Children love when they get to skip a day at school. They romanticize the possibility of getting their tonsils out so they can subsist on a diet of ice-cream and pudding. Parents, on the other hand, don’t see tonsillectomy as a blessing in disguise. They would rather not see their child in pain and having difficulty swallowing. To prevent this procedure and the trip to a pediatric otolaryngology office, parents can teach their children the importance of hand washing to prevent illness.
Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils caused primarily by a virus and in some smaller cases by the bacteria streptococcus (yep, strep throat). It is identified by inflammation of the throat while fever and headache may also be present. Familiarize yourself with symptoms of tonsillitis as they can be confused with a regular sore throat.
Protecting children from becoming sick is difficult as they are surrounded by peers a majority of their day touching toys and interacting. To help slow the spread of infections parents can begin teaching good hygiene habits at a young age. The following is a starting point for good health practices:
- Hand washing: scrub hands with soap for 20 seconds (Hum ‘Happy Birthday’ tune twice)
- Coughing and sneezing into arms as opposed to hands
- Washing hands after coughing and sneezing
- Not touching eyes, nose, and mouth
- Use single-use tissues and throw away immediately
- Avoid sharing cups and cutlery
A happy, healthy kid is every parents’ wish. While no one can ward off disease altogether a little bit of prevention goes a long way.
If your child has suffered from regular tonsil infections and you are looking to contact a pediatric otolaryngology office call us at (208) 336-4368 today.