Strep throat is an infection caused by bacteria called streptococcus. Strep throat symptoms for an adult and a child would differ. An adult may have fever, headache, swollen neck glands, and sore throat where as a child may suffer from stomach pain, vomiting, and red rashes with small spots which can be worse under the arms and skin folds; a child may also have fever, sore throat and swollen neck glands.


Streptococcus bacteria are highly contagious and a person can get easily infected from the other person who carries the infection. Strep throat is not dangerous if appropriate strep treatment is done on time. If left untreated then other complications like tonsillitis, sinusitis, ear infection and scarlet fever can occur.


Along with the medications prescribed by your specialist you can try the following strep home remedies for faster recovery.

Take plenty of rest and drink plenty of water - Sleeping or taking rest at home is ideal when you have strep because it will not only help your body to fight the infection but will also help to prevent spreading the infection to other people. Plan low-key activities for your child like reading a story book where he can relax as well as be occupied.


Swallowing can be difficult if you have sore throat but it is important to drink a lot of water to keep your throat moist and avoid dehydration.

Choose soft foods - Uncooked or hard foods can make the swallowing process difficult. Choose cooked or even mashed cereals, potatoes, soft fruits or stewed fruits, soft cooked eggs, yoghurt, vegetable soups, chicken broths or vegetable broths and applesauce. You can even mechanically grind the foods in a blender to make them soft and easy to swallow. Spicy, acidic foods like orange juice should be avoided.

Warm water gargles - One of the best strep natural cures for both children and adults is gargling. Add a tsp of salt in a glass of warm water and use this water to gargle. If your child is small then make sure that he spits out the salted water after gargling.

Humidifier - Discomfort can be eased by adding some moisture to the air as moisture prevents the mucous membranes in the throat from drying out. A cool-mist humidifier can be chosen. Keeping the humidifier clean is very important as the moulds and bacteria can flourish in some humidifiers. If you have problem with dust then take someone's help to keep the humidifier and room clean.

Irritants - Certain irritants can irritate the strep throat making the infection worst. Common irritants include cigarette smoke and fumes from paint and cleaning product.