8 Natural Remedies for Children (and Adults) With Strep Throat

Strep throat is a throat infection with a bacteria called group A Streptococcus. It’s more common in kids, but adults can get strep throat too. 

Kids and adults with strep throat experience throat pain and swollen glands in their neck, which can make swallowing uncomfortable. Kids should always take antibiotics to treat strep throat. Antibiotics shorten the time kids are sick. They also decrease the likelihood of complications, like abscesses, neck infections, heart problems, and rheumatic fever.

But antibiotics take time to work. In the meantime, your child may be uncomfortable. Luckily, there are home remedies you can use to safely relieve their pain while those antibiotics clear the infection. Note: These remedies can work for adults with strep throat, too, not just children. 

Here are seven remedies that can help. 

1. Cold fluids

Drinking cold fluids can temporarily numb a sore throat. Keep your child’s favorite beverage in the fridge so it’s cold and ready to use (or add ice). Encourage your child to take small and frequent sips. Avoid acidic drinks like orange juice, as well as carbonated drinks. These may irritate the throat more than they help.

You can also try ice pops and ice cream. These can decrease pain and inflammation from strep throat. Because they’re sweet, they can be helpful if your child loses interest in cold water. And reaching for ice cream or popsicles can help keep your child hydrated if they refuse to eat or drink other things.

2. Saltwater gargles

Experts often recommend saltwater gargles to calm a sore throat. As salt water coats the mouth and throat, it:

• Loosens mucus

• Decreases inflammation

• Reduces pain

• Has antibacterial activity 

Here’s how to do a saltwater gargle at home: 

• Mix ½ tsp of salt with 8 oz of warm water.

• Ask your child to take a mouthful of this mixture and swish it around.

• Then, have them tip their chin up and gargle for about 15 seconds.

• Finally, have them spit out the water mixture.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• How long are you contagious with strep throat? After starting antibiotics, you’re contagious with strep for another 12 to 24 hours. Learn more about how to stop the spread.

• Home remedies for strep throat: At-home remedies — like saltwater gargles, soft foods, and cold fluids — can help you manage symptoms of strep throat.

• Does your kid keep getting strep? Strep throat affects children more than adults, and sometimes it comes back. Learn about recurring strep and what you can do.

This works better for older children, teens, and adults, as younger kids can’t always gargle.

3. Warm fluids

Warm fluids can also offer relief for a sore throat. Warm temperatures open up blood vessels, which can help relax muscles and reduce pain. But be careful to get the right temperature: Drinks that are too hot can cause burns and scald injuries. Test the drink before giving it to your child. Aim for a gentle warmth that you can comfortably drink with more than small sips.

For kids over age 1, try adding a spoonful of honey to warm water. Honey coats the throat, which can help relieve pain. In addition, honey has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Honey’s anti-inflammatory properties work for adults too. 

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It can also help to add honey to warm herbal tea. Herbal teas are warm drinks that bring additional benefits besides the soothing effect of warm temperature. More research is needed, but there’s some evidence that these herbal teas may act as natural remedies for a sore throat: 

• Chamomile tea: Chamomile has a long history of use for medicinal purposes. It has been used for everything from trouble sleeping to an upset stomach and skin conditions. Recent research has shown that chamomile can soothe sore throats in people with inflammation due to cancer treatments. 

• Ginger tea: Ginger has been studied mostly for relieving nausea and vomiting. But there’s some evidence it has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antibacterial effects. It also contains pain- and fever-reducing compounds, which may make it helpful for managing symptoms of strep throat.

• Licorice root tea: Licorice root has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. One study found that a tea made with thyme, oregano, and licorice root had an antibacterial effect against the Streptococcus bacteria that causes strep throat. However, in large doses over a long period of time, licorice root can cause dangerous electrolyte problems and shouldn’t be used by people who are pregnant. 

• Slippery elm tea: This tea is made from the inner bark of slippery elm trees. Slippery elm stimulates mucus and saliva. This may help coat the throat and relieve irritation and pain. 

4. Elderberry

Lozenges, tinctures, and syrups made from black elderberries may ease cold and flu symptoms, including sore throat. But it’s not clear how much they help with throat pain from strep throat. And elderberry hasn’t been well studied in children. 

Talk to a healthcare professional before trying a product with elderberry. Keep in mind that supplements, like elderberry, aren’t regulated by the FDA in the same way that over-the-counter (OTC) medications are. So there’s no guarantee that elderberry products contain what they claim. 

5. Echinacea

Echinacea has antiviral and antibacterial properties, including activity against the bacteria that causes strep throat. One study found that a spray made with echinacea and sage relieved sore throats as well as a spray made with an antibacterial (chlorhexidine) and a numbing medicine (lidocaine). So it may be a helpful option for adults and older children. There’s not enough research showing that echinacea is safe for young kids.

Keep in mind that echinacea products aren’t regulated like medications because they’re supplements. The dose of echinacea can vary from product to product too. 

6. Soft foods

Soft foods are a great choice for kids and adults with strep throat. Here are some soft food examples to try:

• Applesauce

• Yogurt

• Oatmeal

• Mashed potatoes 

You should also avoid foods that can irritate a sore throat. This includes foods that are:

• Crunchy

• Sour

• Spicy

• Greasy

• Salty

7. Bone broth

Like warm fluids, the warm temperature of soups and broths can provide pain relief. But bone broths (and soups made from bone broth) also contain additional nutrients that can help adults and kids recover from their illness. 

Bone broth has a more “gel-like” consistency than regular broth to help coat the throat. It’s also high in:

• Proteins

• Electrolytes

• Vitamins

• Minerals

You can add other throat soothing or antimicrobial ingredients like ginger and garlic to bone broth and soups as well. 

Like warm drinks, it’s important to carefully check that the temperature isn’t too hot before giving it to your child or drinking it yourself. Very hot soup or broth can burn or scald the throat, which will worsen pain.

8. Humidified air

Dry air can worsen throat irritation. Moist air is easier to breathe in and won’t dry out an already irritated throat. 

You can help ease sore throat by running a humidifier at home. A humidifier adds moisture to the air. If you don’t have a humidifier, you can still take advantage of the soothing benefits of humidified air. Try sitting in your bathroom with your child for a few minutes after a shower so they can breathe in the steam leftover from your shower.

You can also leave a couple of bowls of water out on counters and shelves. The water will evaporate (very, very slowly) if the air is dry. While this isn’t as effective as a humidifier, it still gets a little extra moisture into the air in your home. 

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Written by:

Amy Walsh, MD, MDP

Amy Walsh, MD, MDP, has worked as an emergency physician for 15 years, including care at both rural hospitals and trauma centers. She is the former Global Emergency Medicine fellowship director at Health Partners.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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