COUGHING & SORE THROAT

Sore Throat
A sore throat causes pain when swallowing. If a sore throat is accompanied by a cold, muscle ache and coughing it is usually caused by a virus. There is no medicine against the virus. When a sore throat is accompanied by swallowing difficulties and high fever, it could be an infection of the throat or tonsils. Swollen glands may then be felt in the neck.
Doctors no longer automatically give antibiotics during the first week of the illness because most sore throats are due to viruses. Even if bacteria are the cause most sore throats are cured by the person's own defences. The exceptions include people with immunity problems, with a very high temperature or who start to develop a tonsil abscess.

CHILDREN
Healthy children's tonsils are nearly always large. Normally they are pink just like the inside of the mouth, but when infected they are bright red. Often small yellow spots are then visible.

SELF CARE
What you can do.
Sore throats are best soothed by hot gargles of salty water.
Children as young as three years of age can be taught to gargle.

Contact a doctor immediately:

• If the child has breathing problems
  
• If the child cannot drink or swallow
  
• If the child is unable to swallow its saliva
  
• If the child has neck pain and a high temperature.

Coughing
Coughing is the body's way of clearing the air passages. When your throat is irritated by something you may get a dry or tickly cough.

What can you do?
Suck a 'boiled' sweet or sip hot 'honey & lemon' drinks. This will provide temporary relief. Try a steam inhalation: breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water. A good idea for the parents is to make their bathroom steamy and sit with them for 5 minutes. (The bathroom should be as steamy as a Turkish bath.) Medicines for relief are also available from pharmacies.

Contact your doctor immediately:

• If you notice that the child's lips are bluish in colour.
  
• If the child coughs up mucus with blood in it.
  
• If the child's breathing is painful, wheezy, loud or the child is short of breath.
  
• If the child's breathing is very fast or the child is using a lot of effort to breathe.
  
• If the cough has lasted for more than 2 weeks.
  
• If the child has a high temperature and a cough for more than 3 days.
  
• If the child is dribbling at the mouth and not swallowing.

Always consult with your GP