Sinusitis is a common respiratory disease in children – especially children under 6 years old. Without proper treatment and care, sinus tissue damage can progress seriously, affecting the health and quality of life of children.
Sinusitis is one of the most common respiratory illnesses, which can occur at any age – including children. It occurs when the lining inside the sinuses becomes damaged and inflamed due to certain things like viruses, bacteria, yeast, dust, chemicals, and allergens that are found in the air.
The sinus tissues (sinus, frontal sinuses, sinuses and jaw sinuses) have the function of reducing the density of the cranial area, creating a unique voice for each person and storing and circulating nutrients to nourish bone tissue. Therefore, when damaged, sinus tissues can become significantly inflamed and disrupted circulation in the skull, leading to unpleasant symptoms.
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Sinusitis in Children and Identifying Signs
Sinusitis usually affects children younger than 6 years of age and tends to flare up after an acute upper respiratory infection. Because the immune system is not yet fully developed, sinusitis in young children tends to recur many times and can easily transition into a chronic phase if parents do not carry out proper treatment and care.
Sinusitis is divided into 2 categories, including acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis . In particular, acute sinusitis has typical symptoms, progresses quickly and is easier to treat. Chronic sinusitis, in contrast, has mild symptoms but is persistent, easy to recur, and difficult to treat completely.
Signs identifying acute sinusitis in children:
- Usually onset 5-7 days after acute upper respiratory infections
- High fever, bad breath
- Runny nose, runny nose that is thick yellow like pus or green
- Cough a lot (especially at night)
- There is a heavy feeling in the face area
- Pain in the eye socket
- Headache
- Toothache, sore throat
Symptoms of the disease flare up causing fatigue, poor appetite, insomnia and irritability at night.
Symptoms of chronic sinusitis in young children:
- Symptoms lasted for more than 3 months but were less severe than acute sinusitis
- Characterized by episodes of mild fever
- Or recurrent sore throat, cough, runny nose, and stuffy nose
- Prolonged sinusitis causes hoarseness, changes in voice
- Tinnitus, ear pain
- Reduced or lost sense of smell
The severity and manifestations of sinusitis depend on the specific cause. In particular, sinus infections caused by infection often have more severe symptoms, flare up suddenly, and progress only acute. Sinus infections of non-infectious causes, by contrast, are mild, persistent, and easily develop into the chronic phase.
Causes of sinusitis in young children
There are many causes of sinusitis in young children. The most common causes are bacteria, fungi and viruses (mainly bacteria strains such as Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, …).
These strains rarely penetrate directly into the sinus tissue. Therefore, most sinus infections in children have onset 5 – 7 days after an upper respiratory tract infection.
In addition, sinusitis in infants and young children can also occur due to allergies and irritation (dirt, chemicals, cigarettes, pollen, …). These agents easily penetrate the sinus tissue, causing inflammation and flare-up symptoms of sinusitis . If it is caused by allergies and irritation, symptoms are usually less severe than sinus infections caused by infection.
Factors that increase a child’s risk of sinusitis:
- Infection of the upper respiratory tract: Inflammatory agents of the upper respiratory tract (bacteria, fungi, viruses) can travel backwards from the oropharynx to the nose, penetrating sinus tissues and causing inflammation. This is considered the most common cause of acute sinusitis in young children.
- Asthma (asthma): Children with asthma are at a higher risk of sinusitis and respiratory diseases than normal. The reason is that the child’s body is sensitive, easily irritated and allergic to agents from outside the environment. These agents easily penetrate into the sinus tissue, causing inflammation and blocking the circulation of the nose – sinuses. Most children with bronchial asthma are susceptible to chronic sinusitis, VA inflammation and some other common respiratory diseases.
- Decreased immune system: Children have an incomplete immune system. Therefore, children are more susceptible to respiratory diseases than adults. In the case of a child with immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the risk of sinusitis and respiratory diseases is significantly increased. This condition is common in children whose parents are HIV positive.
- Allergic rhinitis: Allergic rhinitis is a common respiratory disease that occurs when the nasal mucosa becomes inflamed and inflamed due to exposure to an allergen. Long-term clogged nasal cavity makes bacteria easy to accumulate and develop in the sinus tissues, leading to sinusitis in young children.
- Abnormal nose-sinus surgery: Sinusitis in infants and young children can also be the result of some sinus-sinus abnormalities such as excessive VA, overactive nasal discharge, scoliosis, etc. structural abnormalities can disrupt the proper circulation of sinus tissues and increase the risk of infection of this organ.
In addition to the above factors, sinusitis in young children also occurs when there are some favorable conditions such as poor hygiene, living in a polluted environment, poor health, thinness, …
Is sinusitis in children dangerous?
Sinusitis is one of the most common respiratory illnesses in young children. The disease can be completely controlled with early intervention and treatment. However, without remediation, your child may face the following complications:
- Increased risk of other respiratory diseases: Children with sinusitis are at high risk of other respiratory diseases such as otitis media, pharyngitis, VA, bronchitis, … The upper and lower respiratory organs have a term. closely related to each other. Therefore, when sinus tissue is damaged for a long time, the process of fluid circulation is stagnated, leading to fluid accumulation, creating conditions for bacteria to grow and causing inflammation.
- Widespread infection: If sinusitis is caused by infection, children may experience serious complications such as brain abscess, encephalitis, optic neuritis, meningitis, rheumatism, … In this case, parents need to bring the child to see the doctor as soon as possible to be examined and treated promptly.
Sinusitis is a common breathing problem and is of little degree of severity. Most of the above complications only occur when parents do not treat and care for their children properly. Most of the cases that follow the instructions of the doctor have positive changes.
Diagnosis of sinusitis in children
Sinusitis in young children is diagnosed mainly through clinical examination. However, if necessary, the doctor may order some additional subclinical tests to differentiate from conditions with similar symptoms. At the same time assess the level of sinus damage and orient the most appropriate treatment plan.
Techniques used to diagnose sinusitis in children:
- X-rays: X-rays can help your doctor evaluate the condition of your sinuses. Usually with an infection of sinus tissue, the sinus lining tends to be thick and fuzzy on X-ray images. In addition, this imaging test also helps the doctor rule out a number of other respiratory conditions and (or) identify the cause of sinusitis (abnormal surgery of the nose – sinuses).
- CT scan : CT scan is often indicated for patients with chronic sinusitis. Images from this technique help doctors clearly observe the damaged sinus mucosa and detect structural abnormalities – nasal sinus, thereby giving the most appropriate treatment direction.
- MRI: The MRI reflects visual details of the sinus lining. This technique is performed to identify and rule out some of the possibilities.
- Bacterial culture: In the case of sinusitis caused by an infection, the doctor will take the nasal and sinus fluid to cultivate the bacteria. Then, determine the susceptibility of the pathogen and develop an appropriate treatment regimen.
- Rhinoscopy: Rhinoscopy is a technique for diagnosing sinusitis in both adults and children. Through the camera image, the doctor can clearly observe the inflammation in the sinus tissue and determine (or rule out) the cause of the nasal cavity anatomy.
In addition to the diagnostic function, the above techniques can also help doctors assess the extent of sinus tissue damage, determine the cause of the disease and consider the most suitable treatment plan.
Treatments for sinusitis in children
Sinusitis in children causes many unpleasant symptoms, significantly affecting the quality of life and ability of children to develop. If the disease lasts for a long time, children will also face many other serious complications. Therefore, parents need to take the initiative to bring their children to the hospital for timely examination and treatment.
Treatment for sinusitis depends entirely on the specific cause, symptom severity and age of the child. For acute sinusitis, treatment is mainly using drugs and proper care for 7-14 days. Meanwhile, the treatment of chronic sinusitis includes many different methods (using drugs, surgery, avoiding stimulants, …) in about 4-6 weeks.
1. Use of drugs
Sinusitis drugs include two main groups of medications (antibiotics, antihistamines) and drugs that improve symptoms. Before prescribing the drug, the doctor will determine the cause, evaluate the degree of symptoms and consider the age of the child.
Commonly used medications for sinusitis include:
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics such as Azithromycine, Clarithrocine, Cefuroxime, Amoxillin, … are indicated for 10-14 days (depending on the case). This group of drugs works to kill bacteria causing infections and alleviate inflammation in sinus tissue. This is a specific treatment for sinusitis in children caused by infection.
- Antihistamines: Antihistamines work to improve sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, itchy throat, … The drug is used to relieve symptoms and is especially effective in treating allergic sinusitis. application.
- Nasal drops: Sinusitis can obstruct nasal-sinus circulation and cause edema in the nasal mucosa. To improve this condition, parents can use sprays containing corticosteroids and active vasoconstrictors (Naphazolin, Pseudoephedrine, Phenylephrine, …) to reduce congestion, open nasal passages and improve congestion symptoms. nose, severe facial area, etc. These drugs can cause many side effects if overused. Therefore, parents should only use drugs for children when directed by a doctor.
- Physiological saline: In addition to the above medicines, parents should use normal saline to clean the child’s nose every day. This remedy helps moisten the nasal mucosa, assists in eliminating respiratory secretions, eliminates allergens and clears the nose – sinuses. In addition, mothers should also maintain the habit of cleaning the child’s nose with normal saline to prevent relapse.
In fact, the doctor may also prescribe a number of other medications depending on the child’s symptoms such as cough suppressants, fever reducers, supplementary pills (zinc, vitamin C), …
2. Surgery
Surgery is considered when sinusitis in children recurs frequently and there is no response to medical treatment. In addition, this method can also be done as soon as the doctor finds that the cause of sinusitis is an abnormality in the nasal cavity – sinus tissue.
Surgical treatment of sinusitis in young children includes 2 main methods:
Curettage VA :
VA curettage is performed in the case of hypertrophic VA causing obstruction of the posterior nose and interruption of respiration. This method is for children aged 8 months and older. However, VA curettage is contraindicated for children with advanced tuberculosis, severe heart disease and blood-related diseases.
In the event of an infection, allergy or recent vaccination, the doctor will recommend delaying the surgery to ensure safety.
Functional sinus endoscopy (FESS):
FESS is performed when the nasal-sinus structure has unusual problems. This method is indicated when the child has overgrowth of nasal congestion, nasal polyps, orbital abscesses, lacrimation, optic nerve damage, … In addition, FESS is also performed if the child is found to be inflamed. sinuses caused by scoliosis septum or have surgery abnormalities of the nose – sinuses other.
Surgery is done to clear sinus lesions in order to normalize the structure and improve the physiological function of this organ.
Surgery is the last resort option for sinusitis in young children. This method can eliminate the abnormality in the nasal – sinus structure, clear the airways and prevent sinusitis from recurring. However, after surgery, parents should take proper care of the child so that the wound completely recovers and limits postoperative complications.
3. Combined with care regimen
Similar to other respiratory diseases, parents need proper child care to support the treatment process. The care regimen has the effect of boosting health, reducing fatigue and significantly improving the immune system. Thereby helping to alleviate the symptoms of the disease and shorten the treatment time.
Instructions on how to care for a child with sinusitis:
- Let children rest at home for 3 – 5 days to restore health and avoid contact with dirt, pollen, chemicals, …
- Encourage children to drink plenty of water, eat in moderation and supplement with vitamins and minerals to improve the immune system and reduce the consistency of respiratory secretions.
- Instruct children to brush their teeth and rinse their mouths with salt water regularly to remove harmful bacteria, relieve sore throat pain, and ease coughing.
- Parents can blow their child’s nose with some natural herbs such as peppermint, lemongrass, ginger, … to drain respiratory secretions, reduce congestion and improve some symptoms caused by sinusitis.
- Clean the living space and use an air purifier where necessary. In dry, cold weather, you should use a humidifier to avoid irritation and allergy of the nose – sinuses.
Prevention of sinusitis in children
Similar to other respiratory ailments, sinusitis is more likely to recur – especially in children under 10 years of age. So after treatment, parents need to take some preventive measures such as:
- Clean the child’s nose with normal saline 3-4 times / week to remove dirt, allergens and prevent secretions from accumulating in the nasal passages.
- Instruct children on oral hygiene to reduce the risk of upper respiratory diseases.
- During the changing seasons, keep your body warm and avoid letting your child play outside for too long.
- Keep living space well ventilated, use air purifiers to remove dirt and allergens.
- Avoid using an air conditioner if it is not absolutely necessary. In case of frequent use of air conditioner, it should be used in conjunction with a humidifier to avoid irritation and irritation of the nasal mucosa.
- Do not expose your child to allergens and irritants such as smoke, chemicals and allergen-prone foods.
- Actively treat respiratory tract infections in children to limit the spread of bacteria and cause sinus tissue infections.
- Use a mask for children when going out and avoid intimate contact with people with respiratory infections.
Sinusitis in children can be completely treated with early examination and treatment. In subjective cases, the disease can progress seriously, affecting significantly the health and quality of life of the child. However, in parallel with treatments, parents should take preventive measures to prevent the disease from coming back.
