Chronic Sinusitis in Children

Chronic sinusitis presentation in children is very different from that in adults. Chronic sinusitis is sinusitis persisting for more than 12 weeks, i.e. three months. These patients should be under the care of an ENT surgeon. They get temporary relief from using prescribed medicines or complete relief, but symptoms recur once the medication is stopped.

The sinuses are air pockets in the skull around the nose and eyes. There are five pairs of sinuses - Maxillary (behind cheeks), Frontal (behind the forehead), Anterior and posterior ethmoids (between eyes in the front and back), Sphenoids (back part of the head just above the pharynx). The sinuses below the eyes (Maxillary sinuses) and the sinuses between the eyes (ethmoid sinuses) develop as early as birth. They slowly enlarge and reach the adult size by mid to late teens.

These sinuses produce a thin slimy fluid called mucus 24×7, and this keeps getting cleared to the back of the nose. Mucus can get trapped within the sinuses because of various reasons we will discuss a little later. This trapped mucus that cannot drain out of the sinuses forms a suitable nutritional medium for the bacteria to grow in. Once the bacteria starts growing in the mucus, the mucus turns into pus, producing chronic sinusitis symptoms.

What Causes Chronic Sinusitis in Children?

Chronic sinusitis in child, in general, are susceptible to common cold and sinusitis. The most common causes of sinusitis are infections with bacteria, viruses and allergies. The infections and allergies cause inflammation and swelling of the mucosal skin lining of the nose and sinuses. This mucosal lining swelling blocks the sinus drainage openings and sinus drainage pathways, causing accumulation of mucus, a thin slimy fluid produced 24×7 inside the sinuses. This accumulated mucus forms a suitable nutritional medium for the bacteria to grow in. Once bacteria grow, the mucus turns into pus producing chronic sinusitis symptoms. This mechanism of chronic sinusitis occurs similar to that in adults, but the symptom presentation is different in children.

What are the symptoms of chronic sinusitis in children?

The children having chronic sinusitis present with the following symptoms

1. Severe nasal congestion and nose block
2. Mouth breathing and dry mouth, dry, chapped lips
3. Bad breath from the mouth
4. Thick yellowish to greenish coloured discharge from the front of the nose
5. Postnasal discharge of similar colour
6. Throat pain, throat irritation, cough
7. Clogged ears and sometimes ear pain
8. Pain on pressing on the forehead or the cheeks
9. Children above six years can complain of headache and facial pain
10. Fever of high or low grade
11. Fatigue and irritability
12. Reduced appetite from loss or reduced sense of smell and taste

If you notice any of the above symptoms in your child, reach out to your nearest ENT Hospital.