“What causes baby throat infections?”
My baby has a throat infection and it has been several days. What causes baby throat infections?
1 Answer
Marc A. Tanenbaum
Pediatrician
Hello,
In response to your question, "what causes baby throat infections," the simple answer is viruses. Babies do not get Strep throats. Possibly they can get rare conditions such as Diphtheria or HIV (acquired from the birth canal) although infant immunization almost always prevents Diphtheria and protected sex and prenatal screening can prevent HIV. Viruses are transmitted in the usual way via saliva mouth to infant face, or mouth to hand to face, or other respiratory fluids from nose or airway between individuals. In general, covering one's mouth with one's elbow when coughing, and hand washing or hand sanitizer can prevent such spread.
Detecting a "sore throat" in a baby is not always easy. Painful swallowing or refusal of feedings could be a sore throat. Usually, there are other viral symptoms in addition, e.g. runny nose, weepy eyes, cough, congestion, and sometimes fever. If there is a voice change, this usually represents involvement of the vocal cords or tonsil enlargement. A baby can be hoarse with or without a sore throat. A parent usually can tell if their baby is ill and advice from a physician or nurse is needed even if the parent is uncertain if the baby has a sore throat. Your doctor wants to know what you observe that makes you feel your baby is ill. Telling your doctor that your baby has a sore throat is often misleading, but mentioning that the baby cries with swallowing or winces in pain, or rejects feedings is much more meaningful. I recommend that parents visit the family website of the American Academy of Pediatrics for general advice and answers to common quiestions_www.healthychildren.org.
Dr. T
In response to your question, "what causes baby throat infections," the simple answer is viruses. Babies do not get Strep throats. Possibly they can get rare conditions such as Diphtheria or HIV (acquired from the birth canal) although infant immunization almost always prevents Diphtheria and protected sex and prenatal screening can prevent HIV. Viruses are transmitted in the usual way via saliva mouth to infant face, or mouth to hand to face, or other respiratory fluids from nose or airway between individuals. In general, covering one's mouth with one's elbow when coughing, and hand washing or hand sanitizer can prevent such spread.
Detecting a "sore throat" in a baby is not always easy. Painful swallowing or refusal of feedings could be a sore throat. Usually, there are other viral symptoms in addition, e.g. runny nose, weepy eyes, cough, congestion, and sometimes fever. If there is a voice change, this usually represents involvement of the vocal cords or tonsil enlargement. A baby can be hoarse with or without a sore throat. A parent usually can tell if their baby is ill and advice from a physician or nurse is needed even if the parent is uncertain if the baby has a sore throat. Your doctor wants to know what you observe that makes you feel your baby is ill. Telling your doctor that your baby has a sore throat is often misleading, but mentioning that the baby cries with swallowing or winces in pain, or rejects feedings is much more meaningful. I recommend that parents visit the family website of the American Academy of Pediatrics for general advice and answers to common quiestions_www.healthychildren.org.
Dr. T
