Nasopharyngitis in children

Nasopharyngitis is one of the most common respiratory diseases of the upper respiratory tract among kindergarteners and primary school students. The disease develops, as against the background of the penetration of infections – bacteria, viruses or fungi, and can also be chronic. Children get sick with nasopharyngitis several times a year, which is associated, among other things, with a slight airborne spread of infection in children’s groups.

What is nasopharyngitis

This is an inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa with its redness, swelling and swelling. The inflammatory process is accompanied by the release of fluid (snot), first serous, then thicker – mucous or purulent. In the people, this phenomenon is called a runny nose. The most common cause is a bacterial but more commonly viral infection.

Symptoms of nasopharyngitis in children

The clinical picture of nasopharyngitis in children develops gradually and, with a mild course, may not affect the general condition. The disease is dangerous for infants, as nasal congestion and difficulty breathing in them can result in refusal of the breast, weight loss and diarrhea.

Causes of nasopharyngitis in children

The causative agents of the disease include strains of influenza, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus and enterovirus. Infection occurs by airborne droplets from a sick child or a virus carrier.

Chronic forms of the disease develop against a background of weakened immunity, when the child has not fully recovered from a previous infection, or in acute rhinitis (ARVI), when, due to nasal congestion, the baby breathes through his mouth and receives a secondary viral agent.

The incubation period for nasopharyngitis depends on the type of pathogen:

• with influenza – from 3 hours to 2 days;
• with respiratory syncytial virus – from 2 to 5 days.

The most pronounced symptoms are observed on the 3rd day of the disease, and by the 5th day the symptoms subside sharply. The illness can last up to 14 days.

If the child does not recover within 21 days, a comprehensive examination is required.

Treatment of nasopharyngitis in children

Treatment methods for nasopharyngitis in children are determined by the doctor on an individual basis. The main ones include:

• sparing diet – food should be warm, but not hot, the diet should include cereals, fruits and vegetables;
• plentiful drink – warm weak tea with lemon, fruit drinks, fruit compotes;
• physiotherapeutic procedures;
• thermal procedures – rubbing, warm foot baths with needles and chamomile, washing the nose and gargling;
• bed rest at elevated temperature.

Diagnostics

In order to avoid serious complications, the diagnosis is carried out in a clinical setting by an otolaryngologist and a pediatrician. Due to the different pathogen, the symptoms of nasopharyngitis are nonspecific, so it can be difficult to establish an accurate diagnosis.

For adequate treatment, it is important to exclude similar diseases and determine the cause of the disease.

• with a bacterial lesion in the nasopharynx, white films on the tonsils are added to hyperemia;
• the symptom of “empty throat” allows you to distinguish viral nasopharyngitis from bacterial (if warm tea reduces sore throat, then we are talking about a virus, and if it increases it, then about a sore throat);
• nasal congestion for up to 14 days can indicate bacterial sinusitis;
• bright hyperemia throughout the oral cavity with the addition of a specific rash in the form of small grains and spots indicates measles;
• with scarlet fever, hyperemia is distinguished by a red “flaming” pharynx with a characteristic rash on the skin;
• ear congestion, clicking, and pain may indicate acute otitis media.

Based on the child’s complaints, parents’ observations and external examination, the patient may be prescribed:

• general analysis of urine and blood – the presence of changes in the blood and urine indicates a virus;
• a smear from the posterior wall of the nasopharynx to determine the type of pathogen by PCR;
• x-ray of the chest cavity to exclude pneumonia;
• computed tomography of the nasal cavities and pharynx with suspected allergic form.

Modern treatments

– Treatment should be directed to the cause of nasopharyngitis, that is, if it is an allergy, then it will be enough to get rid of the allergen and additionally conduct local therapy: rinse the nasal cavity with a saline solution of various concentrations. Based on the goals that are pursued, for vasoconstrictive therapy, I recommend discussing the drug and the course with the attending physician, – says pediatrician of the Children’s Infectious Diseases Hospital Daria Doronina. – For local treatment of the throat, you can use sprays, lozenges for resorption with analgesic action, treat with a solution, and sometimes nothing at all. There is a saying: “A treated runny nose goes away in 7 days, and an untreated one in a week.”

When to bring down the temperature:

• in babies under 3 months old, if the temperature is above 38 ° C;
• children with diseases of the heart, lungs and nervous system, if the temperature is above 38,5 ° C;
• other children if the temperature rises above 39 ° C.

As for antibiotics, experts believe that their use is permissible only in the bacterial form of nasopharyngitis and strictly according to the doctor’s prescription, based on the type of bacteria and the complexity of the course of the disease.

Prevention of nasopharyngitis in children at home

To avoid nasopharyngitis will help:

• thorough hand washing with soap after a walk;
• protective masks at the peak of the incidence;
• daily wet cleaning with the use of disinfectants;
• hardening;
• avoid sudden changes in temperature and hypothermia.

The famous doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky recommends strengthening the immune system and taking care of the quality of the child’s saliva: the more humidity and the more the baby drinks, the better the protective function of saliva.

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