{"id":1012,"date":"2020-01-16T13:38:11","date_gmt":"2020-01-16T13:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/?p=1012"},"modified":"2020-01-20T16:04:59","modified_gmt":"2020-01-20T16:04:59","slug":"sinus-infection-in-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/sinus-infection-in-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Symptoms of Sinus Infection in Kids?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1013 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids.jpg\" alt=\"Sinus Infection in Kids\" width=\"1000\" height=\"522\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-200x104.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-400x209.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-600x313.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-768x401.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-800x418.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Sinus-Infection-in-Kids.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s that time of year again! Before you know it, the weather will be changing and sinus infection in kids will be commonplace. The rapid change in weather coupled with the underdeveloped sinuses of children makes them especially susceptible to pediatric sinusitis. Very often, it is hard to diagnose it in children because it sometimes appears to be caused by other issues like allergies or other viral illnesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Pediatric Sinusitis Defined<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pediatric sinusitis is defined as inflammation or infection of the sinuses of children. At birth, children have two pairs of sinuses called ethmoid and maxillary sinuses. Ethmoid sinuses are located around the bridge of the nose. Maxillary sinuses are located around the cheeks. Other sinuses that develop at later ages and are susceptible to sinusitis include frontal and sphenoid sinuses. Frontal sinuses typically develop around the age of 7 and are located in the forehead right behind the eyes. Sphenoid sinuses don\u2019t develop until the teen years and can be found deep behind the nose.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sinusitis is caused by any blockage of the drainage pathways of the sinuses. When this occurs, mucus can become trapped and can lead to infection. Sinusitis can take three different forms that include acute or short term sinusitis, chronic or long term sinusitis, or recurrent sinusitis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the risk factors for chronic sinusitis in child-developing years can include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nose injury<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tooth infections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The nose has an abnormal shape<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The nose has a foreign object<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An abnormal birth defect that affects the roof of the mouth like cleft palate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stomach acid issues\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At times, it is a challenge to tell the difference between a sinus infection and a common cold. One way to tell the difference is if the symptoms worsen after a week to ten days. Colds usually improve during this time but sinus infections do not. Some of the most common sinus infection symptoms in kids are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stuffy nose<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fever<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bad breath<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facial swelling<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headache<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cough<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Runny nose<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Postnasal drip<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loss of smell<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pain and soreness over sinuses<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although children with chronic sinusitis have less severe symptoms, they tend to last much longer than acute sinusitis. Recurrent sinusitis comes back multiple times in the same year. Some of the other causes of sinus infection in toddler years include Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. These big words are mostly responsible for acute sinusitis and are common bacteria that cause sinus blockage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Prevention and Treatment of Sinus Infection in Kids<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1014 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2020\/01\/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-Sinus-Infection-in-Kids.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By now, you may be wondering how you can prevent sinus infection in kids. The good news is that a few precautionary measures can go a long way. Small and simple lifestyle changes can improve your child&#8217;s chances of avoiding a sinus infection:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use saline sprays, washes, or both if necessary. Use as often as you can to keep the nose as moist as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use a humidifier to keep humidity between 40% and 50% in the home to stop dry air from irritating your child&#8217;s nose and preventing infection. Cleaning your humidifier on a regular basis will prevent germs and other bacteria from growing and prolonging your child&#8217;s sickness.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure to keep cigarette and cigar smoke away from your child, as this can be an additional irritant to their sinuses.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid activities that include forcing water into your child\u2019s nose, like swimming. For this reason, you should also limit the time they spend in chlorinated water.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emphasize increased hygiene like hand washing.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this time, your child&#8217;s immune system is compromised so it is a good idea to be up to date on your vaccinations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your children away from individuals with colds or other upper respiratory infections.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treating your child\u2019s sinusitis will need a comprehensive approach from your doctor and home remedies. It\u2019s always good to call the doctor if the infection lasts longer than 10 days with no improvement. Your pediatrician may prescribe antibiotics, allergy medication, corticosteroid medication, or surgery. Antibiotics will aggressively address the infection and stop it in its tracks since they kill the bacteria causing the infection. If the infection does not improve within 3 to 5 days, your doctor may prescribe a different antibiotic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allergy medicines and immunotherapy are effective for those infections caused by allergies. In this case, your child may be referred to an ENT or ear, nose, and throat specialist for further tests and treatments. Sometimes, a doctor will do a thorough analysis that may include your child&#8217;s sinusitis history, immune system issues, and structural changes. The diagnosis may involve the use of CT scan and X &#8211; rays if there are complications as a result of the infection. However, this is not typical due to safety concerns regarding the use of radiation on children younger than 6 years old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surgery may sound extreme but may be necessary depending on the severity of the infection. This option is usually only used on a small percentage of children that have not responded well to medical therapy. In this circumstance, a doctor may recommend the removal of adenoid tissue. Infection of the adenoid tissue, also referred to as adenoiditis, is an infection of the back of the nose that causes blockage and causes many symptoms similar to sinusitis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, in more severe cases, adenoidectomy is necessary. An ENT surgeon can open natural drainage passages in your child&#8217;s sinuses to widen them, allowing for antibiotics to be directly administered to the bacteria causing the infection. Doing so will reduce the number and severity of the infections.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other care that may be recommended can include fluids, saline washes, and warm compresses. All of these options can be done in conjunction with your doctor\u2019s prescribed medications for faster healing. Drinking water every hour can make a huge difference in thinning out any mucus and helps prevent dehydration. Saline washes are ideal for keeping the nasal passages open and washing out any thick mucus or debris that could be causing the blockage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Get the Most Out of Your Doctor Visit<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making the decision to bring your child to the doctor is a good one. At Kings Bay Pediatrics, our board-certified physicians and high-quality medical professionals will be able to answer any questions you may have. We\u2019d like to suggest some pointers to get the most out of your visit with us that might help in maximizing your child&#8217;s sinusitis treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a full understanding of your visit and what you want the results to be\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write down some questions you may have before the visit so that you are better prepared<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you are at the appointment, make sure to write down the diagnosis, any new medicines or treatments mentioned, and tests to be administered. Make sure to document any instructions that are given as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a good understanding of why the doctor may have prescribed a new medicine or treatment and know what the side effects are for either.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inquire if there are other options available for your child&#8217;s condition<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understand why a test or procedure has been recommended.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any follow up appointments and treatments should be written down including the date, time, doctor, and purpose<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a list of after-hours contacts and numbers in case of an emergency or if you need additional advice or information<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Book an Appointment with the Pediatrician Today<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve given you a lot of information to process. However, these are helpful tips to get you started in the right direction. With over 40 years in practice, you can rest assured that we will take great care in treating your child&#8217;s sinus infection. As experts in pediatric care, our commitment to providing outstanding and personalized care from birth to 21 years can be seen in our service to Broward County, Florida Keys, and beyond. Book your next pediatric appointment with us today!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s that time of year again! Before you know it, the weather will be changing and sinus infection in kids will be commonplace. The rapid change in weather coupled with  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[22,19,21,20],"class_list":["post-1012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pediatrics-news","tag-chronic-sinusitis-in-child","tag-sinus-infection-in-kids","tag-sinus-infection-in-toddler","tag-sinus-infection-symptoms-in-kids"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1012"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1012\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/kings-bay-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}