You have a hole in your head.
Actually, you have several.
You, your children, and everyone else. These holes are called sinuses.
These dratted air pockets in your skull can fill with puss and cause sinus infections. Scientists hypothesize they once helped us equilibrate water pressure during swimming. Now, sinuses seem only to cause headaches.
Sinuses are wedged in your cheek bones (maxillary sinuses), behind your nose (ethmoid sinuses) and in the bones over your forehead (frontal sinuses). When your child has a cold or allergies, fluid can build up in the sinuses. Normally, the sinuses drain into the back of your nose. If your child’s sinuses don’t drain because of unlucky anatomy, the sludge from her cold may become superinfected with bacteria and becomes too thick to move. Subsequently, pressure builds up in her sinuses and causes pain. A sinus infection of the frontal sinuses manifests itself as pressure over the forehead. The pain is exacerbated when she bends her head forward because the fluid sloshes around in the sinuses. Since frontal sinuses do not fully develop until around ten years old, young children escape frontal sinus infections.
Another sign of infection is the increased urge to brush the top row of teeth because the roots of the teeth protrude near the maxillary sinuses. Bad breath caused by bacterial infested post nasal drip can also be a sign.
The nasal discharge associated with bacterial sinus infections can be green/yellow and gooey. However, nasal drainage from a cold virus is often green/yellow on the third to fourth day. If your child has green boogies on the third or fourth day of a cold, does not have a fever, and is comfortable, have patience. The color should revert to clear. However, if the cold continues past ten days, studies have shown that a large percentage of the nasal secretions have developed into a bacterial sinus infection.
Because toddlers in group childcare often have back-to-back colds, it may seem as if he constantly has a bacterial sinus infection. However, if there is a break in symptoms, even for one day, it is a sign that a cold has ended.
Hydrate your child well when she has a sinus infection. Your child’s body will use the liquid to dilute some of the goo and the thinner goo will be easier for her body to drain. Since sinus infections are caused by bacteria, your pediatrician may recommend an antibiotic. The usual duration of the medicine is ten days, but for chronic sinus infections, two to four weeks may be necessary. Misnamed, “sinus washes” do not penetrate deep into the sinuses; however, they can give relief by mobilizing nasal secretions. When using a wash, ask the pharmacist for one with a low flow. Although the over the counter cold and sinus medicines claim to offer relief, they may have more side effects than good effects. Avoid using them in young children and infants.
Who knows. Someday we’ll discover a purpose to having gooey pockets in our skulls. In the meantime, you can tease your children about the holes in their heads.
Naline Lai, MD
© 2010 Two Peds in a Pod
