Sinus might seem like common cold at first. The child
coughs, sneezes and gets a red nose, like in cold. But
the difference is that sinus attack last longer than
common cold. Sinuses are spaces in the bones of the face
and the head which are filled with air. They are exactly
located on both sides of the nose, behind the nasal
cavity, within the forehead, and at the back & in
between the eyes. Sinuses grow in pairs and there are
four pairs of them. Sinuses begin to develop in the
mother womb and grow till twenty years of age. As
children have an incompletely developed immune system,
they catch cold infection more frequently.
The actual purposes of the sinuses are not known, but
scientists say that they make the head lightweight as
these air pockets are filled with light air. If these
air pockets were to be replaced with something solid,
the head will become heavier. The sinuses also provide
tone and depth to the voice. That is the reason why the
voice sounds funny when a person catches a cold or gets
a sinus attack. The sinuses are covered with a thin and
moist tissue layer known as a mucous membrane. These
membranes are responsible for adding moisture to the air
breathed in. They also produce mucus, a sticky liquid
filled in the nose, also called snot. This sticky liquid
catches germs and dust, which are carried by the air,
before they enter the body. The mucus membranes are
covered with cilia or microscopic hair. These cilia move
to and fro to encourage the flow of the mucus out of the
nose and back inside. When the sinuses are infected, the
membranes produce more mucus and become swollen and
irritated.
When a person catches cold, the virus harms the cilia
and the mucus doesn’t get swept back in. This is how a
runny nose is developed. The mucus lining swells within
the nose. This narrows or completely blocks the minute
opening of the sinus into nose. Because of this, the
stickier and thicker mucus produced get trapped in the
sinuses. This stagnant mucus becomes the breeding ground
for virus, bacteria and fungi. If the common cold
stretches for over two weeks, the sinusitis condition
develops. This condition is sinus infection. Acute
sinusitis is sinusitis stretching over two weeks or so.
But when it crosses three months, it is called chronic
sinusitis. The child can get mild fever along with acute
sinusitis. There is no fever associated with chronic
sinusitis and the symptoms are less intense. The
symptoms of sinusitis or sinus attacks are mild fever,
bad breath, continuous nasal discharge, puffy eyes, and
daytime cough. Some children also experience low energy,
crankiness, headache and pain behind the forehead,
cheeks and eyes.
When the doctor is approached for help, he/she will
check throat, nose and ears for infection. The sinuses
are also checked. The doctor will press or tap on the
cheeks and forehead. If bacteria are responsible for
causing the infection, the child will be given
antibiotics to kill the bacteria. The antibiotics will
show their effect within few days itself. A nasal spray
or decongestant can also be used to treat blocked and
runny nose. If it is chronic sinusitis, the antibiotics
need to be taken for a longer time period, like for
about a few weeks, in order to kill the bacteria
completely. The child shouldn’t stop the course of
medicine if he/she isn’t seeing any improvement in the
condition. The doctor should be contacted for further
instructions. In this case, a surgery is an alternative.
The doctor will ask the child to get a CT scan of the
sinuses.
The best thing about sinusitis is that it isn’t
contagious. So if a kid is infected with it, he/she can
still go to school and have fun with the rest of the
kids. But kids who have sinus problem should stay away
from environmental pollutants and allergies, which can
trigger the condition again in them.
