What can I give my toddler to help with her sore throat? She has been on tylenol and motrin for the fever that accompanied this virus and these medicines have not stopped her pain. Took her to the Dr. yesterday and throat culture came back neg for strep - doc said it is just a throat virus so no antibiotics. She has been waking up all night for 2 nights crying and saying her mouth hurts which I am assuming means her throat b/c my husband was the first in the house to have this virus and he had a horrible sore throat. Also is it normal to have a sore throat last more than a day or two?? When I get them they come for a day and then go. I am going crazy and just want my baby to feel better!! ANY and ALL suggestions/ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!!!
Thank you everyone... so her pain seems to be going away a bit but now she has developed this very rough sounding yucky cough that comes every couple hours or so.... funny, sounds *exactly* like the cough her cousin had a week ago when my MIL showed up for a visit at my house w/cousin in tow... (which by the way MIL told me was a non-contagious laryngitis - uh huh -right) So I called the doc again and she called me in some antibiotics just in case things get wierd over the weekend... of course now my baby girl has decided to share with my son and myself!
Give her kids throat spray or strips. I used them on my daughter when she had a sore throat. she was 18 months at the time. tylenol sore throat.
Jenn
Yes, something cold like the other respondent said, can help. Or, if she's able to, gargle with salt water. It also helps to heal the throat. But yes, because it's not strep, no antibiotics are the usual routine. That's what my Pediatrician does too. If it really bothers her, ask the Ped to suggest something to you. Where I am from, Hawaii, we also suck on "ling hing mui".... it's a local Asian food... and it does wonders for sore throats! You can get it at this website: www.cybersnacks.net It's a VERY popular store here, AND you can get the asian "Ling Hing Mui" foods here too. In Hawaii, we all use this when we have sore throats... or just to munch on as a snack, since it tastes so good!
Good luck and I hope this helps.
~susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo
Hi,
I recommend reading "How to raise a healthy child in spite of your doctor", by Dr. Robert S. Mendelsohn. I read this when I was pregnant thankfully, as someone recommended it to me. Also "Let's Have Healthy Children" by Adele Davis. You can get them both on Amazon. Both books give great information on how to help you children get well - and be well - so much great info!
Hi Jamie,
I don't know how old your daughter is, but I give my son "Little Colds Sore Throat Strips", which I buy at Rite Aid or in the Kaiser Pharmacy.
C. : )
Hi Jamie,
Coincidentally, my daughter is going through the exact same thing right now, waking in the night (which she never does) and waking really early. Some great things you can do for your little one to help all the symptoms, aches pains, congestion, sore throat...one of the obvious is a bit of juice, which is a treat for my daughter as she never gets it- diluted with water to get them drinking a lot of water! Also, we use a humidifier, add salt, and i buy organic eucalyputs oil that i drop in, it clears the congestion if she's having any, and smells great. Kids also like to see the steam and think it's kinda neat ;) The other thing is pedialyte popsicles (not sure where you live, but if your little one's already cold, may not be a good idea as the body has to work to bring it's temperature back to 98.6) but if it's hot, it can work as a kind of novicaine for the pain, numbing the throat. I also give my daughter steam baths, the trick is to turn the water (the shower head specifically) on blazing hot, of course, keep little one OUT OF THE BATHROOM during this time with the drain plugged. At a very high temperature and with the drain plugged and the bathroom door closed (the other very important thing you need to do to make it a steam bath) and then return to the bathroom and start to compensate the very hot water with cold so she is able to enter. The room will be like a steamroom at the spa! This is fun and soothing for little ones, she will be breathing in the steam and it is very soothing for the throat and great for any congestion. Just make sure that before taking her out of the bathroom she is well wrapped up so she doesn't get cold at all. (Very important to not let her get cold after a steam shower.) Sometimes you can even give the pedialyte popsicle in the steam shower, to avoid the mess and make sure her temp. stays up. The non homeopathic route is robitussin for children that has a nasal decongestant, and and expectorant in it, which is a cough suppressant. I hope these ideas help, and sometimes, the extra care and novelty of mommy doing a few things to ease the pain is enough to take their minds of the pain in their throats. Hope your daughter gets better and that some of these suggestions may help!
Take care, and get well soon!
S.
ps. it is totally normal for a sore throat to last more than a day or two- but never more than 7, so if it surpasses a week, take her back to the doctor.
Aww, my little guy just got over that and yes, it did last a few days. How old is your toddler? I'd ask a 24-hour pharmacist how old they have to be for some of the numbing throat spray (at least for nighttime, and in the early morning, when everything seems to feel worse.) I gave him Tylenol and LOTS of sugar free Popsicles.
I know you said you already took her to the doc, but I have tonsilitis right now, which really hurts. After reading your message, it made me wonder if you daughter is going through the same thing. It seems worse, to me, at night. And, it is accompanied with a fever and body aches. At first, the tonsils aren't that swollen. Then, after a few days, it's evident. If it is still hurting her, maybe you could take her back in and ask if this could be the problem. Tonsilitis doesn't usually just go away on its own. She will need antibiotics.
If the pain seems to be not going away, go back to the doctor. It could still turn into Strep. this happend to my son. it was a virus and got worse and was strep in three days. As for the pain their is not much you can do if the motrin and tylenol is not working. Ice Cream, popsicles etc....They also have those suckers for sore throats for kids.
Maybe you could give her popsicles or ice cream.It might help her throat temporarily.
Hi my advice is what I do all the time with my girls of 5 and 8 years old. However the 5 years old have been doing it since she was 3. With my girls this really helps even to get rid of the infection.
My girls do gargle with Listerine (cool mint). They know very good that they can't swallow it. They have to do a few times a day the gargle and every time about 6 gargles. I found that this really helps them. I hope you will have good result too.
When its bad give her a couple sprays of chloriseptic.I believe they have a childrens version but use the regular. Its harmless and will give some relief. It has a mild anesthitic. It will help her fall asleep.
This happened to my 2 year old this summer and it was awful - she was so pitiful and would not eat or drink, would not even take medicine to help her. It lasted 3 days and then she felt well enough to at least drink something. Hang in there, mom. I thought for sure I'd have to take her to the hospital for dehydration since she did not take ANYTHING by mouth for 3 days, but she made it through. Good luck.
Take her back to the doctor--another one if necessary. My son has had the "quick" throat cultures come back negative three times in the past, and each time the throat culture that takes a longer (usually a day or two for the culture to grow) has come back positive. Because this sure sounds like strep to me.
Try giving your baby advil for toddlers for the pain..it might help..and make sure your toddler drinks a lot of water and orange juice...no milk...
if she is still sick on monday then take her back to the dr... you might also want to check and see if she is also teething... for now try giving her popsicles, and water to keep her hydrated... if she doesnt like to drink plain water then try flavored water
