Does your child feel like their throat is on fire? I've been looking into a lot of mouths lately and have seen very red, swollen, sometimes pussy, sore throats. The best way to put out the fire is to lubricate your child's throat. This means lots of fluids which can be either hot or cold. Young children with a sore throat often like cold things like dilute juice, popsicles, drinkable yogurt or jello. An older child, who is not at risk of choking, can suck on a throat lozenge as well as drink warm liquids such as hot tea or lemonade to cool down the pain. This also helps with congestion too. Many of you know chicken soup has been shown to help relieve congestion but it can also soothe throat pain. There is nothing better than a pot of homemade soup when someone is sick in your home! Most sore throats are viral and with some TLC and time, will go away within a few days. But if your child's sore throat looks like it's getting worse or you notice other symptoms, I recommend that you call your pediatrician. Viral illnesses are the most common cause of a sore throat, so antibiotics will not be prescribed. Hang in there, we have a few more weeks left of the sick season. I'm Dr. Sue with The Kid's Doctor helping parents take charge.
