there is moderate redness, swelling and infiltration of the posterior wall of the pharynx, velopharyngeal arches and, less commonly, the soft palate.
A sore throat can be a symptom not only of pharyngitis, but also of tonsillitis, measles, and scarlet fever. Unlike pharyngitis, angina is characterized by rapid dynamics of development of the clinical picture. The next day, purulent plaque and plugs appear on the tonsils, their redness and increase in size are observed, and the body temperature rises sharply to 40°C.
Drugs and procedures for the treatment of pharyngitis in children should be prescribed by a local pediatrician or pediatric otolaryngologist, taking into account the patient’s age, the cause of the disease and the severity of the patient’s condition. Treatment is carried out at home. In uncomplicated forms of the disease occurring against the background of ARVI, the inflammatory process subsides on its own within a few days.
For acute pharyngitis and exacerbation of chronic pharyngitis in children, the following medications are used for treatment:
To treat pharyngitis in a child under 3 years of age, do not use sprays and aerosols, since when injected they can provoke a reflex spasm of the larynx and an attack of suffocation, as well as gargling due to the difficulty of performing this procedure independently for children.
For fungal pharyngitis in children, treatment consists of treating the throat with local antifungal drugs. Inflammation of the pharynx caused by an allergic reaction is treated by taking antihistamines in the form of tablets, drops or syrups (fenistil, Erius, Zyrtec, cetirizine, Zodak).
Among the traditional methods of treatment for pharyngitis, after consultation with a doctor, children can be given steam inhalations and gargling with decoctions of medicinal plants (chamomile, sage, calendula, eucalyptus, St. John's wort, oak bark), which have an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and healing effect. For rinsing, a simple saline solution is also used (1 teaspoon of salt per glass of water).
At night, you can give the patient warm milk with honey or mineral water, which will have a warming and softening effect. However, before using such folk remedies, you should make sure that the child is not allergic to the herbs and honey used.
Of great importance for the speedy recovery of the child is plenty of warm drinking (still mineral water, tea, compote, berry fruit drinks) and fresh moist air, to which the famous pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky draws special attention to parents. All this will contribute to the effective hydration and cleansing of the affected area. pharyngeal mucosa.
To reduce injury and irritation of the inflamed mucous membrane of the throat during illness, the child should adhere to a gentle diet. It is not recommended to give him too rough, hard, spicy, salty, sour, hot or cold food.
In the absence of timely and correct treatment, acute pharyngitis in children can lead to complications, the main of which are:
To reduce the risk of acute or chronic pharyngitis in children, it is necessary to follow simple preventive measures, which are aimed primarily at increasing immunity and minimizing contact with potential pathogens. These include regular walks in the fresh air, good nutrition and rest.
Hypothermia should be avoided. In the room where the child lives, it is important to create a normal level of humidity and temperature (cool, moist air), and to eliminate contact with polluted air, tobacco smoke, and dust. It is necessary to promptly treat rhinitis, sinusitis, and adenoiditis to prevent prolonged nasal congestion and forced breathing through the mouth, as well as prevent contact with sick people during seasonal epidemics of ARVI.
» Treatment of children
However, the disease can occur with slightly different symptoms even among children; for the most part, it depends on age.
The disease is especially difficult for children under 2 years of age. As a rule, the etiology of the disease is complemented by inflammation of the baby’s nasopharyngeal mucosa and acute catarrhal rhinitis. The main symptoms: cough, constant sore throat, sore throat, discomfort during swallowing and eating - remain unchanged.
The baby is worried and sad, complaining about lack of appetite because it hurts him to eat. A dry cough may be accompanied by an elevated body temperature. The child's sleep and normal rhythm of life are disrupted.
Let’s try to understand in more detail how to treat pharyngitis in children under 2 years of age. Of course, you need to turn to the most effective methods: gargling, sore throat, drinking plenty of fluids and taking medications. But the treatment of children of this age has its own characteristics. The thing is that when resorting to medication, there are many age restrictions. Therefore, the course of treatment you decide to follow must be agreed with a qualified doctor.
Throat sprays or softening painkillers, which seem completely harmless, also have their own characteristics. When purchasing a product at a pharmacy, be sure to read the attached instructions, and remember, consulting a doctor when choosing any drug will not be superfluous. The health of your baby is most important!
Gargling with various herbal infusions can be considered the safest: calendula, chamomile, sage. Many traditional medicine methods for treating pharyngitis in children under two years of age suggest using inhalations, using herbal decoctions and treating the throat with natural ingredients.
The first reliable and safe assistants for a small patient will be a dry compress on the neck area, warm drinks and systematic rinsing.
Do not forget to exclude hot food and drinks, all kinds of seasonings. Listen to your child's complaints and take care of his health!
Let's look at the main symptoms and treatment of pharyngitis in children using folk remedies.
Photos of a sore throat can be viewed on the Internet (or on our website) so that parents can understand how to distinguish a healthy throat from a diseased one. A sick child is not comfortable, because every sip causes him severe pain, as if there is a lump in his throat.
Regular incidence and improper (as well as untimely) treatment of a viral disease in preschool children may in the future manifest itself in the child developing chronic pharyngitis and increase the risk of throat cancer.
If pharyngitis is detected (especially in a child aged 2–3 years), treatment must be started immediately, because delay can cause various complications such as tonsillitis (including acute tonsillitis) or sore throat. If treatment for viral diseases is delayed, complications can also appear in adults.
When treating pharyngitis at home, Dr. Komarovsky (for example) recommends that you first of all take care of your child drinking plenty of fluids.
Children face problems such as pharyngitis much more often than adults. This is explained by the fact that the immune system of children is weaker and sometimes is unable to fight back bacteria and viruses. However, the older a child gets, the stronger his immunity is, and the less often he gets sick. The main part of the respiratory tract that becomes most inflamed with pharyngitis is the throat. There are three main forms of the disease: acute, subacute and chronic. Unfortunately, the latter form of the disease is not uncommon among children, so every conscious parent should know the reasons for its development.
The chronic form is usually called a whole group of diseases that affect the mucous membrane of the pharynx and lymphadenoid granules and mucous glands diffusely located in its cavity.
Depending on how widespread the inflammatory process is and how deeply individual elements are affected, chronic pharyngitis in children can take various forms, namely: diffuse, catarrhal, limited, hypertrophic, granulosa or atrophic.
The main difference between the chronic course of the disease and the acute form of this disease is the very long development, which sometimes stretches for more than one year and does not manifest itself in any way until a certain moment. Often this form of pharyngitis develops in children who have a special structure and structure of the pharynx, as well as its mucous membrane.
The cause of the development of the disease is also considered to be prolonged exposure to unfavorable external factors on the nasopharynx. These factors include:
Also, one of the reasons for the development of a chronic form of the disease may be a lack of B vitamins and vitamin A.
In most cases, chronic pharyngitis is not an independent disease; it only symbolizes an exacerbation of other diseases of internal organs, such as chronic gastritis, cardiac disorders, kidney disease, pancreatitis and more.
Various bacteria, viruses and fungi can cause an exacerbation of the disease; when tissue immunity weakens, they begin to become more active and spread to neighboring areas at incredible speed. Local causes of the development of chronic pharyngitis are diseases such as rhinitis, sinusitis, adenoiditis and tonsillitis.
The very first symptoms of chronic pharyngitis in children are pain and discomfort in the throat. Soon after the first symptoms, the child’s temperature rises to 37.5-38.0 degrees.
The sore throat gets worse during the day, so the child finds it difficult to breathe, he cannot talk and refuses to eat. Following the fever comes a runny nose, and the eyes begin to water. In addition, the chronic form of the disease is characterized by a dry, painful cough and sore throat. Thirst and dry nose are constant companions of pharyngitis. If the exacerbation develops very actively, the child may also experience ear pain.
Treatment of chronic pharyngitis in a child begins only after a thorough diagnosis. Drug treatment is prescribed only by a doctor; any amateur activity is fraught with complications and consequences.
Treatment must be comprehensive, so its main components are:
In addition, inhalations with oil solutions, antimycotic and antimicrobial medications are used to treat the symptoms of chronic pharyngitis in children.
And remember, only a doctor after an examination can tell you how to cure chronic pharyngitis in a child. Moreover, this applies to the use of both medicines and folk remedies.
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The throat is sore and raw, it hurts to swallow, and a low temperature is a sign of pharyngitis. In this disease, inflammation affects the back wall of the pharynx, but does not affect the tonsils, unlike tonsillitis. You can get pharyngitis after hypothermia; it is often a component of acute respiratory infections along with a runny nose. The most common cause is viruses, but bacterial pharyngitis also occurs. If everything is done correctly, then this disease passes quickly and unnoticed by the child’s body.
Causes of pharyngitis
Most cases of pharyngitis are caused by viruses that enter the pharyngeal mucosa. How the disease will proceed depends on the state of local immunity: the virus can gain a foothold in the tonsils, causing tonsillitis, or can only affect the pharynx - pharyngitis. If the virus came from the nose, having previously disabled it, doctors call it “ nasopharyngitis».
Sometimes pharyngitis is caused by bacteria such as streptococcus or mycoplasma (rarely). In this case, its course may become longer, the symptoms more pronounced, and the temperature high. If the doctor detects streptococcus, the child will need to be given antibiotics. But you shouldn’t do this if you have viral diseases!
Symptoms of pharyngitis
The classic symptoms of pharyngitis are a sore throat and pain when swallowing. Middle-aged children often complain about this. Infants, unfortunately, cannot tell their mother that they are hurting, but they become more capricious, sleep poorly, and cough.
A cough may accompany pharyngitis as a symptom, but if the inflammation is limited to the pharynx, it will never be severe. Rather, it can be called the word “coughing.” A severe cough indicates that the infection has gone lower - causing tracheitis, laryngitis or bronchitis.
How to distinguish pharyngitis from sore throat
The sore throat with pharyngitis is moderate and appears only when swallowing food (not water), especially hot or hard food. It is not pain that is constantly present, but an unpleasant sensation in the throat - “soreness”. With sore throat, unlike pharyngitis, the pain in the throat is constant, and when swallowing it intensifies, and it does not matter what the child is trying to swallow - food or water.
The next important difference between pharyngitis and sore throat is the dynamics of body temperature. When the tonsils are affected, it rises quickly and high, sometimes up to 40 degrees, and often a white coating appears the next day. And pharyngitis usually begins with a sore throat, and only then, or at the same time, the temperature rises slightly. It is worth noting that with streptococcal tonsillitis, the temperature can also rise very high.
In general, pharyngitis in its pure form is quite rare. It is usually combined with a runny nose and acute respiratory infections.
How is pharyngitis diagnosed?
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must examine the child's throat. With pharyngitis it is moderately red, the tonsils are not enlarged. The back of the pharynx may be granular. With a bacterial infection, pus may appear on it, but this happens quite rarely.
Tests for pharyngitis are usually not needed. They make sense if the doctor suspects some more serious disease, a symptom of which may be pharyngitis. Most often, a swab is taken from the throat and tested for the presence of two diseases - streptococcus and diphtheria. If these tests are confirmed, the baby will be prescribed antibiotics and may be admitted to the hospital.
Can a mother look at her child’s throat herself? Of course it can. But without sufficient experience, she is unlikely to distinguish pharyngitis from tonsillitis and be able to understand the severity of the disease.
Chronic pharyngitis
If pharyngitis lasts more than 2 weeks, it is called chronic. In case of long-term pharyngitis, you should consult a doctor. Its reasons may be:
Attachment of a bacterial infection;
mononucleosis (with enlarged lymph nodes);
foreign body in the pharynx or its consequences;
irritation of the throat by environmental factors: very dry air in the apartment, air pollution from tobacco smoke, exhaust fumes, dust, etc.;
breathing through the mouth if you have allergies;
adenoids;
chronic runny nose, in which mucus from the nose flows down the back of the throat, irritating it and causing pharyngitis.
How to treat pharyngitis
Since most pharyngitis is viral, we cannot act directly on the cause of the disease. The child’s body must cope with the virus on its own. Our efforts will be aimed at relieving unpleasant symptoms: sore throat, pain, high temperature, as well as giving peace and strength for recovery to a sore throat.
Gargling– helps relieve discomfort and reduce swelling. The safest rinse is warm, salted water. Place one teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and rinse at least 3 times a day. Not suitable for small children.
Warm drink– warm tea, infusions, herbal infusions. Fluids help prevent dehydration, which worsens all illnesses. In addition, warm drinks relieve pain in the throat due to pharyngitis. Talk to your pediatrician about which herbal teas are best for your child.
Humidifying the air in the room– you can use a humidifier, or if you don’t have one, then a large open container of water. Dry air irritates a child's throat and nose, causing a runny nose and pharyngitis. However, everything is good in moderation; you should not turn the room into a greenhouse or tropical jungle.
Temperature reduction– if it rises above 38 degrees, and the child feels unwell. You can use over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
You should not use antibiotics for pharyngitis without a doctor's prescription. Most cases of pharyngitis are caused by viruses, and antibiotics do not work on them. Uncontrolled use of antibiotics can lead to complications, as well as the development of microbial resistance to these drugs.
Throat aerosols can be used in children over 2 years of age. This should not be done in young children, as there is a risk of causing a complication - spasm of the glottis with the development of acute respiratory failure. Choose an aerosol (spray) carefully, preferably without alcohol or very harsh irritants, so as not to cause discomfort to the child.
Lollipops with an anesthetic component will help relieve a sore throat. Before use, make sure that the child is not allergic to the anesthetic. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about this.
Sometimes, with pharyngitis combined with a runny nose, it makes sense to drip vasoconstrictor drugs (nazol, xylometazoline, etc.) into the child’s nose. They reduce swelling of the mucous membrane and the amount of mucus released. The mucus stops flowing into the throat and does not provoke pharyngitis. Regarding medications, consult your doctor. You should not use vasoconstrictor drugs for more than 3-4 days in a row due to the possibility of addiction and rebound effect.
In treatment chronic tonsillitis the most important thing is not drugs, but eliminating unfavorable environmental factors:
protect the child from air pollutants, tobacco and other types of smoke, dust;
monitor the air humidity in the room and maintain it at 50-60% using a humidifier;
It is necessary to regularly walk with the baby in any weather, except for days when the child has a high temperature.
The more time a child spends outside, the healthier he grows, and the more strength he has to fight infections. Remember that, as one book says, “children have a great time outside in good weather, but good in bad weather.”
Pharyngitis can be caused by a number of reasons. The most famous of them:
The main symptoms of pharyngitis in children usually include:
The younger your baby is, the more severe the symptoms of pharyngitis will be. This disease is especially dangerous in a child under one year old, since it causes swelling of the mucous membrane, which ultimately, given the underdevelopment of the respiratory system, can cause a spasm of the throat and.
This type of disease develops rapidly and immediately after the mucous membrane of the throat is damaged by an infection or an irritating factor. In this case, a high temperature immediately rises, and a full “bouquet” of the above-described symptoms is observed.
The chronic form of pharyngitis almost never forms on its own and is either a transitional process between the acute phase of the above-mentioned disease, or a consequence of constant irritation of the mucous membranes by an unfavorable factor. Chronic pharyngitis has remission phases with temporary disappearance of symptoms and exacerbations, similar in clinical manifestations to the acute form of the disease.
With granulosa pharyngitis, not only the mucous membrane, but also the lymphoid tissue is severely affected, resulting in the formation of peculiar “red nodules” on the back wall of the pharynx, formed from the altered structure of the epithelium. These “granules” greatly irritate the trigeminal nerve, the mucous membranes become very dry, fibrosis of other tissues in the pharynx and atrophy of the glands are also observed.
The last stage of development of untreated pharyngitis is characterized by a strong pathogenic change in the glandular, lymphoid and mucous apparatus of the pharynx. Hypotrophy of such structures leads to serious complications not only with accompanying organs, but also negatively affects the intestines and stomach.
The symptoms of pharyngitis and tonsillitis should be distinguished - they are similar in symptoms, but the infection in these two cases is localized in different places. A severe chest cough and coughing at night usually indicates the manifestation of symptoms of bronchitis - the infection descends below and affects the associated parts of the respiratory apparatus.
It will not be possible to cure pharyngitis in a child with just a miracle spray or magic sucking tablets, especially if the disease is advanced and is at the final stage of development. Act systematically and correctly!
In very young children, pharyngitis is very painful, and it is also quite problematic to use rinsing in this case, since the child simply does not know how to do it. It is highly undesirable to carry out any activities on your own, since you can harm the baby’s fragile body. In case of acute pharyngitis, it is necessary to urgently seek qualified medical help.
If your baby’s pharyngitis is mild, there is no high fever and there are no contraindications for use, then you can put a honey-mustard compress on your child’s throat.
It is also worth giving your baby plenty of warm liquids to drink. Ventilate and humidify the rooms where the baby is constantly located. The affected throat can be moistened with antiseptic agents that do not contain alcohol, menthol and other irritants. If they are not available, grind one Faringosept tablet into dust, dip the pacifier in the ground mixture and let the child suck. The maximum dose should not exceed ¼ tablet, no more than three times a day.
In children of this age, pharyngitis is also severe, but not as intense as in infants. They also need to be given plenty of fluids, apply compresses if there are no contraindications, and also carry out inhalations, preferably with a nebulizer, using saline or Borjomi water as the active substance.
At this age, you can already start using antiseptic sprays - these are Givalex and Yox: they disinfect the affected throat and promote a speedy recovery. In addition, the room where the child is constantly located must be regularly ventilated and ensure normal humidity.
With the onset of the disease, the child needs bed rest and plenty of drinking with alkali. Try to organize a diet that is gentle on the body, remove as much as possible all sweet, sour and fried foods, saturating your diet with fruits.
For pharyngitis, honey compresses on the feet, as well as hot foot baths, help. It is rational to carry out inhalations both using a nebulizer and using classic decoctions of medicinal mixtures.
From the age of three, children already know how to gargle - both with special antiseptic medicinal liquids and mixtures prepared independently: dissolve two drops of iodine and furatsilin in 300 milliliters of warm boiled water, then bring the temperature to room temperature and let the child gargle by typing in mouth the liquid, throwing his head back, sticking out his tongue, opening his mouth wide and saying “ahh”.
In addition, as an alternative, use antiseptic sprays in the throat - these are iodine-based Yox and Givalex. If your child already knows how to dissolve tablets, then it is recommended to give him lozenges and tablets against pharyngitis: Faringosept, Septolete, Angisept, etc.
A separate dispute between doctors and parents is the need to use antibiotics for pharyngitis. A fairly large number of cases of this disease can indeed be cured without resorting to extensive antibacterial therapy, but in particularly difficult cases it cannot be avoided, especially when it comes to a threat to the life of a child or an advanced stage of the disease, up to atrophy of the mucous membrane.
In this case, the best possible option would be to use not broad-spectrum antibiotics, but local remedies that do not have such a negative effect on your child’s liver, kidneys and heart. In addition, for the antibiotic to be truly effective in such a situation, it is worth taking it together with corticosteroids, also for local use.
The most popular drugs of this type used in the treatment of pharyngitis are Bioparox, Biseptol, Hexoral.
Basic measures to prevent pharyngitis:
Dr. Komarovsky talks about the dangers of pharyngitis in children, as well as methods of treating it.
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