Version July 2025
Please read the Disclaimer at the end of this page.
What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of your child after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
Your child was seen in the ED for a sore throat. Based on tests done in the ED, their sore throat is likely caused by a virus. Their symptoms will probably go away without antibiotics in about a week.
You might be waiting on your child's test results. The staff will notify you if there are concerning results.
How do I care for my child at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for your child. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also do the following:
●Call your child's regular doctor and tell them your child was in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment if you were told to.
●Offer your child plenty of fluids. Give them things that are easy to swallow, like tea or soup, or ice pops to suck on. Offer different warm and cold drinks for them to try.
●Give your child non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin). Never give aspirin to a child younger than 18 years old.
●Do not give your child over-the-counter cough medicines, throat sprays, or cough drops.
●Use a cool mist humidifier, or sit with your child in the bathroom while a warm, steamy shower is running.
●If your child is older than 4 to 5 years, they can suck on hard candies or a lollipop.
●If your child is older than 6 to 8 years, they can gargle with warm salt water.
●Do not smoke around your child or let other people smoke around them.
●Wash your and your child's hands often. This helps keep others healthy.
●If your child also has a fever, they should stay home from school and day care for at least 24 hours after the fever has gone away.
When should I get emergency help?
●Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:
•Your child has trouble breathing or swallowing.
•Your child is drooling because they cannot swallow their saliva.
•Your child's neck, tongue, or throat is swollen.
●Return to the ED if:
•Your child cannot keep any fluids down, has not had anything to drink in many hours, and has 1 or more of these:
-Your child is not as alert as usual, very sleepy, or much less active.
-Your child is crying all the time.
-Your infant has not had a wet diaper for over 8 hours.
-Your older child has not urinated for over 12 hours.
-Your child's skin is cool.
•Your child's voice sounds strange, like they are talking through their nose.
•Your child cannot open their mouth all the way.
•Your child has a stiff neck.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if:
●Your child has a fever that lasts for more than 3 days.
●Your child is having trouble feeding normally.
●Your child has a dry mouth.
●Your child has few or no tears when they cry.
●Your child's urine is dark.
●Your child is less active than normal.
●Your child has very bad throat pain, and they cannot eat or drink.
●Your child has large, painful lumps in their neck.
●Your child has neck pain on 1 side.
●Your child has blisters in their mouth or the back of their throat.
●Your child has new or worsening symptoms.
Patient education: Sore throat in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Sore throat in children (Beyond the Basics)
