Sore Throat Relief for Kids: Safe and Effective Solutions

Sore throats are no fun – the pain can stop your kid from being their usual cheery, active self and put them off even their favorite foods. It doesn’t help that a lot of treatments are unsuitable for children, but luckily there are plenty of things you can do to help when your little one is suffering. Some of these methods may act pretty quickly, too.

What can you give a child for a sore throat?

Whether your child is suffering from a sore throat due to a cold, flu, or strep throat, there are a number of simple things you can do to help soothe that sore throat and promote healing.  It’s also important to note that if your child’s pain is severe or they’re suffering from other symptoms such as a headache, fever, nausea, or vomiting, you will want to seek help from their doctor or pediatrician first.

Sore throat home remedies

Rest

Getting kids to rest can be easier said than done, even when they’re tired and not feeling well. But rest is key to healing, so even if they’re not sleepy, kids should take it easy while they’re suffering from a cold or sore throat. Encourage quiet activities like reading, coloring, or watching favorite movies.

Drink plenty of fluids

Staying hydrated is very important when trying to shake off a sore throat. Kids can get dehydrated more quickly than adults, so make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids while they’re feeling unwell. Water or water with lemon are great choices, and so is the old classic – chicken soup. Of course, you know your child best, so stick with the fluids they’re most likely to consume.

Try a salt rinse

Gargling with salt water can be a soothing treatment for sore throats. This home remedy has been around for decades, and the reason why is that it tends to temporarily relieve sore throat pain and irritation. Just know that only kids aged eight or over should try this and you will want to be there to supervise and make sure they spit it out.

Store-bought sore throat relief for kids

Sore throat relief treatments such as throat sprays, lozenges, and cough drops can get right to the source of the pain and are often highly effective and get to work quickly. If your child’s throat is so sore they are having discomfort while trying to swallow liquids, ask their pediatrician if you can try numbing the pain first with a kid-friendly spray or lozenge.

Not all throat sprays or lozenges are suitable for children, so make sure to check the labels and directions before giving any treatments to children.

Lozenges and cough drops

Many lozenges and cough drops are not suitable for young children due to certain ingredients. They also present a choking hazard – just like any other small object that can be accidentally swallowed.

Chloraseptic offers highly effective sore throat lozenges designed for kids aged six and up. These can do a great job at soothing your child’s throat and are available in fruit flavors and warming honey lemon. We even have a sugar-free version. While most lozenges do tend to be sweet and appealing, you’ll want to keep them out of reach of small children and supervise children ages six years old and up to make sure they can use them safely.

Sore throat sprays

Some spray medicines are not appropriate for kids, but children aged three and above can use all Chloraseptic sore throat sprays, as directed and with adult supervision. It’s the only throat spray on the market that is safe for such young kids to use, plus it comes in fruit flavors, honey, or menthol. Only our menthol flavor has menthol in it.

Throat sprays offer fast-acting relief from the pain and discomfort of a sore throat. A good sore throat spray will get to work in seconds, numbing the throat with just one quick spray to the affected area. You should always follow the directions, choosing a formula that is suitable for your kids ages three and older and make sure to supervise any children under twelve when using the spray.

Parents trust Chloraseptic sore throat treatments to help get their children through cold season because we’re the #1 pediatrician-recommended sore throat spray brand.