In addition to using prescription drugs from the doctor, there are several ways to treat tonsillitis in children that can be done at home. This treatment effort aims to make your baby recover quickly and can go back to playing with his friends without feeling the pain due to inflamed tonsils.
Tonsils or tonsils are one part of the body's defense system that plays a role in fighting viral and bacterial infections.
However, the tonsils can become inflamed if the immune system is weak or the tonsils are not functioning properly to fight off invading bacteria and viruses. This condition is called tonsillitis or tonsillitis.
Inflammation of the tonsils caused by a virus is usually experienced by children under the age of 5 years. Meanwhile, tonsillitis triggered by bacterial infection is mostly experienced by children aged over 5 years to 15 years.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Tonsillitis in Children
A child who has tonsillitis has not been able to explain the symptoms or complaints they are experiencing. Therefore, as a parent, you need to be aware that your child has tonsillitis if he shows any of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Restless and more fussy
- Difficult to swallow
- Decreased appetite
- Sore throat
- Lost voice
- Ears hurt
- Frequent drooling
- Bad breath
- Snoring while sleeping
- A lump appears in the neck due to swollen lymph nodes
You can also check your child's tonsils by placing the handle of a spoon on his tongue and asking him to say "aaa". Use a flashlight to see the inside of the mouth and the condition of the tonsils. Inflamed tonsils will look red and swollen.
How to Treat Tonsils in Children
As previously mentioned, the treatment of tonsillitis in children can be done independently at home, according to the cause. Inflammation of the tonsils caused by a viral infection will usually heal on its own within 1-2 weeks.
Meanwhile, if tonsillitis is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics are usually required according to a doctor's prescription. However, there are several treatment steps that can be taken to relieve the symptoms of tonsillitis in children, namely:
1. Get plenty of rest
Rest is an effective way to restore the condition of the body that is sick. When the tonsils are inflamed, make sure your baby gets enough rest at home until the condition improves.
2. Consume soft foods and warm drinks
Inflammation of the tonsils can make children less willing to eat. This is because when the tonsils are inflamed, the child will usually feel painful swallowing. To work around this, give him soft foods that are easy to swallow, such as soup, porridge, or team rice.
In addition, you can also give warm tea with honey added to reduce the discomfort in his throat. However, this method should be done if the child is over 1 year old. Do not give honey to children under 1 year of age, as it can cause botulism.
3. Gargle salt water
For children who are over the age of 6 years, gargling with salt water can help relieve pain in the throat. The trick, put 1 teaspoon of salt into 1 cup of warm water, then stir until blended. Tell your child to rinse his mouth with the solution for a few seconds, then drain the water out of his mouth.
4. Improve air quality
Creating good air quality at home is also important to help deal with inflammation of the tonsils. When a child has tonsillitis, as much as possible keep him away from exposure to pollution, such as dust, cigarette smoke, and vehicle fumes. If necessary, you can use humidifier to humidify and clean dirty air.
For tonsils that do not improve with home care or tonsils that last a long time, often recur, causing shortness of breath, sleep apnea (sleep apnea), or airway obstruction, it may be necessary to treat with tonsillectomy.
If your child's condition does not improve after 2-3 days of being treated at home or there are any of the above signs, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment.
