Sinusitis

Sinuses are moist air spaces within the bones of the face around the nose. When these sinuses swell or become irritated, the infection is called sinusitis. These infections usually follow allergies.

Cases of sinusitis are common and can be easily treated. Call your child's doctor if your child has a cold and the symptoms don't go away after about 10 days or if your child develops a fever after about 7 days of having cold symptoms. Those could be signs of sinusitis or another type of infection.

Causes

The sinuses are four sets of hollow spaces that are located in the cheekbones, the forehead, behind the nasal passages, and deep in the brain. Sinuses are lined with the same mucous membranes that line the nose and mouth.

When a child has a cold or allergies and the nasal passages become swollen and make more mucus, so do the sinus tissues. The drainage system for the sinuses can get blocked, and mucus can become trapped in the sinuses. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can grow there and lead to sinusitis.

Symptoms

Sinusitis can cause different symptoms for kids of varying ages.

Younger kids typically have cold-like symptoms, including a stuffy or runny nose and slight pneumonia, or an hand washing, particularly when he or she has a cold.

Treatment

Doctors may prescribe oral antibiotics to treat cases of sinusitis that are believed to be caused by bacteria. Some doctors may recommend decongestants and antihistamines to help reduce the symptoms.

Cases of sinusitis that are caused by viruses usually go away on their own without medical treatment. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and/or warm compresses may help reduce any pain your child may be experiencing. But over-the-counter cold preparations have not been found to be effective in reducing symptoms in children and may cause unwanted side effects.

Call your child's doctor whenever your child has:

• a cold that lasts for more than 10 days without improvement
• a cold that seems to be getting worse after 7 days of symptoms
• symptoms of allergies that don't clear with the usual allergy medication

It's also a good idea to call the doctor if your child shows any other signs of sinusitis, like pain or stiffness in the cheeks, a fever, or a cold that seems to be making your child more ill than usual.

Reviewed by: Joel Klein, MD