Herpes sore throat in children - causes, symptoms and treatment

Herpes sore throat is an acute infectious disease caused by the herpes virus. Typical clinical manifestations - increased body temperature, redness of the throat, nasal congestion, painful sensations during swallowing, inflammatory process affecting the palatine tonsils.

Children suffer from the disease much more often in comparison with adults. For this reason, herpes sore throat is considered a childhood disease. In most cases, preschoolers and elementary school children face it. In infants, it does not occur often, since such crumbs receive immune bodies along with breast milk from the mother.Most heavily tolerated by this type of sore throat kids under three years old.

Causes of herpes sore throat and ways of infection

The causes that provoke the appearance of this disease are the herpes virus. In the overwhelming majority of cases, this is Coxsackie virus, more rarely enteroviruses. The disease may appear due to complications after adenovirus and acute rotovirus infection, when the baby’s body is weak and cannot withstand the causative agents of the disease.

The source of infection is the carrier of the virus or an infected person. It is extremely rare disease suffer pets. The virus is transmitted in the acute stage of the disease, a week after the onset of infection, the risk of infection is significantly reduced. But it is believed that for several weeks after the patient recovered, he is considered infectious.

There are several ways to transmit the disease:

1. Airborne. The pathogen enters the body of an uninfected person when the infected person sneezes and coughs next to it.
2. Contact and household. Close contact with an infected person significantly increases the risk of infection through saliva, nasal secretions.
3. Fecal-oral. Infection occurs through common household items, cutlery, unwashed hands, etc.

When the causative agent of the disease enters the body of a child, the process of its reproduction in the lymph nodes of the intestine begins, after its penetration into the blood and spread to all organs and systems. The duration of the incubation period is from two days to two weeks. Pathogens (especially if it is a Coxsackie virus) prefer to settle in the tissues of muscles, nerves, and mucous membranes. Subsequently, the baby develops a stable immunity to herpes sore throat. However, if the causative agent of the infection becomes a different type of virus, re-infection is possible.

There is currently no special vaccination for this disease. A pediatrician may advise you to enter a baby who has been in contact with a carrier of the virus, gamma-globulin, which provides passive immunity for some time (as a rule, not longer than one month). Even in the event of illness, the child will take it much easier.

Clinical manifestations of herpes sore throat in a child

For some time the disease is asymptomatic. As a rule, this period lasts 7-14 days. The manifestation of the disease is not observed, despite the fact that the baby has already become a virus carrier.

The first stage of the development of the disease is accompanied by symptoms resembling the flu. These include the following:

• lethargy and general deterioration of health;
• nausea and vomiting;
• decreased appetite;
• restlessness during sleep;
• temperature increase, sometimes reaching 40 ° С;
• pain of the skin;
• pain with slight pressure on the eyes of the apples, or when they move.

There are also characteristic symptoms:

• the child lays a nose;
• runny nose and cough;
• salivation increases;
• skin at the corners of the lips is irritated.

When a baby tries to swallow, it feels sore throat (this can cause the baby to stop feeding).

In the first few days of the pathological process affects the oral mucosa, in addition, there are signs such as:

• swollen and swollen lymph nodes behind the ears, under the jaws, around the neck;
• swelling and redness of the tongue, pharynx, tonsils, arches of the sky;
• the formation in the oral cavity of small reddish bubbles (up to three millimeters).

After a few days of formation burst, and the liquid that is in them goes outside. Small ulcers of gray-white color with red borders are formed. During this period, the baby has difficulty with eating because of a sore throat.

After five days, a crust forms on the ulcers. After another couple of days, it is easily washed out, after which there are no wounds left. Edema and inflammation are reduced. The pain of the lymph nodes goes away after about 1-1.5 weeks, and after two weeks they become smaller in size.

Diagnostic measures

If the developing disease has a typical form, the doctor will be able to establish the diagnosis without using any type of research. When examining a patient, he may notice characteristic formations in the oral cavity. In blood biochemistry, there will be a slight increase in the level of leukocytes, which indicates the process of inflammation in the body.

Laboratory diagnostic methods are used if there are clinical manifestations characteristic of other diseases. The following procedures apply:

1. ELISA. The results of the analysis can determine the amount of antibodies.Their elevated level indicates the reaction of the immune system to the pathogen.
2. PCR. In the course of the analysis, a biomaterial is examined that is taken from the nasopharynx. Thanks to this diagnostic method, it is possible to establish the type of pathogen.

For a more accurate diagnosis will require consultation of specialists such as nephrologist, cardiologist, neurologist.

Treatment of herpes sore throat in children

Since herpes sore throat is considered a viral disease, therapeutic measures will be aimed at eliminating the symptoms. It reduces the manifestations of the disease, the healing process is faster, helps prevent serious consequences. The baby is often hospitalized, especially if the form of the disease is running.

Drug therapy
For the treatment of herpes sore throat, the doctor will prescribe a small patient the following medications:

1. Antihistamines (Zyrtec, Fenistil). Means will remove swelling in the throat.
2. Antiseptics (Miramistin, Furacilin) ​​will prevent re-infection.
3. Anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Nimesulide). Medicines will help eliminate the inflammatory process.
4. Antipyretic (Panadol, Nurofen).Such drugs are prescribed if the thermometer values ​​reach 38 ° С and do not fall for a long time.
5. Medicinal herbs for gargling (chamomile, sage, oak bark), Furatsilin, Fukortsin, manganese solution are prescribed for the same purpose.
6. Interferon
7. Sprays with anesthetic effect - Hexoral, Ingalipt.
8. Vitamin complexes.
9. Antibacterial drugs for herpes sore throat are prescribed in rare cases - only if the form is running, or complications of an infectious nature have occurred.

Treatment of folk remedies
For the treatment of herpetic sore throat in a baby should use the following tips traditional medicine:

1. Make a healing infusion. For this you need to use medicinal plants - mint, linden, anise, wild rose.
   Giving baby tea with lemon, honey, raspberries.
2. Treat throat propolis, namely, its aqueous solution.
3. Give the baby warm milk, in which you need to add a spoonful of honey and a little butter.
4. Prepare the following means for gargling: add 1 tbsp of boiled salt, 2/3 tablespoons of soda, 3 drops of iodine to 250 ml of water.

Patient care

It should be remembered that the proper care of a sick child can make the healing process faster and reduce the risk of complications. Proper care includes the following:

1. Providing the patient with bed rest.
2. Isolating the child from others to avoid infection and the subsequent spread of the disease.
3. Plentiful warm drink.
4. Warming of the throat is excluded, because of this the bacteria will multiply and the child will not be able to recover quickly.
5. Airing the room in which the patient is at least twice a day.
6. The use of traditional medicine - only in consultation with the doctor.
7. Providing a balanced diet. It is necessary that the food was warm, liquid, crushed to a state of mashed potatoes. Carbonated drinks, spices, spices, salty foods are strictly prohibited.
8. It is forbidden to use warming compresses.

Be sure to know that any method of treatment of herpes sore throat in a child must be agreed with the doctor. Self-treatment in this case is a serious danger, as it can lead to serious complications.

Danger of illness

It happens that the disease passes in the baby after a couple of days after the therapy is started. Many parents immediately stop giving the child medication. And they do it in vain. Since this phenomenon signals the transition of the disease into a latent form. It is impossible to stop treatment until the baby has fully recovered. Confirm this fact can only medical examination.

Complications

If you do not take appropriate therapeutic measures and do not completely cure the disease, the risk of complications will increase. It should be noted that they represent a serious health hazard. This is due to the fact that enteroviruses that provoke herpes sore throat, cause damage to the cells and fibers of the nerves, if they are not neutralized in a timely manner. The most difficult consequences of the disease are:

• meningitis;
• encephalitis;
• sepsis;
• liver disease;
• heart disease;
• rheumatism;
• myocarditis;
• nephritis.

All of these pathologies can impose a mark on the future of the baby. They affect the physical and psycho-emotional development of the child.For this reason, it is imperative to avoid their occurrence and to completely cure herpes sore throat. And it is desirable to prevent it altogether with the help of preventive measures.

Prevention

Preventive measures against herpetic angina in a child do not have any special differences from the prevention of other diseases caused by viruses. Pediatricians advise to hold the following activities:

• make sure that the child does not eat a lot of cold food and drinks;
• avoid excessive cooling;
• take measures to improve the immunity of the child;
• time to treat any disease;
• ensure that the feet of the child are always dry and warm;
• avoid contact with allergens;
• timely remove the baby from the stressful state, and it is desirable to prevent it;
• every six months - to use vitamin complexes;
• spend more time with the baby in the fresh air;
• make sure that the child’s sleep is strong and full.

In the period of high activity of viruses and epidemics, the baby should not be allowed to contact infected people.

The danger of herpetic angina for the health of the baby is that the disease is severe and can cause serious complications.It is much easier to prevent it from occurring through preventive measures that are familiar to almost every parent.

However, if the child is still infected, you can not engage in self-treatment. It is necessary to immediately consult a doctor and strictly follow all his recommendations. Only in this way it is possible after a short period of time to see the crumb again healthy and joyful.

Video: how to distinguish herpangina from streptococcal angina