Sore throat during pregnancy
Pregnancy tends to weaken the mother’s own immune system. For this reason, it is easier for viruses and bacteria in the body to cause infections which can sometimes be responsible for sore throats. Therefore, during pregnancy, care should be taken to prevent colds.
This can be achieved by a balanced diet and a sufficient supply of vitamins as well as by avoiding crowds of people during cold waves. A sore throat is usually an early sign of a so-called flu-like infection, even in pregnant women. This is caused by so-called rhinoviruses and is usually harmless even in pregnant women.
In addition to sore throat, an increased temperature, headaches, aching limbs, general weakness and loss of appetite occur with a time lag. If the symptoms and the sore throat become significantly worse, a doctor should be consulted who can decide on a suitable, individual therapy. For the baby a flu-like infection of the mother is always harmless. If the fever is high, however, a doctor should be consulted.
Sore throat in baby and toddler
With toddlers and babies it is more difficult to find the exact cause of the problem. After all, they cannot explain what is wrong with them or what causes them pain. They usually express their discomfort by crying, which is of course relatively unspecific.
That is why a thorough examination is especially important for babies and toddlers. At this age, the organism is also not yet so robust, so that even small problems can lead to major complications. A frequent complication in small children is the swallowing of foreign bodies, such as small toy parts like Lego bricks or marbles.
These can still pass through the relatively large oropharyngeal cavity, but then usually get stuck in the esophagus. This is painful, of course, and you can’t eat with it anymore. But babies and toddlers cannot articulate this yet.
So if there is a suspicion that a small part has been swallowed, immediate removal by a pediatrician is indicated. The parts can also be moved to another location at a later date, for example to relocate the trachea. If the sore throat has another cause – such as an infection – sucking pastilles such as EM Eukal® can often help.
These are also available in a sugar-free children’s version so as not to damage the dental flora. In addition to cough pastilles, gargling is also possible. A very common disease of babies and small children, however, is the so-called pseudocroup.
It is caused by parainfluenza viruses, but is relatively harmless. It typically occurs at night and in the colder autumn and winter months. Classical symptoms are a barking cough, hoarseness, and sore throat, as well as low age (toddler and baby age).
Understandably, parents are usually very worried, as their child shows signs of acute shortness of breath. However, in many cases cold, humid air and calming of the child is sufficient. Often the symptoms have therefore already subsided by the time the parents reach the emergency room on a cold winter night.
If the symptoms have not improved by then, the doctor will nebulize the air with glucocorticoids and give 100% oxygen. Serious complications are very rare. The symptoms usually disappear within hours, but may recur frequently during the autumn and winter months. It is important in all cases to keep an eye on the baby or toddler, as they can neither assess dangers nor express problems. Diagnosis is therefore particularly difficult at this age, and is particularly dependent on the parents.
