Symptoms of Sinus Infection in Children

Sinus infection in children is quite a common occurrence. It is mostly triggered by cold and flu virus or allergies. Those kids who are prone to allergies are at a higher risk of getting sinus infections. However, it may be caused by bacterial or fungal infection too. Sometimes, children may develop sinusitis if some small objects like peas or beads enter the nasal cavity and get stuck there. A sinus infection is also known as sinusitis. It is of two different types: acute and chronic. In acute cases, the symptoms of sinus infection in children last for 2-8 weeks. On other hand, chronic infection tends to recur and continues to bother them for a long time.

Symptoms

There are several tiny sinus cavities that lie in and around the nasal passage. Sinus infection signs show up due to inflammation in the sinus cavities and the nasal passage. A few commonly observed sinusitis symptoms in children are as follows.

• Runny Nose: Normally, the mucus discharge of the sinuses is drained out through small channels into the nose. When the cavities are in an inflamed condition, then proper mucus drainage is not possible. As a result, mucus build up occurs that give them a runny nose with nasal discharge which is yellow or green in color.
• Breathing Trouble: As the nose is blocked due to the mucus build up, normal breathing gets affected. It worsens when the child lie down for sleeping. So, the child starts breathing through the mouth.
• Cough: As the congested nose drain out at the back of the throat, it causes irritation that results in persistent cough. Even though the child may cough constantly throughout the day, it is at its worst at night when he or she goes to sleep. However, all children may not show this symptom.
• Pain and Tenderness: The mucus inside the infected sinus cavities builds up a pressure which gives a lot of pain. It can be felt in the areas like nose, cheeks, upper jaw, and the area around the eyes. One can get sinus headache too for the same reason. Sometimes, kids may complain about earache and neck pain.
• Other Symptoms: There are a few less common symptoms in children. They are: sore throat, fever, nausea, fatigue, bad breath, temporary loss of sensation of smell due to stuffy nose, etc.

Treatment

Mild symptoms of sinus infections can be treated at home only. Breathing in of steam vapors is of great help as it thins up the mucus and is easily drained out. Turn on the hot shower inside the closed bathroom and let your child sit there for 15 minutes. A vaporizer or humidifier inside the child's bedroom will keep the sinuses moist and your child will be able to catch up with some sleep. If you are using a vaporizer, then you can add eucalyptus oil into the vaporizer water for a more soothing effect. If the intensity of the symptoms does not decrease with home remedies, then you must take your child to an ENT specialist. Thick mucus often slows down the process of healing up of infection. In that case, nasal drops are used for treatment. These drops effectively soften up of the mucus and facilitate faster recovery from the condition. Sometimes, doctors may prescribe decongestants for a temporary relief from nasal congestion.

As the symptoms of a sinus infection are quite annoying, you do not want its recurrence. To prevent it, you have to ensure that your child do not catch a cold. Washing the hands after playing and before eating can protect them from infection. Most importantly, make sure that your child is immunized.