How to Soothe Your Child’s Sore Throat at Home
When your little one complains of a sore, scratchy throat, it’s hard not to worry that it’ll turn into something serious. The truth is, sore throats are often common among kids, and sometimes they’re just the sign of an on-coming cold or flu.
If your child complains of having a sore throat, here are a few things you can do at home to help relieve it.
What to do
Offer warm liquids. When they drink lots of fluids, it not only eases a sore throat, it also thins mucus, which helps the mucus to drain (which is great if they’ve got a cold coming on). Try things like warm water, or warm water with lemon and honey (for kids over age 1).
Try the cold stuff too. Cold drinks, popsicles, and little mesh bags with ice or frozen fruit like mango are great for easing a sore throat as well.
Give them Children’s Advil. A great way to manage the pain is with Children’s Advil, because it quickly helps kids feel better. And sometimes getting over the pain while you wait for it to pass can really help your little one get back to being a kid again.
Steam it up. A humidifier in your child’s room at night (or even during the day) is a great way to help with dry air and a dry, sore throat.
If you’re feeling brave—try saltwater. We have yet to meet a child who will willingly gargle saltwater. But it definitely can help! Best of luck to you if you decide to go this route—older kids may be more open to this remedy.
When to call your doctor
Most of the time, a sore throat will get better without much treatment. However, sometimes it can be a sign of something else. It’s a good idea to contact your doctor if your child:
- Has trouble swallowing
- Isn’t drinking liquids
- Feels very tired
- Has a high fever 40° C (104° F or higher) that doesn’t go down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, or keeps coming back after going down briefly
- Has a sore throat that lasts longer than 24 hours
It’s important to remember to always contact your doctor if you’re at all concerned. But if your child doesn’t have any serious symptoms, a few cuddles paired with some of the options above should help them get back to feeling like themselves again.
This post was written in partnership with Children’s Advil, but the opinions are our own.
