Sore throat in infants is an inflammation of the tonsils of bacterial etiology. In infancy, this pathology is quite rare. At the age of 1 year, the baby's tonsils are still very poorly developed. However, such an illness in an infant cannot be completely ruled out. Babies are infected with sore throat by airborne droplets from their parents or other family members. Most often this happens with a decrease in immunity in the child.
Causes
In most cases, an angina in an infant is caused by streptococcus. Less commonly, staphylococcus or pneumococcus acts as a pathogen.
Pathology is transmitted by airborne droplets. There is a misconception that sore throat can get sick from hypothermia. However, this disease has an exclusively bacterial etiology. Exposure to cold can only provoke a decrease in immunity and become an indirect cause of the disease.
Forms of pathology
Symptoms and treatment of angina in infants largely depend on the form of pathology. In pediatrics, the following types of this disease are distinguished:
- catarrhal;
- purulent (follicular and lacunar);
- ulcerative membranous;
- phlegmonous.
The last two forms of pathology are rare in infants. However, they cannot be completely ruled out. Peptic ulcerous and phlegmonous tonsillitis most often affects children prone to frequent colds. These two forms of the disease are particularly difficult and require hospitalization of the baby.
Gerpangina
Herpes sore throat in infants is more common than the classic form of the disease. Doctors also call this pathology herpangina. However, it has nothing to do with the causative agent of herpes. This disease causes enterovirus.
Herpangina can be transmitted by airborne droplets, as well as through common objects and dirty hands. The disease begins with a sharp rise in temperature (up to +38 degrees). The kid becomes restless and whiny. Then, red spots form on the tonsils, which later turn into bubbles filled with liquid. They resemble the appearance of a rash with herpes. Such rashes are also noted in the sky and in other parts of the oral cavity. In rare cases, a rash appears on the palms of the hands. In the early days of the disease, diarrhea can occur.
With herpangin, the use of antibiotics is absolutely useless. They are not able to destroy enterovirus. Only symptomatic therapy is possible. It is very important to prevent dehydration. Due to pain in the throat and mouth, the baby often refuses to drink. However, the child must be watered. It is only necessary to ensure that the liquid is at room temperature.
At high temperatures, baby syrups based on ibuprofen and paracetamol are prescribed. To relieve sore throat, you can give chamomile tea or rosehip infusion.
Often, parents try to treat their child with the drug Acyclovir. This tool has absolutely no effect on the causative agent of herpangins. To use antiviral drugs in this case is useless.
The disease lasts about 10-12 days. After the transferred herpangins, the child remains stable lifelong immunity to enterovirus.
Symptomatology
Finding a sore throat in an infant is sometimes quite difficult. After all, a small child still can not talk about his health. Therefore, you need to look at the behavior of the baby.
A sick child becomes moody and whiny. He sleeps poorly and refuses to feed because of a sore throat. In such cases, it is necessary to measure the baby's temperature and examine his tonsils. If the baby has redness or pustules, then it is necessary to show the child to the pediatrician.
Consider the symptoms of sore throat in infants, depending on the type of disease.
Most often, in infancy, catarrhal sore throat occurs. This disease is accompanied by severe inflammation of the tonsils without suppuration. The child's temperature rises to +37 - +38 degrees. Sore throat is mild. Tonsils are covered with mucus, look reddened and swollen. A slight increase in lymph nodes is noted. This is the mildest form of the disease.
Purulent tonsillitis in infants is much more difficult. The temperature rises to +38 - +39 degrees. There is severe pain in the throat, which gives into the ears. Lymph nodes are not only enlarged, but also painful. On the inflamed tonsils, you may notice white or yellowish dots. Follicular purulent tonsillitis occurs in children older than 6 months. It is at this age that the tonsils follicles form in the baby. Lacunar purulent tonsillitis is accompanied by the same symptoms, but at the same time, pus accumulates in the pockets of the tonsils (gaps).
Peptic ulcerous sore throat is very rare in infants. The body temperature in this disease can be increased slightly. Ulcers form ulcers and plaque in the form of grayish-white films. Bad breath is felt.
With phlegmonous tonsillitis, severe swelling and suppuration of one of the tonsils is noted. Body temperature can rise to +39 - +40 degrees. It becomes very painful for a child to swallow and make sounds.
It is important for parents to remember that with angina, there is never a cold or cough. Symptoms of the disease are expressed only in fever and sore throat. If the child has signs of rhinitis along with inflammation of the tonsils, then most likely it is not a sore throat, but a viral infection.
Complications
Angina in infants can cause serious complications. The most dangerous consequence of an infection is rheumatism. This pathology affects the heart and joints. Therefore, after a sore throat, the child needs to be observed by a rheumatologist and cardiologist.
Streptococcus can penetrate from the tonsils to nearby organs. Angina can cause a complication in the ears and lead to the appearance of otitis media. Also, the infection can get into the sinuses and cause sinusitis.
Diagnostics
Angina must be differentiated from the initial stage of acute respiratory viral infections, viral pharyngitis, as well as from diphtheria (with an ulcerative-membranous form). For this purpose, the following studies are prescribed:
- throat examination;
- palpation of the lymph nodes;
- throat swab for baksev;
- clinical blood test (shows an increase in ESR and leukocytosis).
Treatment
In most cases, therapy is carried out on an outpatient basis. Admission to the hospital is necessary only for severe forms of the disease.
The main treatment for sore throats in infants are antibiotics. It is necessary to suppress the activity of the pathogen. Pediatricians prescribe to infants antibacterial drugs in the form of syrups and suspensions:
In severe cases, antibiotics are administered in the form of injections. It is very important to complete the course of antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics should not be discontinued even after the child is feeling better.
At high temperatures, the use of antipyretic drugs in the form of suppositories based on ibuprofen ("Bofen", "Nurofen") or paracetamol ("Panadol") is indicated. These drugs should be discontinued after normalization of temperature.
How to treat sore throat in infants with local drugs? After all, the baby still can not independently rinse his throat. It is not recommended to use sprays, since the baby can not hold his breath during the application of the drug.
You can put on a dummy spray Hexoral, Tantum Verde, Bioparox. Doctors also recommend dipping a bandage in the Miramistin solution and lubricating the tonsils with the baby. It is useful to give the child 1 cup of chamomile tea every hour. This will help reduce sore throat.
Recovery from illness
The recovery period after a sore throat in an infant takes about 10-12 days. At this time, it is necessary to normalize the intestinal microflora, which may be impaired by the use of antibacterial agents. For this purpose, special therapeutic mixtures with probiotics are prescribed. Vitamin C intake is indicated to strengthen immunity. Within 10 days after the illness, the baby should not be taken for walks.
After a sore throat, doctors recommend re-taking clinical tests of urine and blood, as well as undergoing an examination of the heart and joints.
Opinion of Dr. Komarovsky
Often, parents are interested in: "Is it possible to cure a sore throat in infants without antibiotics?" Komarovsky Evgeny Olegovich (a famous pediatrician) believes that only antibiotic therapy can be the leading treatment for this disease. It is impossible to get rid of a sore throat by local sprays and folk remedies alone. This also applies to drugs like Stopangin and Doctor Moma. Local throat products can only be used as adjunctive therapy. They help only relieve unpleasant symptoms of the disease, but do not cure the cause of the pathology. The same point of view is shared by most pediatricians.
In the video below, you can find Dr. Komarovsky’s advice on the treatment of angina.
Prevention
How to prevent sore throat in infants? First of all, it is necessary to protect the child from contact with sick family members. When visiting a children's clinic, a gauze bandage should be worn on the child's face.
If possible, try to feed the baby with breast milk. It contains substances that promote strong immunity in the child. It has been established by medicine that breast-fed infants are much less susceptible to infectious diseases.