Describes the different children's sore throat lozenges available. Includes information about the origins and indications of several active ingredients.
Most parents have woken up in the night to hear a small child utter this complaint. It's worrisome--is it strep? The beginnings of a virus? The flu? Fortunately, whatever the underlying cause may be, the symptom of sore throat is easy enough to treat. There is a myriad of sore throat remedies on the market, including many lozenges marketed toward children. They look fun and often do not taste like medicine, so sick children will want to use them. There are enough choices that parents may have a tough time choosing one lozenge, but once parents learn what products are available and what each medicine actually does, the decisions become easier.
Pectin
Most of the sore throat lozenges designed for children list pectin as their active ingredient. Pectin is a water-soluble carbohydrate that is extracted from fruits, usually from citrus peels. Many products in addition to lozenges contain pectin, including cosmetics, jellies, and anti-diahrreals. In throat drops, pectin acts as a demulcent, which soothes the throat. Lozenges listing pectin as the only active ingredient are ideal for children with mild sore throats because they taste good, have no known side effects, and soothe the throat.
Menthol
Menthol is another ingredient in some children's sore throat lozenges. Menthol is an alcohol found in mint oils, especially peppermint. Like pectin, menthol has many uses outside of throat drops, including cough suppressants and nasal decongestants. Menthol's many uses make it a good choice for colds that have sore throats with additional symptoms, although some children may balk at the strong taste. Lozenges containing menthol are considered safe, and the only known side effect is a rare hypersensitivity reaction, such as contact dermatitis.
Benzocaine
The strongest over-the-counter sore throat lozenges available for children contain benzocaine, also called dyclocaine, a drug used as a dental anesthetic. Benzocaine lozenges numb the mouth and throat, and so are remarkably effective for sore throat pain. While benzocaine is considered extremely safe, there are several possible side effects, including swelling, skin rash, burning, and hives. Because they are strong medicine, benzocaine and dyclocaine are best saved for the most serious sore throats.
Herbs and vitamins
With increasing awareness of more natural remedies, consumers are able to find medicines in mainstream drugstores that contain herbal and vitamin remedies once found only in specialty stores. Echinacea, a flower extract, is common in children's cold remedies, including sore throat lozenges. Echinacea enhances immune system functioning, but shouldn't be taken for periods longer than a week or two. Parents can also find lozenges containing vitamins such as vitamin C and zinc, both though to enhance the immune system and shorten the duration of an illness.
An experienced parent knows that the only thing worse than having a sick child is trying to persuade the sick child to take his or her medicine. The manufacturers of children's sore throat remedies have made this parenting responsibility a little easier by making sore throat lozenges that taste good, look inviting, and seem only a little bit like medicine. Armed with one of these products, a parent can soothe a child's sore throat quickly and efficiently, and have the child smiling again soon.
