Guidelines to Follow for Chronic Rhinosinusitis

If your child suffers from rhinosinusitis symptoms for twelve weeks or more, it may be an indication that he or she has developed chronic rhinosinusitis, a common problem which may be undiagnosed if not looked into by a qualified ENT specialist.

Characteristics of Sinusitis

Ordinarily, sinusitis is characterized by the inflammation of nasal cavity mucosa and paranasal sinuses. For children, the symptoms include coughing, bad breath, nausea, vomiting, headache or facial swelling in older children, a thick yellow green nasal discharge and swelling around the eyes. This leads to numerous other side effects such as irritability, sleep disturbance and general degradation of quality of life.

Diagnosis and Treatment

An otolaryngolist or ENT specialist can usually diagnose chronic rhinosinusitis by taking into consideration several factors including symptoms, duration of symptoms, patient’s medical history and the findings of a physical examination. Sometimes, allergy testing, CT scan or endoscopy may be used for an accurate diagnosis. This condition is treated in a stepwise, bespoke manner keeping in mind patient’s unique symptoms and impact on life. Acute flare ups are often treated with antibiotics and mild symptoms with nasal douching or application of topical corticosteroids to reduce mucosal inflammation.

Lifestyle Changes for Relief

For serious cases of chronic rhinosinusitis, the doctor may recommend a long term plan of low dose antibiotics. Surgical procedure is the last resort and even after this, the patient may require follow up treatment. There are some lifestyle changes parents and caregivers can make to help improve child’s condition and quality of life. They can provide a tobacco free environment and avoid living in homes that are either too warm or too dry. Giving children plenty of liquids in the form of fruit juices and warm water can also be beneficial. Getting children to inhale steam for ten minutes three or four times a day is also a safe, inexpensive and effective way of providing relief. Performing a nasal wash with saline solution is also a useful way of clearing nasal mucus.

Follow these simple guidelines and give your child the enjoyable childhood he or she deserves!