Among infectious and viral diseases in young patients, it is viral tonsillitis that is common. It is accompanied by inflammation of the tonsils. Pathology has no seasonal features. Her favorite goal is babies with weakened immunity and chronic diseases of the nasopharynx. In order for the child to fully recover and not encounter complications, it is important at the initial stage to correctly determine the causes of the disease.
The essence of the pathological process
The term "sore throat" in medicine refers to a pathological condition that manifests itself:
- inflammation and swelling of the tonsils;
- severe pain, worse during swallowing.
Viral tonsillitis is considered the household name for acute tonsillitis in a child, which develops due to infection and the active life of a viral infection. The disease almost always occurs against a background of acute respiratory ailments and directly depends on the type of pathogen. In the absence of competent treatment and / or attachment of bacterial microflora, the disease can take a purulent form: follicular or lacunar.
Pathogens and transmission routes of the infectious process
The main cause of tonsillitis in this ailment is the ingestion and active reproduction of viruses on the mucous membrane of the oropharynx of the child. Infection usually occurs due to direct contact with the carrier and predominantly by airborne droplets. Cases of transmission of the virus by contact-household (use of common dishes or personal hygiene products) and fecal-oral (use of products of inadequate quality) methods are also known.
Among the main causative agents of the pathological process, doctors call:
- adenovirus infection;
- cytomegalovirus;
- rotavirus infection;
- herpes simplex virus;
- influenza viruses (there are more than 2 thousand varieties);
- source of infectious mononucleosis ( Epstein-Barr virus);
- Koksaki viruses and ECHO (herpetic sore throat).
Viral tonsillitis is epidemiological in nature. As a rule, children suffer from it during the periods from October to December and from March to April. During these months, the immunity of babies is weakened, so the infection spreads rapidly. Viruses easily invade cells without any protection and begin to multiply actively. At the same time, they poison the body with waste products - toxins.
Risk group
Symptoms of viral tonsillitis in children usually occur during outbreaks of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza. However, the risk of spreading the inflammatory process to the tonsils increases with:
- decreased immunity;
- frequent stressful situations or overwork;
- hypothermia;
- hypovitaminosis, disorders of the digestive tract;
- the presence of foci of chronic infections in the nasopharynx.
The presence of one or several factors listed above just above significantly increases the likelihood of developing an ailment.
Clinical picture
The incubation period from the moment the pathogen enters the body and until the onset of the initial symptoms of the disease can be 2 days or 10-14 days. It all depends on the state of immunity of the child and the type of virus. Among the primary manifestations of the disease, doctors call:
- general weakness, aching throughout the body;
- temperature increase up to 38 degrees;
- profuse salivation;
- sore throat, which only intensifies when swallowing;
- sensation of itching in the throat;
- decreased appetite.
Such symptoms occur first. Literally a few hours or days later, the clinical picture changes. Children develop cough and nasal congestion. With a visual examination, the swelling of the tonsils becomes clearly distinguishable, and with palpation, hardening of the lymph nodes. It is possible that small papules appear in the sky, which after some time are transformed into vesicles with a serous secretion, and soon burst.
Depending on the type of virus that triggered the development of angina, its manifestations may vary. Consider the main differences in the clinical picture as an example of common pathologies.
Manifestations of adenoviral tonsillitis
Symptoms of viral tonsillitis in children are acute. First, the child becomes lethargic and weak, then he develops a runny nose and cough. Against the background of inflammation of the pharynx and tonsils, an increase in temperature is observed. In some cases, conjunctivitis develops. Adenoviral angina is often accompanied by abdominal pain resembling appendicitis and intestinal dysfunction.
Signs of Infectious Mononucleosis
The disease is characterized by a protracted course. When infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, the incubation period is from 5 to 60 days. In infants with weakened immunity, the pathology manifests itself after a week. It begins its development with high temperature (up to 40 degrees), chills and severe sore throat.
Numerous rashes appear on the child’s body, localized mainly in the back and abdomen. Lymph nodes are compacted, but do not cause discomfort during palpation. Nasopharyngeal tonsils increase, which provokes a strong nasal congestion without secretion.
Enterovirus infection: herpetic or herpes sore throat
Symptoms of viral tonsillitis in children caused by pathogens of the Coxsackie group are somewhat different. Penetrating into the body, they are localized in the lymph nodes of the intestine, provoking local inflammation. Therefore, the baby may complain of abdominal pain, he has diarrhea and vomiting. If the child has lost appetite due to the disease, you should not feed him forcefully, but the drinking regimen must be observed without fail.
Spreading through the body along with a blood stream, the herpes virus infects lymphoid tissues and mucous membranes. In young children, the tonsils are the most vulnerable. Therefore, the virus infects them in the first place. Herpetic sore throat is manifested by the following symptoms:
- rhinitis;
- a sore throat;
- general manifestations of intoxication;
- an increase in cervical and submandibular lymph nodes;
- cough;
- redness of the tonsils.
Around the 2-3rd day of the development of pathology, a small rash appears in the mouth. It is localized on tonsils, the sky and ripens into vesicles with a serous secretion. Bursting, they leave behind painful sores. As a rule, the disappearance of temperature and weakness in the child coincides with the time of maturation of the vesicles.
Diagnostic Methods
Timely detection of the disease is a guarantee of successful treatment. When a child does not feel well, he has the symptoms listed above, you should immediately contact a pediatrician or ENT specialist. The specialist will be able to correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment using the following methods:
- Interview. It is important for the doctor to know how long the malaise appeared, what factors preceded this. He can clarify whether the child had in the recent past had been ill with infectious ailments.
- Examination of the mucous membrane of the pharynx. A hallmark of tonsillitis is considered a change in the structure of the mucosa.
- General analysis of urine, blood. Increased leukocyte parameters indicate the development of inflammation in the body.
- Examination of a throat swab in a child. This diagnostic method is considered the most informative, because it allows you to accurately determine the causative agent of the disease.
- Pharyngoscopy. The procedure is carried out by a special device with a mirror. With its help, the ENT determines the localization of inflammation, the presence of vesicles and papules.
The main task of a comprehensive diagnosis is to identify whether a viral or bacterial tonsillitis occurs. The thing is that the treatment of these two types of disease is significantly different. In the case of the viral form, antibiotic therapy is ineffective.
The principles of drug therapy
Treatment of viral tonsillitis always involves conservative methods of exposure. Specific drugs are selected by the doctor, taking into account the type of infection that provoked the inflammatory process. Compulsory hospitalization is subject to children under 3 years of age and patients with weakened immunity with herpetic and monocytic form of the disease.
The standard course of therapy includes the use of the following groups of drugs:
- Immunostimulating and antiviral drugs. With viral sore throat, for children, such drugs are selected that reduce the activity of the pathogen at the initial stage of its development. Immunocompromised patients are prescribed in the acute phase. The choice of a specific medication depends on the age of the patient and the form of the disease. For example, for babies under one year old, doctors usually recommend Imunoflazid syrup. It combines an antiviral and immunostimulating effect. Older children are prescribed Kipferon, Viferon, or Genferon.
- Antipyretic drugs. When the child’s temperature remains 39 for several days, what should I do in this case? In addition to antiviral drugs, the treatment of viral tonsillitis involves the use of antipyretic drugs. They are available in the form of suppositories, syrups or capsules. However, medicines containing aspirin and acetylsalicylic acid are not used at children under 14 years of age. Otherwise, the risk of developing Reye's syndrome increases when toxic brain damage occurs.
- Local antiseptics. To prevent the attachment of a bacterial infection, pediatricians prescribe antiseptics in the form of a spray or lozenges for resorption. They have both analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Children under 2 years old are prescribed Oracept, up to 3 years old - Hexoral, and after 4 years old - Ingalipt or Tantum Verde.
It was already mentioned above that at the stage of a diagnostic examination it is important to determine which type of angina a child has: viral or bacterial. In the second case, therapy always includes taking antibiotics. Such medicines are not used to treat viral tonsillitis, since they do not affect the causative agent of the infectious process. On the contrary, they lower immunity and prevent the body from fighting the source of pathology. The reason for the appointment of antibiotics is a secondary infection with bacteria.
Help traditional medicine
Treatment of viral tonsillitis in children up to a year causes a lot of controversy among pediatricians. The body which has not been finally formed and the characteristics of the disease in infants can cause adverse reactions. For example, rinsing with herbal decoctions at this age is basically impossible. The child is unlikely to understand what his mother wants from him, and herbal components often provoke an allergic reaction. Warming compresses create favorable conditions for the propagation of pathogenic flora, and the use of alcohol completely poisons the body.
That is why it is better to resort to traditional medicine when the child is one year old, and only after consulting a doctor. The following drugs are considered the most effective in the treatment of viral tonsillitis:
- St. John's wort broth. Dry branches of the plant must be poured 2 liters of water and bring to a boil. After this, you need to add a few tablespoons of honey to the broth. Such a medicine has an immunostimulating effect and well satisfies the body's needs for fluid.
- Multicomponent drug collection. You will need to mix a tablespoon of calendula flowers, chamomile and licorice root. The collection must be filled with 200 ml of water and boiled for 20 minutes, let it brew for another 5 hours. It is recommended to take the resulting medicine in a tablespoon every 30 minutes.
Changing the patient's lifestyle
Any disease of inflammatory etiology requires bed rest. However, getting a child to lie in bed all the time is a very difficult task. Therefore, parents should try to create the most relaxed atmosphere at home, to exclude activities that cause the emotional rise of the baby. Normal humidity in the room and a constant flow of fresh air will help the baby recover faster. It is not recommended to go out if the child has a temperature of 39.
What to do with food? For the entire period of treatment, the daily diet of the patient should be reviewed. Pediatricians advise giving up throat-irritating foods. For example, this category includes hard cookies, sweets, seasonings. The child needs to be offered as often as possible a warm, but not hot drink (compotes, fruit drinks).
Possible complications
Acute tonsillitis in a child, if it is diagnosed in a timely manner and immediately proceed to treatment, does not leave complications after itself. In this case, the prognosis for a small patient is favorable. Within 1-2 weeks, he fully recovers and returns to the usual rhythm of life. At the same time, the measures prescribed by the pediatrician to strengthen the immune system can continue for about a month.
Sometimes a secondary or bacterial infection is connected to the primary viral infection. If you ignore its manifestations, treat incorrectly, the occurrence of complications can not be avoided. From the intoxication of the body, the heart system first of all suffers. The inflammatory process gradually spreads to the bronchial tree and other organs of the oropharynx. The greatest danger is the penetration of pathogenic flora into the systemic circulation. As a result, foci of inflammation appear in other organ systems.
According to the famous pediatrician Komarovsky, viral tonsillitis in children can transform into the following disorders:
- Acute bacterial tonsillitis.
- Myocarditis.
- Pneumonia.
- Otitis.
- Chronic rhinitis
- Various neuroinfection.
Therefore, you must consult a doctor immediately after the first symptoms of viral sore throat appear.
Children who have had an illness develop immunity to the pathogen. However, this does not mean that the child will never again suffer from tonsillitis. There are a large number of strains of viruses that provoke inflammation of the tonsils. Therefore, a pathology can be diagnosed many times, but its pathogen will always vary.
Prevention Methods
The pediatrician should tell in more detail about the symptoms and treatment of viral tonsillitis in children at the reception. You can also ask a children's doctor about ways to prevent this disease. In fact, it comes down to the implementation of fairly simple rules:
- from an early age to accustom a child to frequent washing of hands;
- use cotton-gauze dressings during epidemics;
- take multivitamin complexes twice a year;
- regularly engage in strengthening immunity;
- eat properly and balanced;
- timely treat all ailments.
If you take care of prevention from an early age, the child will never know about the symptoms and treatment of viral tonsillitis. In children, strong immunity with a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of contracting any disease.