Herpes in the throat of a child (with photo): how to treat a viral infection with rashes on the tonsils?

Correct diagnosis of herpes in the throat

Competent research into the type and stage of herpes virus infection is the key to successful treatment.
However, it is not enough to carry out a differential diagnosis from herpes stomatitis. The characteristics of the virus, the nature of its effect on the body and the state of the patient’s immune system must be determined.

At the appointment, the doctor examines the child, recording visual signs of the disease and excluding herpetic stomatitis.

In the presence of small vesicles filled with liquid, there is a need for a thorough examination of the mucous membrane in the oral cavity.

Diagnosis of herpes in the throat in children is carried out using the following measures:

• UAC and OAM.
• A smear from the oral mucosa.

Laboratory tests can identify the type of virus and the form of the disease (recurrent or local).

In the first case, treatment of herpes will be quite expensive and lengthy. It is impossible to completely remove the herpes virus from the body.

Komarovsky's opinion

Children's doctor Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky believes that in children the infection caused by the herpes virus is more severe than in adult patients.

But he says the virus rarely affects a child's throat. If this happens, then it is important to distinguish this disease from herpetic sore throat, with which it is often confused due to similar symptoms. These diseases have different origins and require different treatments.

Taking general strengthening and vitamin preparations increases the child’s immunity, which helps prevent the development of herpes in the throat.

Komarovsky considers it necessary to observe home quarantine for 7 days. The child must be prescribed antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Herpes in the throat of a child is a viral vesicular pathology in which the lesion is localized on the tonsils. The causative agent of the disease can be herpes virus types 1 and 2. Infection occurs quickly; short-term contact with the patient is sufficient. The formation and development of infection is always rapid, especially against the background of a weakened immune system.

If parents notice signs of a herpes infection in their child, they should not delay going to the clinic. Untimely treatment often leads to complications and re-infection.

Herpes lesions of the throat mucosa require a responsible approach to treatment

Treatment methods

From the first days of the disease, it is necessary to use symptomatic therapy. The child must be surrounded by care and peace; bed rest is required. Since the viral infection is very contagious, the baby should be protected as much as possible from communication with healthy family members. His room should be warm, but with some ventilation. The room with a sick child should be ventilated every day for 20–30 minutes.

General recommendations

After the first signs of the disease appear and until the very end of therapy, the patient should drink plenty of fluids. It is best to treat herpes in the throat with warm tea, ideally with linden or mint. Drinks and water should be acidified with lemon. If the baby does not have allergies, you can give him to drink decoctions of plants that help alleviate inflammation (for example, St. John's wort).

The young patient must follow a special diet during treatment. Everything fried, fatty and spicy should be excluded from the diet. Since it is painful for children with herpes on the throat to swallow solid food, it is necessary to prepare them purees, soups, and all kinds of cereals. Poultry and fish can be boiled, baked or steamed. It is very useful to eat citrus fruits every day.

Traditional methods

If a child complains of a severe sore throat, then you need to consult with your doctor about what gentle painkillers can be used. In addition to medications, the following help relieve pain:

1. Gargling with salt solutions with added iodine, decoctions of calendula and chamomile.
2. Affected areas on the mucous membrane of the mouth and pharynx can be treated with sea buckthorn oil - this reduces the sensation of pain and accelerates tissue healing.

Since herpes, like many viral infections, tends to manifest itself when the body’s immunity decreases, treatment of the child should include taking immunomodulatory drugs. The doctor may prescribe medications, or may recommend the use of natural immunomodulators, namely decoctions:

• echinacea;
• calendula;
• rosehip;
• ginseng, etc.

Applying warm alcohol compresses, mustard plasters, and heating pads to the neck helps inflammation and viral particles spread throughout the body. This can cause complications of stomatitis and damage to adjacent tissues.

Antiviral drugs

The attending physician determines based on the child’s condition whether special antiviral medications are needed for treatment. They can be prescribed only in severe cases of pathology.

The famous doctor Komarovsky believes that the measures described above are quite enough for the baby to fully recover. But if there is a need for antiviral therapy, the patient is prescribed acyclovir-based drugs (Acyclovir, Zovirax, etc.). In this case, their introduction into the body is carried out intravenously.

Their use can cause a number of side effects, which, in terms of danger to the child’s health, can be worse than herpes itself. Therefore, a competent specialist will not prescribe them for an uncomplicated variant of the pathology, but will stick to more gentle methods of treatment.

Preparations based on human immunoglobulin are less toxic than antiviral drugs. They are a solution with antibodies that are sensitive to herpes viral particles. However, these substances can also be prescribed in exceptional cases and only by the attending physician. Their introduction into the child’s body can only be carried out in a hospital setting through a dropper. In children over 5 years of age, Interferon can be used as an immunomodulator.

Drug therapy

How to treat herpes?
For maximum effectiveness (so that the disease does not become chronic), complex therapy with various medications is used. Thus, the main medications for the treatment of this viral infection in children are acyclovir and valacyclovir. These are antiviral agents aimed at combating this particular type of pathogen. In severe cases, acyclovir and valacyclovir are administered intravenously.

The dosage is generally taken to be 20 mg of the drug per 1 kg of the child’s weight, but only a doctor can have sufficient knowledge to select it taking into account the health status and characteristics of each child.

Valaciclovir is a more modern and gentle form of acyclovir. Recommended for children.

Other antiherpes drugs are not recommended for the treatment of children, because they are quite toxic and can cause more harm to the child’s body than good.

Additionally, to relieve symptoms (primarily pain), facilitate swallowing and reduce the size of the inflammation, antiseptic preparations are used in the form of rinses and sprays. This:

• hexoral;
• pharyngosept;
• septolete.

They eliminate or at least mitigate unwanted symptoms. Many parents believe that only these are enough: if the inflammation is removed, the disease is cured. This is an erroneous judgment - herpes does not disappear from antiseptics, it simply becomes chronic, and can “pop up” later at the most unexpected moment. The frequency and severity of subsequent “outbreaks” of the disease depend on how well the antiviral therapy was administered. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely get rid of herpes once infected.

The next group of drugs used in the treatment of herpes are painkillers and antipyretics, which can relieve pain and bring down the temperature if it is too high. This:

• Nurofen;
• ibuprofen;
• nimesulide;
• nise;
• paracetamol;
• cefekon.

The dosage, again, is prescribed only by the doctor.

If the disease causes swelling of the mucous membranes of the throat, accompanied by itching, it can be relieved with antihistamines (i.e., antiallergic) drugs - Zodak, Zyrtec, desloratadine.

A very important part of the treatment of herpes is to increase the child’s immunity, since this disease itself indicates a significant immunodeficiency. For this purpose, immunomodulator drugs are used.

Among them are the following:

1. Interferon in various forms. It is an immune system activator. Used ONLY as prescribed by a doctor!
2. Interferon inducers are drugs that stimulate the body to produce endogenous interferon. Among them are Amixil, Kagocel and others. Some of them, in addition to the main function, have additional ones - antiviral and anti-inflammatory.
3. Immunoglobulins are special preparations containing antibodies to this virus.

Any of these drugs can be given to a small child only if prescribed by a doctor, strictly following the dosage and prescribed regimen.

For young patients, especially those who often suffer from herpes (exacerbations occur 2-3 times a year), a special anti-herpes vaccine that contains a weakened strain of the virus may be recommended. This allows the child’s body to acquire lasting immunity to herpes.

The vaccine should be administered once every six months, in the interval between exacerbations of the disease.

Treatment of herpes in the larynx and throat at home

The question of what to do if herpes appears in the throat worries many people, so they are actively looking for answers on numerous medical forums.

When treating this infection, it is important not only to prevent its further spread, but also to destroy fragments of viral DNA.

Let's look at the most effective ways to get rid of this infection at home.

It is very important that the treatment is comprehensive and combines several effective areas

Drug therapy

Drug therapy involves the use of tablets and sprays that are aimed at improving the condition of the mucous membrane of the throat.

For these purposes, it is recommended to give preference to the following drugs:

Tantum Verde is a highly effective Italian drug, presented in the form of a spray and tablets, the main active ingredient of which is benzydamine.

This non-steroidal drug has a pronounced anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and analgesic effect.

Hexoral comes in the form of an aerosol for the mucous membrane of the throat. This French drug contains hexetidine. It has a pronounced antimicrobial as well as a mild anesthetic effect.

Acyclovir is an effective antiviral medicine with the main component of the same name, which is produced in the form of tablets, lyophilisate and ointment, due to which it is successfully used to treat all types of herpes.

Lugol is a Lithuanian-made spray based on iodine. Can be used in both adults and children after five years of age.

Miramistin is one of the most effective and reliable antiseptics for the treatment of throat diseases.

This drug has a pronounced antimicrobial effect, without being absorbed into the skin and mucous membranes, and without entering the systemic bloodstream.

Adults can also use antibiotics, but in a one-year-old child they can cause adverse consequences - reduce internal immunity and provoke relapses of the disease.

Therefore, it is much safer to use medicinal herbs to treat children.

The use of folk remedies

A herpes infection that has settled on the tonsils can be successfully treated with folk remedies. In order to eliminate pain and swelling, it is recommended to regularly rinse the mouth and throat with decoctions of medicinal plants.

Ideally suited in this regard:

• chamomile;
• Linden;
• sage;
• mint;
• flax seeds;
• rose hip;
• echinacea;
• Eleutherococcus.

In addition, you should lubricate the sores with natural oils of sea buckthorn and calendula. And to relieve intoxication, you need to regularly drink warm herbal teas with lemon and mint.

Symptoms of herpetic infection on the tonsils

Symptoms of herpesvirus infection in children are similar to the symptoms of some infectious and inflammatory diseases of the throat (herpangina, laryngitis, stomatitis). Because of this, even an experienced doctor will not immediately identify it.

The main manifestation of herpes throat is specific rashes on the tonsils (vesicles). Small blisters contain pus, sometimes blood, and are located in groups. The patient experiences severe pain, especially when they open spontaneously. Under no circumstances should you try to open the vial yourself, as the liquid inside it contains viral contents.

In addition, the patient exhibits symptoms of intoxication. The clinical picture is as follows:

• the mucous membrane of the throat is hyperemic and swollen;
• headache;
• body temperature rises sharply to 38-40 degrees;
• salivation increases;
• unbearable spasms/itching/burning in the throat;
• compaction of the submandibular and cervical lymph nodes;
• inability to eat, loss of appetite;
• irritability, moodiness;
• bad dream.

External symptoms

Herpes throat appears as characteristic blisters on the mucous membranes of the throat, on the palate, in the area of ​​the tonsils, etc. They look like small blisters from burns, filled with yellowish contents - lymph, tissue fluid of the body. In some cases, there may be blood there. These bubbles are called vesicles; along the perimeter they are surrounded by a barrier of inflamed hyperemic tissue in the form of a corolla or crown. Arranged in groups.

The vesicles cannot be punctured or squeezed out, since the lymph contained in them contains a concentrated virus.

Vesicles do not appear immediately. Initially, the manifestations of herpes are similar to the symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections, and are characterized by the following signs:

• a sharp rise in temperature - up to 38.5, in severe cases - up to 40 degrees;
• sore throat, especially when swallowing;
• redness of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat;
• increased salivation.

Vesicles may appear only 2-3 days after the onset of the above symptoms. Your baby's throat may hurt so much that he refuses to eat. The baby becomes very whiny and capricious, but at the same time lethargic and sleepy. Over time, the lymph nodes on the lower jaw and under the chin enlarge, causing the neck to look swollen and painful on palpation. Nausea to vomiting and headache are also common.

After 2-5 days, the vesicles burst on their own and turn into aphthae - sores on the skin. They are scarlet in color and touching them causes acute pain. Healing lasts up to two weeks.

Herpes in the throat is a serious infection

But it also happens that the initial introduction of HSV-1 into the child’s body occurs in the form of a serious illness - herpetic sore throat or herpetic stomatitis. Subsequent relapses, as a rule, are mild, in the form of herpes on the lips.

Herpes in the throat of a child can cause an acute inflammatory process that begins with a high fever. The temperature can persist throughout the entire time the rash appears in the pharynx area and, as a rule, is difficult to bring down.

The disease begins suddenly, in the midst of complete health, the temperature rises to 39-40˚C, pain in the muscles and joints appears. A sore throat may not appear immediately, but may take several hours. In this case, a small blistering rash appears in the area of ​​the pharynx and palate. The contents of the vesicles may be colorless, but more often they are hemorrhagic (admixed with blood) in nature. The bubbles are located on the mucous membrane of the pharynx not in groups, but separately. The mucous membrane is red and swollen.

The general condition of a child with herpetic sore throat can be severe in children who have suffered trauma during childbirth and are prone to seizures; convulsive syndrome is almost always accompanied by a sharp rise in temperature.

The child may complain of severe sore throat, sometimes the infection spreads to the oral mucosa and stomatitis is added to the sore throat, which aggravates the child’s condition. As new elements of the rash appear in the throat, the child’s temperature rises sharply. The disease rarely lasts less than two weeks, after which the temperature subsides and the child recovers.

Herpetic sore throat can be complicated by the addition of a bacterial infection (especially if the child has a permanent source of infection - chronic tonsillitis, otitis media, sinusitis, etc.) and then pus appears in the throat. Purulent sore throat is accompanied by a new rise in temperature. Complications such as the spread of herpetic infection to the skin of the face, ear and eye areas, from where the infection may well spread to the membranes and tissue of the brain, are quite rare.

Treatment of herpetic sore throat in children

How to treat herpes in the throat? Treatment of herpes in the throat should begin with bed rest, plenty of warm drinks and calling a doctor at home. Only a doctor can prescribe treatment for herpetic sore throat. He will also monitor the child and take the necessary measures if complications develop.

For mild to moderate severity of the disease, antiviral drugs are usually not required. Symptomatic treatment is prescribed in the form of antipyretics and painkillers - Nurofen, paracetamol, ibuklin and so on. Parents should be aware that children and adolescents today are not prescribed aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), the most common antipyretic drug in the past.

In recent years, it has been found that aspirin in viral diseases can lead to severe, sometimes fatal damage to the brain and liver.

You can gargle with any antiseptics - infusions of herbs (chamomile, calendula, St. John's wort), 2% solution of baking soda (a teaspoon per glass of water), irrigate with miramistin. The pharynx can be lubricated with an aqueous solution of methylene blue or vinylin.

In severe cases of herpetic sore throat, systemic antiviral treatment is prescribed (usually acyclovir) or the child is hospitalized.

Diseases with similar symptoms

The manifestations of herpes throat are very similar in appearance to other diseases of the nasopharyngeal mucosa that are viral and bacterial in nature, so for successful treatment it is extremely important to diagnose it correctly.
The fact is that any viral disease requires selective prescription of drugs: for each virus there is its own medicine. Others simply won't work. What can be confused with herpes throat?

1. Herpetic sore throat. Its causative agent is Coxsackie enterovirus. Externally it appears as yellowish pimples and blisters.
2. Fungal infections, or candidiasis of various natures. They look like a grayish or whitish-yellow coating on certain areas of the throat mucosa.
3. Stomatitis. This is a group of diseases in which aphthae appear - mini-ulcers on the mucous membranes. The reasons may be different, the herpes virus is one of them, but not the only one.
4. Herpetic laryngitis. Its symptoms are very similar to throat herpes, right down to the vesicles, but the latter are much larger, never “clump” with each other, but are always located separately, at a great distance from each other. Herpetic laryngitis is not the product of a herpes virus, but of the pathogen that leads to herpes zoster.

Therefore, if a child detects suspicious formations on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasopharynx, combined with complaints of pain and other unpleasant sensations, he must immediately be shown to a doctor - a pediatrician and/or an infectious disease specialist. Only he can distinguish one of the above diseases from another. Self-medication is unacceptable and can lead to serious consequences.

Treatment of herpes

It is important to follow a special gentle diet so as not to cause injury to the vesicles in the throat. Food should be warm and not rough; it is advisable to include the following products in the diet:

• pureed vegetable soups;
• fruits vegetables;
• fruit juices;
• cottage cheese;
• milk porridge;
• low-fat cheeses;
• herbal teas.

Avoid eating too hot or cold food. Also, during treatment, it is recommended to refrain from meat, fish, baked goods, fatty, spicy and salty foods.

Antiviral therapy and the use of local antiseptics

The main component of therapy is taking antiviral drugs. Their action is aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease. The dosage is calculated strictly according to age, since these medications are prescribed in tablet form.

The following drugs help to cope well with the pathogen:

Topical antiseptic medications will help restore the mucous membrane and disinfect it from pathogenic flora, relieve itching, burning and pain in the throat. These medications can be used in the form of sprays or lozenges:

Medicines to reduce pain

To prevent your baby from experiencing severe pain when eating and simply swallowing, use medications to relieve pain. Tablet antispasmodics (for example, No-shpa, Nurofen) will help reduce unpleasant symptoms, but the most effective remedies are sprays/tablets for topical use:

The above medications have local analgesic, antiseptic, antimicrobial and bacteriostatic effects. Daily use promotes rapid healing of wounds.

Immunomodulatory drugs with antiviral effects

These medications are taken in a course; many of them, in addition to the immunomodulatory effect, have an antiviral effect. The most popular and effective means are listed in the table:

ethnoscience

To relieve unpleasant symptoms, relieve pain and swelling of the throat, many mothers use traditional medicine. The products have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic effects. Several effective recipes in the fight against herpes:

• rinsing with tea tree extract (10 drops per 1 glass of water);
• sea ​​buckthorn, fir and vegetable oil are diluted in equal proportions, the resulting mixture is used to treat the rash (an alternative is to lubricate the blisters with honey);
• You can rinse your mouth with decoctions of medicinal herbs (sage, flax seeds, linden, chamomile, burdock);
• To quickly relieve pain, replace regular tea with a linden blossom drink with honey.

Folk remedies

To relieve the symptoms of this infection, you can use some folk remedies, for example, decoctions of herbs that have antiseptic and immune-stimulating properties.
Some essential oils with the same effects are also used. You need to rinse with these decoctions and oils. Here are some time-tested recipes:

1. Tea tree oil. Diluted in a minimum dose - 10 drops per glass of water. Rinse three times a day.
2. An infusion of chamomile, linden or sage - a tablespoon of dry herbs is poured into a glass of boiling water. You need to gargle your throat several times a day, 2-3 days.
3. Fir oil. It is diluted with sea buckthorn or other vegetable oil in a one to one ratio, and the resulting mixture of oils is carefully lubricated with rashes in the throat 3-4 times a day.
4. A decoction of flax seeds. It has not only analgesic and anti-inflammatory, but also a regenerating effect.
5. Propolis tincture or flower honey. A spoonful of tincture is diluted in a glass of water and used for rinsing three times a day; pure honey in the amount of 1 teaspoon at a time is recommended to be carefully absorbed. You can apply honey to inflamed areas.

All patients are advised to drink as much warm liquid as possible. Herbal teas are recommended.

How and with what to treat

Treatment should begin as early as possible, with the appearance of initial symptoms. The doctor will prescribe complex treatment with antiviral agents and immunomodulators. To relieve acute symptoms, antipyretics and painkillers are used, and for edema, antihistamines are used.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis, in addition to questioning and examination, is confirmed by laboratory tests. A general blood and urine test will help assess the child’s health. For enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) for antibodies, blood is taken from the cubital vein.

As a result, the presence of herpes viruses or antibodies, their quantity and type are determined.

Drugs

To combat infection, medications and agents are used that are based on the active substance acyclovir. The drugs have a powerful antiviral effect, prevent the formation of herpetic elements, promote the formation of crusts and accelerate recovery. Various dosage forms are available - tablets, capsules, solutions for intravenous infusions, ointments.

Treatment is prescribed by an infectious disease doctor depending on the severity of the disease. Dosages of tablets and injections are calculated according to body weight and area of ​​the affected surface. Medicines are effective when they enter the bloodstream.

If the oral cavity, pharynx, or throat are affected, antiseptics are used (Faryngosept, Hexoral, Septolete). They have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Irrigation of the throat and tonsils with solutions of Rotokan or Furacilin is recommended.

Interferons and immunoglobulins will help increase the body's resistance.

Regidron, Oralit, Polysorb or Atoxil will help relieve intoxication phenomena.

Antiviral ointments and creams (Acyclovir, Virolex, Zovirax) are used topically for skin rashes.

Folk remedies

Traditional treatment offers many recipes to combat herpes infection. For gargling, it is recommended to use infusions of sage, chamomile, calendula or fresh aloe and kalanchoe juice.

You can treat blistering rashes with sea buckthorn, rose hip, tea tree, fir, and pine oils. It is recommended to dilute essential oils (3-5 drops per 1 tablespoon of olive oil).

The child benefits from drinking plenty of fluids. Warm herbal teas with blackcurrant leaves, lemon balm, mint, linden blossom and lemon will help reduce fever and calm you down.

There are natural remedies that strengthen the immune system. These are echinacea, eleutherococcus, aloe, lemongrass, and leuzea.

Monastic tea is a collection of medicinal plants (nettle, chamomile, viburnum, lemon balm, echinacea, birch buds, etc.). It has a general strengthening, tonic and anti-inflammatory effect.

When using herbal ingredients for treatment, it is necessary to take into account individual intolerance and possible allergic reactions.

Vegetable and fruit juices, fermented milk products, and high-calorie foods are recommended.

Prevention

It is difficult to avoid infection with herpes virus, but it is possible to control the process

It is important to strengthen the body's protective properties. The child needs breastfeeding (he receives antibodies from his mother’s milk)

A growing body requires adequate nutrition.

To increase immunity, physical education, hardening, and active walks in the fresh air are useful. Protect your child from stress. Teach him simple and accessible rules of personal hygiene (washing hands, using personal hygiene items).

Timely and effective treatment for primary infection will prevent further exacerbations of the disease.

To prevent recurrence of the disease, vaccinations are carried out with an inactivated antiherpetic vaccine.

Common Causes

Herpesvirus infections are quite common; they can manifest themselves at any time on any human organs and systems.

The disease can occur in several forms:

• acute;
• chronic;
• latent.

There may be several reasons for the manifestation of herpes in the throat:

• Decreased immune function due to recent viral diseases.
• Severe hypothermia of the body.
• Injuries to the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.

It is injuries that often create a fertile environment for the proliferation of viruses and bacteria.

Herpes infections are so common that it is very difficult to find a person who has never encountered blistering rashes of various locations.

Often it appears precisely in the corners of the lips, but we cannot exclude the possibility of herpes rashes appearing in the throat. The disease can begin with herpes stomatitis.

There are 2 types of ways of infection with herpes in the throat:

1. Labial lesion. Herpes located on the face can freely spread to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity. It is in this case that mechanical damage and wounds on the mucous membranes are a negative factor. For this reason, the disease often occurs in children.
2. Adults can become infected with the herpes simplex virus through contact with a sexual partner. It should be noted that the carrier of the virus may not be aware of the presence of infection in the body, because the disease often has a latent course.

Herpes virus infection of the throat can be a symptom of serious pathologies. A virus that has entered the human body may not manifest itself for a long time.

From the moment of infection to the stage of manifestation of significant symptoms, months, or even years, may pass.

This phenomenon is due to the fact that a strong immune system is able to resist and try to overcome the virus.

The infection has the peculiarity of being fixed in the nerve fibers, and remains there for a long time in a latent state.

Among the list of possible ways of infection with the herpes virus are:

• Household transmission. The infection can be acquired by sharing a personal hygiene item with a person who has an active disease.
• Failure to comply with basic personal hygiene rules.
• After sexual contact with an infected person.
• The possibility of transmission of the virus from mother to child during childbirth cannot be ruled out.

It is people with weak immune systems who have the greatest chance of contracting the virus.

The following factors can provoke the appearance of rashes in the throat if the virus is present in the body of an adult or child:

1. Inflammatory processes occurring in the ENT organs.
2. Acute intestinal infections.
3. Inflammation of the genitourinary system.
4. Surgical operations.
5. Constantly being in stressful situations.
6. Chronic fatigue of the body.
7. Diseases of the immune system.
8. Long-term use of hormonal drugs (the drugs have a detrimental effect on the immune system).

Disease prevention

Any infection, including herpes, is activated when the body's protective functions are depleted. To prevent infection or re-formation of pathology, you should follow simple rules:

• exercise;
• take a walk in the fresh air every day;
• avoid stressful situations and overwork;
• 2 times a year (autumn - spring) take a course of multivitamins;
• adhere to a balanced diet;
• dress properly to avoid hypothermia/overheating;
• if herpes appears frequently, you need to take adaptogens to stimulate the body’s independent production of interferon (Levocarnitine, tincture of ginseng or Eleutherococcus).

Pediatrician of the 2nd category, allergist-immunologist, graduated from the Belarusian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Health and Social Development. Read more »

Herpes in the throat of a child is a rare, but quite dangerous form of infection. Its source is the herpes simplex virus type 1 or 2. Formations on the inner surface of the throat (mucous membranes) are also called herpetic stomatitis. They should not be confused with other diseases that have similar symptoms, for the reason that they are caused by completely different viruses, and therefore require completely different treatment methods using different medications.

Causes

The causative agent of the disease is the Coxsackie virus (we wrote about what it is here), less commonly, echoviruses (ECHO).

Their penetration into the body occurs through the mucous membranes of the mouth and intestines, after which the infection begins to spread almost everywhere, using the circulatory system as transport highways. Experts call this process “viremia.”

There are several ways to introduce a virus into the body:

• airborne (statistically, the most common);
• contact (through nasal secretions and saliva);
• fecal-oral (due to poorly washed hands, dirty fruits, toys and pacifiers).

Causes of herpes in the throat in children

Herpes in the throat area of ​​a child develops as a result of infection or under the influence of certain predisposing factors, if there is an infection in the child’s body. With strong immunity, the likelihood of relapse is minimal.

Causes of herpes in the throat:

1. reduction of the protective barrier;
2. colds and infectious diseases;
3. malnutrition;
4. overheating or hypothermia of the body;
5. immunodeficiency.

Herpes throat virus is a severe form of herpes stomatitis, which is caused by types 1 or 2 of herpes.

Most often, this disease is diagnosed in young children, mainly aged 2-4 years, who become familiar with all surrounding objects by tasting them.

Herpes in the throat of a child photo

Complications

The disease may develop without obvious symptoms, or the symptoms may be vague. In this case, the child is prescribed the wrong therapy or treatment is delayed. This can cause a severe herpes infection; the virus spreads throughout the body, causing various disorders.

Frequent relapses of the disease can greatly weaken the child’s body.

The virus is capable of infecting the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, visual and ENT organs, and disrupting the functions of the reproductive organs.

Preventive actions

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to exclude the possibility of herpes infection. Most often, infection occurs in utero or during the birth process.

All you can do to help an infected child is to reduce the severity of the symptoms of the infectious disease, which causes a lot of inconvenience.

Even if a child has a virus in his body, he may never experience a relapse.

To do this, it is necessary to regularly strengthen the body's defenses by strengthening the baby and taking walks outside every day, despite the weather conditions.

An important criterion for preventing an infectious disease that affects the throat is proper nutrition.

The daily menu should include food products enriched with vitamins and minerals. Sweets and yeast baked goods should be minimized.

Causes

As a rule, herpes virus types 1 and 2 lead to infection of the throat with herpes. Penetrating into the human body through the oral cavity, through the eyes, nasal mucosa or through the genitals. Here the virus is embedded in the cells of the human body and lives for a very long time, does not reveal its location in any way and waits for favorable circumstances, which means a decrease in the human body’s immune system. In the absence of protection, the virus begins its development and spread in the area of ​​neighboring cells.

In addition, the virus has another possibility of infection: close contact with an infected person. The herpes virus is quite tenacious and can be easily transmitted through any household objects - a towel, shared utensils and much more. Typically, children suffer more from primary herpes because they do not follow the rules of personal hygiene as carefully.

There are many other factors and forms of herpes infection in the formation of herpes in the throat. The most significant changes through which the body’s immune system is greatly reduced are:

• both acute and chronic infections (otitis media, acute respiratory viral infections, intestinal infections, acute respiratory infections);
• HIV and AIDS;
• injuries, surgical interventions;
• severe overwork, stressful situations;
• failure to follow the correct daily routine, poor sleep;
• alcohol abuse, smoking;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• unbalanced diet;
• lack of hardening processes;
• long-term medication use.

All of these factors significantly increase the risk of spreading an infectious disease, persistently stimulating the human body to lower its immunity.

The larynx area is especially at risk for herpes. To avoid infection with the herpes virus in the throat and relapse of the disease, you should consult an immunologist.