Understand the symptoms of tonsillitis in children and how to deal with them

There are times when the tonsils become inflamed, so they swell and cause sore throat. This condition can occur in children to adults. When your little one often complains because the throat area is sore, you should start to be vigilant. Come on, start recognizing what causes, symptoms, and how to treat tonsillitis in children below.

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What is tonsillitis in children?

The tonsils are actually glands or collections of soft tissue at the back of the throat that help the body fight infection.

However, viruses and bacteria can also infect the tonsils in children, causing acute inflammation.

Quoted from Kids Health, infection or inflammation of the tonsils in the medical world is also referred to as tonsillitis.

If this condition persists, acute inflammation of the tonsils can develop into chronic inflammation.

It should also be noted that inflammation of the tonsils in children is a common thing. Moreover, when a child has the flu accompanied by colds and coughs.

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, inflammation of the tonsils or tonsillitis most often affects children and adolescents aged 5 to 15 years.

What are the symptoms and signs of tonsillitis in children?

When the tonsils begin to become inflamed to the point of swelling, the child's throat area will feel sore. This is what makes it difficult for him to eat, drink, and swallow.

In addition, here are some symptoms of tonsillitis that can occur in children, such as:

• Pain in the throat.
• The color of the tonsils becomes reddish.
• The child starts having a fever.
• There is swelling in the lymph node area.
• You can see a yellow or white coating on the tonsils.
• Bad breath.
• Loss of appetite.

There is a possibility, in older children experiencing headaches, earaches, and pain in the stomach.

What causes tonsillitis?

Inflammation of the tonsils or tonsillitis in children usually occurs due to viral and bacterial infections.

The most common types of bacteria that cause tonsillitis are Streptococcus pyogenes. This is the bacteria that causes sore throat.

Meanwhile, viruses that cause tonsillitis in children include adenovirus, influenza virus, and Epstein-Barr virus.

When a child has health problems such as a runny nose with nasal congestion, sneezing and coughing, the most likely cause of tonsillitis is a virus.

It is different when a child has a sore throat accompanied by fever and swollen lymph nodes but does not have a cold.

Most likely the cause of tonsillitis that occurs above is a bacterial infection.

Parents also need to know that tonsillitis transmission can spread through the air in the form of droplets when the infected breathes, coughs, and sneezes.

Children can become infected after inhaling droplets, pass through the skin or objects through the mouth, to the eyes.

How to diagnose tonsillitis in children?

First, the doctor will ask what symptoms and signs appear in your child.

After that, the examination will begin on the mouth, back of the throat, and neck.

Then, the doctor will also check the nose and ears to see if there is infection.

If necessary, the doctor will also perform a swab test (swab) which is referred to as throat culture to find out what types of bacteria cause tonsillitis.

When should your child be taken to the doctor?

In most cases of viral tonsillitis, the child can recover on his own.

However, you still have to be vigilant if the inflammation and swelling of the tonsillitis in children doesn't get better.

Here are some complications that you need to pay attention to so that you need to take your child to the doctor, namely:

• Breathing problems during sleep (obstructive sleep apnea).
• The infection spreads into the tissue around the throat.
• An infection that causes pus behind the tonsils.
• Difficulty swallowing until you experience signs of dehydration.
• Pain in the mouth area so you can't open your mouth.

When your child has strep throat for the first time, you should also take him to the doctor.

Not only that, you are also still advised to take your little one to the doctor to get the right treatment. This will also prevent the child's condition from getting worse.

How to treat tonsillitis?

Handling and how to treat tonsillitis in children will be adjusted to the cause.

For tonsillitis caused by a virus, this condition generally resolves on its own.

Therefore, what you need to do is make sure your little one is eating nutritious food and drinking lots of drinks in order to increase his endurance.

Meanwhile, if the cause is bacteria, your child needs to take antibiotics as a child's tonsil medication according to the recommended dosage.

Then, other drugs that are allowed are ibuprofen and paracetamol if they are not strong enough to withstand a sore throat.

Not only that, doctors can also suggest surgical removal of the tonsils or tonsillectomy in certain conditions.

However, this procedure is usually only performed if the infection is very severe, recurs frequently, or is causing breathing problems in the child.

For example, when a child has inflammation of the tonsils or tonsillitis more than 5 to 7 times a year.

In fact, when a child has repeated viral or bacterial infections for several years.

What are some home remedies parents can do?

That said, there is no specific drug to treat tonsillitis in children.

The most important thing to do is make sure that the child gets plenty of fluids and also gets rest.

Here are some home remedies that parents can do as a way to treat tonsillitis in children, namely:

• Provide food and drinks that can soothe the throat.
• Provide salt water to rinse.
• Use humidifier to keep the air moist so avoid a dry throat.
• Give the doctor prescribed lozenges to children over 4 years of age.
• Pay attention to children's hygiene such as always washing hands to changing toothbrushes.

If when swallowing food the child feels pain in the throat area, give him soft or easy to swallow food such as soup.

Some children feel better about hot foods. There are also children who are more comfortable with cold food or drinks.

Therefore, you are also allowed to give him cold juice, ice cream, or even popsicle.

Also pay attention to the cleanliness of the home environment, children and other family members to avoid infection.

One way is to regularly clean your hands and body before making contact.

Also provide health developments to the doctor regarding tonsillitis in children.

This is done so that parents know what to do and children can get certain treatment if their condition has not improved.