How to Detect and Treat Sore Throat in Babies and Toddlers

As with all other aches and pains, sore throat in babies is particularly tough to bear—they have no idea what hit them and they can’t even tell you how they feel. But, if you pay close attention, your little one could be giving you signs to let you know what’s going on. Here’s what to look for, as well as what you can do to soothe baby sore throat gently yet effectively.

Baby Sore Throat Causes

Viral infections similar to the common cold are the most common causes of sore throat in babies and toddlers. “Runny noses can give you a dry, irritated throat. The mucus is acidic; when it drips, it can infect the throat and make it painful,” says TJ Gold , MD, of Tribeca Pediatrics in New York City.

In addition, if baby is congested , they’ll likely leave their mouth open to help them breathe. This can lead to a dry and irritated throat too.

The virus can also infect the mucus membrane, which can lead to an upper respiratory infection and, in turn, a sore throat. Although a sore throat can happen any time of the year, you’re more likely to see it in December, January and February, which is right in line with flu season .

Baby Sore Throat Symptoms

Increased irritability can be a telltale sign of a sore throat in babies and toddlers. Your little one will also not want to eat or drink anything that’s too hot or too cold because it will hurt their throat.

How to tell if a baby sore throat is a more serious infection

Sore throats will usually go away within seven to 10 days. “If something more serious than a sore throat is going on, you may see additional signs of distress, such as persistent or forceful vomiting, diarrhea , rash , high fever and, in more severe cases, they may have difficulty breathing or swallowing,” says DeAnn Moore , MD, of the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York. If you spot any of these symptoms in baby, call your pediatrician right away.

Even without the above symptoms, you should call your pediatrician if the sore throat comes with a fever, advises Ari Brown , MD, and author of the Baby 411 book series. This could be a sign of another infection, such as Coxsackievirus (aka hand, foot and mouth disease), strep or mono.

Sore Throat Remedies for Babies and Toddler

Since viruses are the culprits behind most baby and toddler sore throat, there aren’t any medications that’ll make them go away. For older toddlers with a severe case, your pediatrician may prescribe a pharmacy compound of Benadryl and Maalox. But for the most part, you just need to be patient and let it resolve on its own. In the meantime, try the following to help make your child more comfortable, and, as always, consult your pediatrician before giving any treatments.

• Make sure baby is staying well-hydrated: If baby is under 6 months, offer them plenty of breast milk or formula; if they’re older than 6 months, you can give them water .
• Use throat lozenges: Dissolve a bit of throat lozenge in warm water for baby (older than 6 months) to drink. However, be careful to avoid honey (because of botulism risks in children under a year old), as well as cough-suppressant lozenges, as coughing actually helps baby get rid of that pesky mucus, Gold says. Obviously, remove the hard lozenge before feeding the drink to baby.
• Watch baby’s diet: Encourage regular meals for children old enough to eat solid foods , but avoid anything spicy, acidic or rough in texture.
• Use a humidifier in baby’s room: This will prevent the air from becoming too dry.
• Give a pain reliever like Tylenol : Of course, always check with your pediatrician for appropriate age and dosage.