Family Doctor Health Advisor
Children: Babies under one
Sleeping problems in babies | Excessive crying | Fever in babies | Vomiting in babies | Diarrhoea in babies | Feeding problems | Slow weight gain | Skin problems in babies
Children: All ages
Feeling generally unwell | Tiredness | Sleeping problems in children | Growth problems | Excessive weight gain | Fever in children | Rash with fever | Skin problems in children | Hair, scalp, and nail problems | Itching | Lumps and swellings | Dizziness, fainting, and seizures | Headache | Confusion and/or drowsiness | Clumsiness | Speech difficulties | Behaviour problems | School difficulties | Eye problems | Disturbed or impaired vision | Painful or irritated ear | Hearing problems | Runny or blocked nose | Sore throat | Coughing | Breathing problems | Mouth problems | Teeth problems | Eating problems | Vomiting in children | Abdominal pain | Diarrhoea in children | Constipation | Abnormal-looking faeces | Urinary problems | Toilet-training problems | Genital problems in boys | Genital problems in girls | Painful arm or leg | Joint and back problems | Foot problems | Limping
Children: Adolescents
Adolescent weight problems | Adolescent behaviour problems | Problems with puberty in boys | Problems with puberty in girls | Adolescent skin problems
Sore throat
Sore throats are common in childhood. An older child will usually tell you if his or her throat hurts. In a baby or a young child, the first sign you may have that something is wrong may be a reluctance to eat because of the pain caused by swallowing. Most sore throats are the result of minor viral infections that clear up within 2-3 days without the need for medical treatment. In a few cases, however, antibiotics may be needed to treat a bacterial infection.
Self-Help Soothing your child's sore throat
If your child has a sore throat, the following measures may help to reduce discomfort:
- Give your child as many cold, non-acidic drinks, such as milk, as he or she wants. Using a straw may make drinking easier.
- Offer ice cream and ice lollies to eat.
- Give liquid paracetamol.
- Offer your child throat lozenges if he or she is old enough to suck them safely without choking or swallowing them whole.
- If your child is old enough, teach him or her to gargle with warm, salty water.
Tonsils and adenoids
Location of tonsils and adenoids
The tonsils and adenoids are part of the lymphatic system, which helps to guard against infection. The tonsils are situated on either side of the back of the throat; the adenoids are at the back of the nose, near the openings of the two eustachian tubes. In children, inflammation of one or both of these tissues due to an infection is common. In the past, the tonsils and/or adenoids were often removed. Now, this procedure is only carried out if a child has severe recurrent infections. Tonsils and adenoids naturally tend to shrink with age.
Family Doctor Health Advisor is for information purposes only, and is designed as a general reference and catalyst to seeking further information.
The RACGP is not engaged in providing medical or other advice or services, and is not responsible for the results of any actions taken by any person on the basis of any information in this publication, or for any error in, or omission from, this publication.
Publication Date: 31 March 2009
Authorised By: RACGP
