Open Up and SayAhh!: New Sore Throat Home Exam Aid with Online Health Management Resource Helps to Identify Serious Throat Infections This Cold/Flu Season
WASHINGTON, NH (PRWEB) October 09, 2015 -- A new health tool that helps identify if a sore throat is serious, SayAhh! Sore Throat Home Exam Aid, is now available online (http://www.sayahh.com) – just in time for the cold and flu season, which the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says officially begins in October. However, for many in the U.S., the real start of cold/flu season is the start of the school year, when germs start spreading – not only among classmates, but with children’s families.
According to the CDC, 22 million school days are lost annually in the United States because of the common cold and, according to some estimates, in the course of a year, people in the U.S. suffer approximately 1 billion colds, many of which begin with a sore throat. While a viral sore throat is typically relieved with rest and hydration, school-age children can easily contract other, more serious throat infections such as strep, mononucleosis, herpes, yeast/thrush and coxsackie, to name a few.
“While you should always check with your child’s healthcare provider, SayAhh! gives you the tools and resources, including an online health management program on the website and on the SayAhh! Exam Guide Mobile App, you need to be a sore throat expert and accurately report what you are seeing in your child’s or teen’s throat to your healthcare provider,” says Dr. Gil Mettler, President and CEO of Q-In Medical Technologies, LLC, the manufacturer of SayAhh!. “This way, your doctor can let you know if an office visit is necessary.”
The SayAhh! sore throat health management system includes a patented oral retractor that allows for better visibility of the throat while minimizing the gag reflex, a small flashlight and information and medical-grade illustrations of what a normal throat should look like along with six of the more concerning throat ailments. “We strongly recommend parents examine their child’s throat when no illness is present to establish a baseline or normal throat,” adds Dr. Mettler. “It’s important for parents to know what they are looking at – what the different parts of the throat are, such as the soft palate, uvula and tonsils, for example -- and what is normal for their child.” It is important to note that a normal throat will have a healthy pink color (vs. red) without any inflammation, sores or ulcers. Tonsils will be similar in color to the surrounding throat area and there should be no white spots, patches, sores or film, and no blisters.
Below are just some of the warning signs of major throat infections parents should watch for along with checking their child’s throat:
Viral Sore Throat: Most common colds and/or the flu are caused by a virus, which is acquired from other people. According to WebMD, there are more than 200 different types of viruses, which can cause the common cold. A sore throat is often the first symptom of these infections, but typically dissipates quickly. If your child has difficulty swallowing or a raw, scratchy throat feeling, chances are their sore throat is viral.
Strep: According to the Mayo Clinic, a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit accompanied by a sore throat, which can be severe, but no other common cold symptoms (like a stuffy nose), could mean strep throat. Parents, when looking in their child’s throat, will typically see a beefy red soft palate, uvula, enlarged red tonsils, white or yellow patches on the tonsils, and/or tiny red hemorrhages on the soft palate.
Mono or Mononucleosis: Contagious and caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), mono spreads by saliva, hence being commonly referred to as the “kissing disease.” From exposure to symptoms is four to 8 weeks. Those symptoms being: fever, fatigue, sore throat, swollen tonsils and other potential swelling (of lymph nodes) along the neck area. Parents should look for a white or grayish film covering the enlarged visible tonsil in their child’s throat, which is a classic sign of mono accompanied by the symptoms previously described. It generally resolves on its own, of course assuming a healthy immune system and effective treatment of symptoms. However, due to the potentially damaging effects on the liver and spleen, it’s strongly recommended that you visit your physician to allow diagnosis and in turn ensure proper care.
Coxsackie virus: Rash, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. It’s bad enough just to have one of those alone, but having any or all of those accompanied by a sore throat could be an indicator of Coxsackie virus. According to KidsHealth.org, the virus is more commonly caught and spread in the summer and fall -- just in time for kids heading back to school. Signs of the virus in the throat often include small blisters on the anterior pillars of the tonsil, the pharynx, and the soft palate while the tonsils may look almost normal.
With the SayAhh! Sore Throat Home Exam Aid, parents get a state-of-the-art oral retractor, flashlight and online health management resource at the website and on the SayAhh! Exam Guide Mobile App (available on iTunes and Google Play) with medical-grade illustrations and descriptions of sore throat infections, allowing them to easily check inside their child’s mouth and throat, compare what they see to the information provided on the different throat infections and report their findings to their doctor to determine if an in-office visit is necessary.
SayAhh! Sore Throat Home Exam Aid is available online at http://www.SayAhh.com. Order today using promo code SayAhhPR and receive $1.00 off at checkout along with FREE SHIPPING through November 1, 2015. Join the SayAhh! Facebook community for health and lifestyle tips and great giveaway offers!
Learn more about SayAhh! at http://www.SayAhh.com.
Alex Tockstein, Robin Leedy & Associates, http://rlapr.com/, +1 (914) 241-0086 Ext: 1011, [email protected]
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