When you start to hear your child making a few sniffles, it’s sure to spark a lot of worries. As parents, it’s just second nature to try and maintain your kid’s health in hopes of ensuring that they are feeling well. A part of that nature is fearing the worst-case scenario as they start sneezing uncontrollably.
Colds are something that almost every person has to deal with in various stages of their life. It can be hard to differentiate what’s a regular common cold from what may be a sinus infection though. Since they do both affect the nasal and sinuses area, how can you tell which is which? Keep reading this short guide of what to check.
Symptoms
The main difference between a common cold to sinusitis is how much their sinuses are swelling. Keep in mind that the infection can also come in a spectrum of conditions. There’s allergic sinusitis that acts up as part of a reaction to certain allergens, then there’s also bacterial sinusitis, which traps bacteria in the nose. You can deduce your child’s condition based off of:
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Time.
Common colds can usually go away after lingering for ten days at most. They are very severe during that first week period, but they eventually disappear after. A sinus infection will often take beyond ten days. How severe one’s cold is during this period can also be more consistent throughout the days.
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Discharge.
As you make your little one blow into the tissue, take a quick glance at the discharge collected on it. A common cold will show a clear and thin nasal discharge that thickens up. It also leans more yellow or green in color before gradually returning to clear when the cold ends. Nasal discharge from a kid with a sinus infection is often yellow or green all throughout that period.
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Other Sicknesses.
A cold often occurs on their own. Some kids may experience just a slight fever or few coughs for the first two days before they’re left with just a runny nose. However, sinus infections can be much more serious as children deal with headaches, throat aches, intense fevers, heightened sensitivity, and more.
Diagnosis
After checking your kid’s symptoms, your may want to contact a medical professional for a diagnosis. Schedule an appointment to have your kid’s condition assessed. Hearing that it’s just a cold from an expert can ease your worries about them having sinusitis.
If it doesn’t seem like a big deal for your kid yet either, you’re probably cleared to observe them for a few days more. However, if they find difficulty breathing, don’t hesitate to contact urgent care and take further steps.
Treatment
A pediatrician should be able to prescribe some medication that can help ease the effects of the cold your child is experiencing, in consideration with their diagnosis. Be sure to stay on schedule in order to remove the symptoms and help them feel well again.
Aside from administering antibiotics, be sure to give your kid all the rest that they need to get better. Let them lie down and rest in their bed for a few days. Be mindful of the temperature in their room and ensure that they’re comfortable.
Conclusion
Worrying about your kid’s condition is completely normal. Converse with a medical professional to confirm whether or not they have a plain cold or sinusitis to act accordingly. Afterward, just be observant and try to help them take it easy as they recover.
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