Unfortunately throat pain (sore throat) in children and infants is an unpleasant and common situation as the child's immune system is still developing.. It is easy to recognise throat pain even in a very small child – the child cries when eating, makes a grimace when swallowing saliva. These are very often clear signals of a sore throat. Additionally, the baby may have red tonsils and enlarged lymph nodes. They can also have a cough.
Throat pain in children and infants should be treated with simple and effective nursing treatments initially: feed them warm (not hot!), semi-solid food that is easy to swallow, ensure they drink large quantities of warm liquids and humidify the air (dry air dries up and irritates mucous membranes causing a feeling of pain).
If throat pain is excessive you can start giving your child medications with paracetamol (suppositories, syrups – depending on the age of the child).
When the child is older (over 5 years old), you may start giving lozenges to soothe the throat (with lidocaine, benzoxonium chloride, cetylpiridinium chloride) remembering to always read the safety leaflet prior to giving the medication to the child.
When the child is over 3 years old, you can start giving them vitamin C droplets as a supplement. The vitamin will shorten the duration of the infection and strengthen the immune system.
Prolonged sore throat or high fever (especially in infants) requires immediate consultation with a physician.
This information is provided for your reference only and it is not to be relied upon on its own as instructions for use of this medication. It is not a replacement for and should only be used in conjunction with full consultation with a licensed healthcare professional, the information provided by your pharmacist and the manufacturer of the medication. It may not contain all the available information you require and cannot substitute professional medical care, nor does it take into account all individual circumstances. Other than liability for death or personal injury arising out of our negligence, we shall not be held responsible or liable for any claims or damages arising from the use or misuse of the information contained herein, its contents or omissions, or otherwise.
