Most of us know Tonsils as a throat disease. While, actually Tonsils are a part of our mouth at the back of our throat on both left and right side. Tonsils fight germs to prevent infection and keep your body healthy. But, when these tonsils catch infection from some bacteria or virus it causes ‘Tonsillitis’. So, here is a guide to deal with your kid’s Tonsillitis by Dr. Promilla Butani, a child care specialist in South Delhi.
Symptoms of Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is a common and very painful condition in kids. Children are more prone to it. It makes difficult for you to swallow or eat or drink due to following symptoms:
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Sometimes, a pale white coating can be seen on the tonsils, which is a sign of infection.
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If you have Tonsillitis, your tonsils may have redness and will be swollen
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Tonsillitis makes the glands in your neck become swollen
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Children usually catch fever if they are suffering from Tonsillitis
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Tonsillitis causes bad breath
Tonsillitis is an irritating condition which makes your throat hurt bad.
Treatment
A Pediatrician will do a thorough examination of your throat, take a look at the tonsils and check for other signs of infections. He/she also examines your chest, nose and ears to check if they are infected too.
Tonsillitis can be caused either by bacteria or virus. Streptococci is a type of bacteria that can be a reason for Tonsillitis and a strep test is done to check whether your tonsils are affected by Streptococci. Antibiotics can help kill this type of bacteria, but you should keep in mind that you follow the instructions and finish the prescription given by your doctor to completely kill the bacteria. Do not leave it halfway, even if you feel relieved.
If the reason for your Tonsillitis is a virus, then antibiotics can’t cure it. Your body naturally fights off the viruses.
In case of severe infection, pediatricians suggest an operation to remove a child’s tonsils, mostly when the tonsils are so much swollen that make it difficult for the child to breathe.
The medical treatment for tonsillitis works fine in most of the cases but still it is important to keep in mind these following points to alleviate the pain and heal fast:
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Maintain hygiene, specially wash your hands often so that you don’t increase the infection further while eating or drinking.
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Drink lots of liquids.
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Pediatricians suggest that you consume smooth foods with mild flavors to lessen the irritation on your tonsils.
Soon your tonsils will be back in action and ready to fight germs again!