Sore throat is a common problem in children. It may, ironically, not be as simple as it looks on the surface. While viruses cause a majority of throat infections, bacteria are no less to blame.
Just think of it: a mild irritation, or a more serious infection, such as laryngitis, may also produce a sore throat. The soreness may affect the whole throat, or specific areas, such as the larynx, tonsils, adenoids, pharynx, or vocal chords.
Symptoms include soreness on the roof of the mouth and the throat, a runny nose and congestion, irritation, or redness, of the eyes, cough, hoarseness, skin rash, or diarrhoea. There may sometimes be difficulty in swallowing food, or liquids. Children with viral infections, along with sore throat, may present with rising fever; they may also feel depressed.
Symptoms include a dry mouth and throat discomfort on swallowing, unpleasant taste in the mouth, bad breath, low energy and fever. The symptoms may sometimes become worse by cold and damp, overuse of voice, ‘passive smoking,’ food allergy, being ‘run down,’ or emotional stress. When symptoms and loss of voice persists for more than 3-4 days, parents should promptly seek the advice of their child’s homeopathic physician.
Homeopathy For Sore Throat
Homeopathy treats not just the sore throat, or infection, but the child with the problem. In simple terms, it treats the child as a whole. Every child with throat problems ought to have certain physical and emotional symptoms. They also have a certain type of personality, feelings, likes and dislikes. A suitable homeopathic remedy is prescribed, based on such findings.
- Aconitum napellus is often helpful during the early stages of a sore throat. The symptoms come on suddenly, after exposure to cold air. There is often burning in the throat with redness, swelling and increased thirst.
- Apis mellifica is useful for red, inflamed throat with swollen tonsils. It is often useful when symptoms get aggravated by warm drinks and are relieved by cold drinks. One could also think of this remedy when the throat hurts [or, stings], even when the child is not swallowing.
- Arsenicum album may be a suitable remedy for burning pain in the throat aggravated by cold food, or drinks, and relieved by warm food, or drinks.
- Belladonna works well in acute sore throat — and, also in the early stages of sore throat. The tonsils are visibly red. There is also ‘burning pain’ and a constant desire to swallow.
- Ferrum phosphoricum is useful for acute sore throat. The infection begins gradually; the throat is red and swollen, especially in the morning. Painful swallowing, relieved by cold drinks, is a key symptom of this remedy.
- Hepar sulphuricum is a ‘remedy of choice’ for children who experience a sensation of a ‘stick’ in the throat, or when a sore throat begins after exposure to cold, Sore throat, worse on the left side, with radiating pains to the ears on swallowing, responds well to this remedy.
Tonsillitis & Adenoiditis
The tonsils are a pair of sacs, made of lymphatic tissue, located at the back of the throat. They form one of the first lines of defence in the body’s immune system. They are prone to infection, especially during childhood.
Symptoms are sore, or painful, throat, with fever and general malaise. The tonsils may appear bright red at first; they may later be covered with a slimy, whitish coating. The glands in the neck may subsequently get enlarged.
Many children also suffer from a condition called sleep apnoea, which causes snoring. Sleep apnoea is a condition with irregular breathing patterns during sleep. It leads to lower blood levels of oxygen. The most common cause of sleep apnoea is enlarged tonsils and adenoiditis [inflammatory disorder of the adenoids], which partly block the airways during sleep. Adenoids, also known as pharyngeal tonsils, or nasopharyngeal tonsils, are located at the back of the throat, above the tonsils.
Homeopathy For Tonsillitis
Homeopathy is safe and useful in tonsillitis.
Your professional homeopathic doctor will assess the cause of snoring, mouth breathing and behavioural issues, if any. Once this is done, a suitable homeopathic remedy based on your child’s unique, particular symptoms is prescribed. Most kids, following homeopathic treatment, are able to avoid surgery — i.e., not have their tonsils and adenoids removed.
NB: Homeopathy has an impressive clinical record in treating tonsillitis and adenoids. It does not believe in ‘chopping’ the tonsils by way of surgery, but in enhancing the body’s own defences to maintaining good health. It also aims at improving the child’s immunity and allowing the tonsils to work at their optimal best — without side-effects.
Clinical Study
In a multicentre study, a homeopathic preparation, Lymphomyosot, was found to be useful for the treatment of infected tonsils [tonsillitis], as well as enlarged, but ‘uninfected,’ tonsils. Homeopathy helped to maintain a healthy immune system and lymphatic system. The study, published in Biological Therapy, reported, that, for acute tonsillitis there was a ‘surprisingly good effect’ and that homeopathy was compatible with other physician-prescribed conventional medications.
There are more than a dozen+ homeopathic remedies that are useful to surmount the three problems, without side-effects. To name, but just a few —
- Belladonna is useful in the acute stages, especially when the tonsils appear bright red and swollen; there may also be difficulty in swallowing fluids.
- Baryta carbonica is effective in tonsillitis with pus formation. The right side of the throat is worse than the left. There is also enlargement of the lymph glands in the neck.
- Calcarea iodatum is useful in adenoiditis, when accompanied by frequent colds.
NB: Sore throat, tonsillitis and adenoiditis are best treated by a professional homeopathic doctor at the clinic.
Self-Help
- Allow your child to get plenty of rest; give them remedies as advised by your doctor
- Give them lots of fluids to prevent dehydration
- Encourage them to gargle with warm salt water; this helps to ease the sore throat and infection
- Speak to your professional homeopathic doctor, if your child’s symptoms worsen.
