If your child has a sinus infection that can be very serious. Here's a few tips on how to tell if it's an infection or just a cold.
When it comes to small kids it seems there's always something going on with their health. If it's not a skinned knee it's a rash. If it's not a rash it's a runny nose. It's a fact that children suffer from various ailments but how does a parent know when it's something serious enough to warrant taking the child to the doctor? Most parents have read books and watched programs that talk about children's health but when it comes to diagnosing your own child it's hard to know when to just let something run its course or seek professional help. It's important to understand the difference between a cold and an infection since a cold usually goes away on its own whereas infections usually require antibiotics. Infections that are left alone can fester into something much more serious but overusing antibiotics is not safe either.
There are many similarities between a cold and a sinus infection. A child with a cold usually has a runny or stuffy nose, watery eyes and weakness. The same can be said of a child with a sinus infection. When a child gets a cold they possibly have a cough, earache or sore throat. The same symptoms often occur with a sinus infection. A cold tends to clear up after about 7 to 10 days but a sinus infection lingers. If your child has cold-like symptoms for over 10 days it's definitely time to go to the doctor.
Another sign that your child might have an infection rather than an everyday cold is a high fever. Although fever can occur in a child it is usually mild. With a sinus infection fevers tend to run high. Anytime a child's fever goes over 100 degrees it's a good idea to take him or her to the doctor. Fevers that stay just under 100 degrees but continue day after day also call for a doctor's opinion.
Runny noses occur with colds or infections but when the discharge takes on a definitely color, like yellow or orange, it's time to take the child to see a physician. Although clear discharge is common with colds yellow or green discharge points at an infection of the sinuses.
If you notice that your child has very bad breath even after teeth brushing it could be a warning sign. Infections tend to have a bad smell which might be noticeable through the child's breath.
Swelling in the facial area, particularly around the eyes or cheeks, requires immediate attention from a physician. When sinus infections become moderate to severe these areas have a tendency to swell and become extremely painful. Headaches that won't quit or complaints of ears hurting are additional signals that sinus infection could be present or even spreading.
Don't take chances with your child's health. If you are in doubt as to whether or not your child has an infection be on the safe side and have a physician take a look. If antibiotics are prescribed make sure the child takes all the medicine to prevent the infection from reoccurring.
