Various acute respiratory infections often bother children, but one of the respiratory diseases stands out noticeably against the background of the rest, and this is purulent sore throat. It cannot be confused with a banal cold - the child is really very bad, he suffers from fever, severe sore throat, can neither eat nor drink painlessly. Probably every parent would like to know how to quickly cure a purulent sore throat in a child. At the same time, many parents refuse hospitalization, even if the doctor who examined the child insists on it.
Usually, parents fear that in the infectious diseases ward of the hospital, the child can become infected from other patients, exacerbating his condition. Such fears in most cases are in vain, however, treatment of purulent sore throat in children at home is also possible. It is necessary to understand that home treatment must be complete.
Refusing hospitalization, parents undertake to monitor the child's condition and ensure that he takes the prescribed medications on time.
In this article we will tell you how to treat purulent sore throat in children at home quickly and without consequences.
Symptoms of purulent sore throat
If you suspect that the child has purulent sore throat, but the doctor did not examine him, do not rush to start treatment. First, make sure that you are dealing with purulent sore throat. What is it like?
Purulent tonsillitis is an acute inflammation of the tonsils caused by a bacterial infection. The presence of pus indicates precisely the bacterial nature of the disease. Its other features:
- high body temperature - at least 38.5 C;
- redness of the throat, swelling of soft tissues;
- pus on the tonsils is loose, easily removable (however, you should not intentionally remove it - touching the inflamed tonsils aggravates the inflammation and promotes the spread of infection);
- an increase in the anterior cervical lymph nodes;
- absence of accompanying symptoms such as cough, runny nose, etc.
It would seem that everything is extremely obvious - a red throat, a purulent plaque - for sure a sore throat. However, the above symptoms are typical for other diseases that require a completely different treatment.
Differential diagnosis of tonsillitis
It is very difficult for a non-specialist to distinguish diseases accompanied by inflammation of the tonsils from each other. Indeed, the differential diagnosis of tonsillitis is not an easy task. That is why we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table showing the characteristic features of diseases that resemble angina.
| Disease Symptom | Diphtheria | Fungal sore throat | Herpangina (Coxsackie virus) | ARVI * | Mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus) | Purulent sore throat (streptococcus) |
| t body | The first 1-2 days - up to 38 C, then normal. | Fine. | High (up to 39C). | 37-39 C | 38-39 C | Always above 38.5 C. |
| Sore throat | Sore throat is weak. | Absent. | Strong. | Moderate. | Expressed in varying degrees | Sharp. |
| The condition of the lymph nodes | Slightly enlarged. | Fine. | Slightly enlarged. | Enlarged, painful. | All are enlarged. | Enlarged, painful. |
| Plaque on the tonsils | The plaque is continuous filmy or in the form of islands, grayish, not removed. | Loose, white, easily removable. | Small bubbles form in the throat. After opening them, wounds are formed, covered with a yellow bloom. | Mucous plaque (catarrhal form). | Filmy or lacunar, easily removable. | Plaque in the form of dots or film, greenish yellow, easily removed. |
| Other symptoms | Sleepiness, pallor, poor appetite. | None. | Headache, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract *. | Sneezing, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and other signs of a cold. | Pale skin, diseased liver and spleen. | Poor appetite. The child is agitated, restless, the skin of the face is rosy. |
Table 1 Differential diagnosis of conditions accompanied by inflammation of the tonsils.
* ARVI - acute respiratory viral infection
* Gastrointestinal tract - gastrointestinal tract
Treatment of purulent sore throat
If you have all the signs that the child really has a purulent sore throat, do not postpone treatment. This disease is dangerous and does not tolerate half measures.
Purulent sore throat in children requires a full-fledged complex treatment that allows you to completely destroy the infection in the tonsils. This achieves the following goals:
- pain when swallowing disappears;
- pus disappears;
- body temperature is normalized;
- the color, size and functionality of the tonsils are restored;
- relapse of the disease in the future is prevented;
- the risk of complications of angina in the heart, joints and liver disappears.
How to treat a child in order to achieve such an effect? The success of the treatment determines the correct approach. Therapy should include:
- Antibiotic. The most important link in the treatment of angina. It is the antibiotic that acts directly on bacteria. To completely destroy the focus of infection, it is necessary to take antibiotics for 10 days in a dosage appropriate for age and weight.
Antiseptic. Antiseptic agents include throat irrigation sprays, lozenges and lozenges, and gargle solutions. How to gargle a child with purulent sore throat? Warm solutions of salt (a teaspoon per liter of water), soda (a teaspoon per glass), decoctions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, eucalyptus) are suitable. Antiseptics inhibit the vital activity of bacteria, but cannot completely destroy them.- Anti-inflammatory agent. They are taken to lower body temperature, relieve swelling, relieve pain and other signs of inflammation.
Antiseptic. Antiseptic agents include throat irrigation sprays, lozenges and lozenges, and gargle solutions. How to gargle a child with purulent sore throat? Warm solutions of salt (a teaspoon per liter of water), soda (a teaspoon per glass), decoctions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, eucalyptus) are suitable. Antiseptics inhibit the vital activity of bacteria, but cannot completely destroy them.With purulent sore throat in children, especially under three years of age, a pediatrician should prescribe treatment. He chooses the necessary antibiotic, recommends antiseptics and anti-inflammatory drugs, calculates the dosage, taking into account the age characteristics of the child and his condition.
How to quickly improve your well-being?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure a sore throat quickly - in order to destroy the bacterial focus, it is necessary to undergo a full course of antibiotic therapy, and it usually lasts 10 days. However, the improvement of the child's condition occurs much faster, provided that the correct antibiotic is selected.
Indeed, already on the second or third day of taking the antibiotic, the child's body temperature returns to normal, the sore throat decreases, pus gradually disappears.
The first improvements when taking antibiotics are not a reason to stop treatment - to prevent complications and relapse, you need to take it for exactly as many days as the doctor prescribed.
How else can you improve the condition of a sick child? You can use a variety of topical preparations with analgesic effect.
For example, first aid for purulent sore throat in children may include pain relieving throat sprays, such as:
- Ingalipt is an antiseptic spray with a mild anesthetic effect due to the presence of eucalyptus and mint essential oils.
- Cameton is a preparation containing levomenthol, which has a mild analgesic effect. The spray also reduces swelling and inhibits bacteria.
- Stopangin also contains levomenthol, as well as essential oils that have antiseptic and antifungal effects.
- TeraFlu Lar is one of the most powerful pain relievers. Its analgesic effect is due to the content of lidocaine, a powerful pain reliever. In addition, TeraFlu Lar has a depressing effect against bacteria, fungi and some viruses.
Lozenges also have a similar effect. Their advantage is that they increase salivation, and saliva, as you know, is a natural antiseptic. Lozenges such as Septolet, Strepsils and many others often contain substances that soothe the unpleasant sensations in the throat.Grammidin lozenges contain lidocaine as well as an antibiotic. It is a strong effective remedy, but you should consult your doctor about its use in parallel with systemic antibiotics.
Thus, it is possible to get rid of tonsillitis at home if you follow the doctor's recommendations.
It will not be possible to cure a purulent sore throat quickly - be patient. Only a full course allows you to completely destroy the infection. Tonsillitis, treated in time, prevents future complications of the disease.
