Gentle home remedies for sore throat in kids

Children’s sore throats are a common occurrence for many families, and while most sore throats are caused by a virus and get better on their own, it’s tough to see your kids in pain.^1,2 Thankfully, there are are home remedies for sore throat to help keep your child comfortable when they’re battling through a sore throat.

Is it a cold – or something else? Here’s how to recognise the signs.

A sore throat in kids will typically cause pain, redness, swelling, and difficulty swallowing. If your child is older, they will likely be able to tell you that their throat hurts. For a younger child, a sore throat might result in reluctance or refusal to eat or extra fussiness during mealtimes or bedtime. You may be able to see redness in their throat if you look in your child’s mouth.³

Sore throats can be a symptom of different viral and bacterial infections. A viral infection, such as a cold, can cause other symptoms including a runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, fever, and tiredness. A bacterial infection, such as strep throat, can also cause swollen neck glands, red or white patches on tonsils, fever, rash, and stomach pain.^1,3

If you have any concerns about your child’s sore throat or other symptoms, talk to your doctor.

How to soothe a sore throat at home

When your child has a sore throat, it’s important to make sure they stay hydrated and keep their throat moist. However, getting your child to drink fluids when swallowing hurts or feels difficult is easier said than done.¹

Here are some helpful sore throat remedy suggestions to help soothe a sore throat at home.

Warm water with honey and lemon

Warm water can be less irritating to swallow than room temperature or cold water. Honey coats and soothes a sore throat, helping to relieve a cough.^1,3,4 This could be particularly helpful at bedtime to help your child get a more restful night’s sleep.

Note that honey is not recommended for children aged under 1 year, due to the risk of botulism poisoning.⁴

Saltwater gargle

Gargling with saltwater can help relieve sore throat pain. Saltwater is easy to make at home by adding a quarter to half a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water (about 250 mL). This remedy is recommended for children from around 6 years of age who can gargle and spit effectively, without swallowing any of the saltwater.¹

Humidifiers or steamy showers

Consider using a humidifier in your child’s room when they are sleeping or resting, as extra moisture in the air may help soothe dry throat or nasal passages. If you don’t have a humidifier, a steamy shower before bedtime may also help relieve a dry, sore throat.⁵

Ice blocks and slushies

When swallowing hurts, help your child stay hydrated with ice blocks and slushies. These frozen options can help numb the throat and make swallowing a bit less painful³ – and are more appealing for your child. Consider choosing low-sugar versions or even making your own at home with fresh fruit or flavoured milk.

Throat sprays, lozenges, or throat pops

There may be times when these soothing sore throat remedies are not quite enough and a painful sore throat gets in the way of eating or sleeping well. You may wonder about a sore throat medicine for kids. In these situations, consider throat sprays, lozenges, or throat pops that target the sore throat pain directly.

Throat pops are a non-medicated option to help soothe a dry, tickly throat, while medicated throat sprays and lozenges contain ingredients that can have anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving action.^2,6 Throat sprays, such as the new Difflam Kids Sore Throat Spray, may be particularly convenient for children, as they are easier to administer than tablets or drops and can be used on the go. Throat sprays can also offer parents peace of mind knowing that they control the dosing and don’t have to rely on their child to suck through a whole lozenge to get a full dose.

Managing pain and fever with analgesics

For a fever or general aches and pains that may accompany a sore throat, pain relievers (analgesics) such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may be used. Analgesics work across the whole body, while throat sprays are designed to target the localised sore throat pain.^2,6 A good strategy to help manage sore throat pain and related symptoms could be to use a throat spray for fast relief while waiting for an analgesic to get to work.

Helping your child sleep through the discomfort

When your child is sick, supporting good sleep is important, as this rest time helps the body recover.³ A sore throat can disrupt sleep, so consider incorporating the following into a nighttime routine to help your child sleep through the discomfort.

• Take a warm bath or steamy shower
• Drink warm water with honey
• Set up a humidifier
• Use a throat spray to target throat pain right before sleep

For fast-acting, soothing relief of sore throats, try Difflam Kids Sore Throat Spray. A new medicated throat spray formulated specifically for children aged 6 years +, it contains the anti-inflammatory benzydamine hydrochloride in a sugar-free, alcohol-free, and kid-friendly strawberry flavoured spray format.

When to see the doctor

While most sore throats will get better on their own within 2 to 7 days, you should check in with your doctor if your child’s sore throat does not improve after 2 days or if you notice any new or worsening symptoms (e.g., rash, swollen glands, ear pain).^3,6

Seek urgent medical attention if your child has symptoms such as difficulty breathing, stiff neck, extreme drowsiness, cold hands or feet, or leg or arm pain.³

Kids’ sore throats FAQs

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

References

1. Wald ER. Patient education: Sore throat in children (Beyond the Basics). November 2024. In: UpToDate, Edwards MS (Ed), Wolters Kluwer (accessed February 2026).
2. Sore throat [published May 2022; amended September 2025]. In: Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. Available: https://www.tg.org.au (accessed February 2026).
3. The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. Sore throat (pharyngitis) factsheet. June 2025. Available: https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/sore-throat-pharyngitis-factsheet (accessed February 2026).
4. Cough in children [published December 2020]. In: Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. Available: https://www.tg.org.au (accessed February 2026).
5. Holland K. Remedies for soothing a sore throat and when to talk to a doctor. October 2025. Available: https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/help-sore-throats (accessed February 2026).
6. Correa AG. Acute pharyngitis in children and adolescents. September 2024. In: UpToDate, Duryea TK (Ed), Wolters Kluwer (accessed February 2026).