Cough with Sore Throat
What is it?
A cough occurs when nerves in the pharynx (upper throat), larynx (throat), trachea (main breathing tube) or large bronchi (breathing tubes in the lungs) become irritated. A sore throat, also known as pharyngitis, can be seen as inflammation or redness of the tissues, sometimes with yellowish/white pus on the tonsils.
Causes
The most common cause of a cough in children is an upper respiratory tract infection, eg the common cold. More serious infections include croup,bronchiolitis, whooping cough and pneumonia.
It's not unusual for a child to have a recurrent cough due to repeated infections, but this can also be a sign of an underlying problem, such as asthma or allergies.
Sore throats are usually caused by a viral infections, although as children get older the beta-haemolytic streptococcus bacteria becomes more common as a cause.
Symptoms
The type of cough depends on the type of infection. For example, viral croup can cause a barking cough, with rapid and harsh breathing. With whooping cough, a characteristic spasmodic cough followed by a whooping noise as the child draws in breath is evident. Coughs associated with asthma are often worse at night or if the air is cold. Associated symptoms may include fast or noisy breathing, fever, vomiting (especially in small children), a stuffy nose and other symptoms of a cold.
The symptoms of a sore throat include pain, especially on swallowing, and usually swollen glands in the neck.
Diagnosis and treatment
Treatment of a cough depends on the cause. Give plenty of liquids and cough medicine if you think this helps. Humidify the room to help breathing (you can place a wet towel in front of the radiator).
Give painkillers and plenty of cold drinks, ice cream and jelly can help to soothe a sore throat. Older children may use throat lozenges or gargles.
Further help
For both a cough and sore throat, it's important to get medical advice and a diagnosis early, especially if the child has a fever or is generally unwell, or if the cough is recurrent. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infection.
