Pediatric Sinusitis

NY SINUS CENTER STAFF JAN 29, 2011 1:59 AM

Fever. Headache. Cough. Sinus pressure. These can add up to one unhappy kid suffering from pediatric sinusitis. And the worry and lack of sleep can lead to a pretty cranky parent, too.

Treatment in the long term

Acute sinusitis following a cold can usually be treated in a child as easily as in an adult. A round of antibiotics will typically knock it out quickly, and get your kid back on the playground in short order. But the treatment of chronic sinusitis can be extremely frustrating for you, your child, and even your otolaryngologist. The medical management of chronic pediatric sinusitis involves not only treating the symptoms with an appropriate antibiotic, but also treating the outside factors contributing to the problem.

Sinusitis in children is generally preceded by a viral upper respiratory tract infection (URI). Children average between six and eight URIs a year, and some will have as many as 25. This leaves a lot of leeway for opportunistic bacteria to invade your child’s sinuses and cause sinusitis, and if your child already has asthma or allergies, this provides another avenue for infection. Children are also more susceptible to complications from sinusitis—including developing sinusitis or other bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics, and more mundane problems of missed school days and generally decreased quality of life.

The best way to manage pediatric sinusitis

Stop it before it starts by helping your child avoid URIs. Remind your child to:

• Wash hands frequently
• Cough into their elbow
• Use a tissue instead of their shirt

Children who attend day care are much more likely to get URTIs than children who don’t, so if your child is really struggling with infection, you may want to suspend daycare temporarily to break the cycle. You may also want to bring them to us for a complete medical assessment to avoid future complications. Contact us today.

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