Laryngitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection, such as a cold, which leads to the inflammation of the larynx or voice box. The child will become hoarse and may completely lose their voice. It may hurt to swallow and may be accompanied by a dry cough, raised temperature and sore throat.
What you can do
Keep your child quiet and try to prevent them from talking. Keep an eye on their temperature and look for signs of secondary infection, such as bronchitis. Warm drinks with honey will soothe their sore throats. It will help the cough if the room is kept humidified. This can be done by placing bowls of water near hot radiators, or humidifiers can be bought in department stores.
Treatment
Aromatherapy Steam inhalations using Chamomile, Lavender and Thyme may be prescribed by the therapist to help to soothe the throat. Massaging the neck area may also be recommended with oils such as Chamomile, Lemon, Thyme or Geranium.
Bach Flower Remedies
Your child’s personality is the key to selecting the correct Bach Flower Remedy. Children who feel sorry for themselves and grumble about how ill they feel would be given Willow, while those who are too impatient to wait for their throats to recover and get up and start shouting too soon would be helped with Impatiens. Crab Apple is also useful as a cleansing remedy and Olive will help deal with the physical tiredness resulting from the illness.
Herbal medicine
There are a variety of herbs that a practitioner may recommend for the inflammation. Red or Garden Sage or Lady’s Mande may be given in a dose to gargle with, and particularly Balm of Gilead if your child has lost their voice. Propohs spray or lozenges also work well.
Naturopathy
A naturopath will look at possible causes for the laryngitis. It could be poor elimination, particularly if the child has a diet high in refined foods such as white sugar and flour or eats a lot of sweets. Or if the problem is recurrent, it may be a sign of a food allergy, for instance to dairy products or wheat. Epsom salt baths to help detoxify the body may be recommended or a short course diet of three days on just fruit, under supervision, may be advised. Gargling with a weak solution of salt (ensure none is swallowed), lemon and a drop of Myrrh or Golden Seal may help. Mineral salt supplements and an increase in vitamins C, A, E and zinc may be recommended. It may also help to wrap the throat in cotton cloth soaked in tepid water which should be left on for an hour at a time, as this will help to stimulate healing by increasing the circulation and lymph flow to the area.
Caution
Consult your doctor if symptoms persist for more than five days, as a secondary infection, such as croup, bronchitis or tonsillitis, may have set in.
Other therapies that may be beneficial: reflexology, traditional Chinese medicine, homoeopathy, osteopathy.
