Acute sore throat, or pharyngotracheitis, often accompanies respiratory illness in children. When examining the pharynx, redness of its back wall is visualized, as well as swelling and mucus on it. Some parents may ignore pharyngotracheitis, considering it not a very serious disease, as a result of which it becomes acute and then chronic.
Symptoms of acute pharyngotracheitis
The main causes of infantile pharyngitis are bacteria, viruses, allergic reactions and even fungal organisms. Also, gastrointestinal disorders, accompanied by vomiting with gastric juice, which irritate the pharyngeal mucosa and cause inflammation, can provoke its development. In acute pharyngotracheitis, the child complains of itching, burning or sore throat, a slight increase in temperature.
The course of this disease often depends on the age of the small patient - the younger he is, the more severe the pharyngotracheitis is.
In children, pharyngitis is accompanied by tearfulness, lethargy, whims, poor appetite and restless sleep. For several days, the child may slightly cough, in addition, it is possible that sore throat or adenoiditis may join pharyngotracheitis. A pediatrician should diagnose the disease, who will examine the throat and, possibly, prescribe taking smears for bacteriological examination.
Treatment of acute pharyngotracheitis
Acute pharyngotracheitis can be treated both with ENT and at home. If the disease proceeds without complications, it responds well to the usual symptomatic treatment in the form of an abundant warm drink of herbs and milk with honey, a gentle diet and warming compresses with a warm scarf. Alkaline rinses performed every 3-4 hours will help get rid of mucous plaque on the walls of the pharynx.
You can also do warm foot baths, however, at elevated temperatures, they are categorically contraindicated.
In the course of treatment, for irrigation of the pharynx, it is necessary to use pharmaceutical antibacterial agents, selected taking into account the age and degree of sore throat. Irrigation should be alternated with rinsing, and these procedures should be supplemented with inhalations using medicinal herbs and aromatic oils.
Doctors prescribe antibiotic treatment for acute pediatric pharyngotracheitis with caution. Such therapy is carried out taking into account the age of the baby and the presence / absence of allergies to the components of the antibiotic. Antibiotic medications are usually appropriate for infectious pharyngotracheitis. Sprays also have a good effect, however, for young children, they should be used very carefully, since a sharp injection of liquid can provoke suffocation. To prevent this from happening, the stream of the drug must be directed towards the cheeks, not the larynx.
