Sinusitis is a condition where a child suffers from inflammation or infection of one or more of the sinuses. Depending on the child’s age, this may occur in the pair of sinuses located between the eyes (ethmoid) and/or the pair of sinuses behind the cheekbones (maxillary).

As children get older, they develop a pair of frontal sinuses (in the forehead) and a pair of sphenoid sinuses (behind the nose), which can also become affected.

It is often difficult to tell the difference between a cold and a sinus infection. A cold has many of the same symptoms but will usually get worse around the third or fourth day and be improving by a week to 10 days. A sinus infection is usually worsening instead of improving at a week to 10 days.

Signs and Symptoms

• Bad breath
• Cough (especially at nighttime)
• Facial swelling and changes in your child’s behavior
• Fever
• Headache
• Post nasal drip (causes frequent throat clearing)
• Runny nose
• Stuffy nose
• Symptoms worsening at a week to 10 days

When to See a Specialist

A pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist will help to determine whether a surgical procedure may be helpful for your child. Your doctor may recommend surgical treatment of the sinuses using functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), sinus culture or an adenoidectomy. Contact a specialist:

• If your child has had several acute sinus infections in the past several years or has long-standing chronic sinusitis, which does not seem to go away completely with antibiotics.
• If your child has a sinusitis that seems to be linked to an allergic condition.