5 year old, immune to anitbiotics....

[ShannonB]

My 5 year old has had chronic sinusitis for 4 years.  He has had a CT.  Everything looked normal.  Has had aenoids removed.  They grew back, but are of normal size.  Has had sinusis' irrigated twice.  Had negative result to Cystic Fibrosis test and Immune deficiency test was negative.  Last irrigation was done 2 weeks ago, culture grew strep.  Was put on Amoxil, one week later he is throwing up and running 103 fever.  Was given 2 shots of Rocefzin (spelling??) and given Cefzil.  In his 5 years of life, the longest he has ever been off of an antibiotic is 6 months.  I am scared to death he will get severly sick and not respond to an antibiotic.  What is causing all of these infections in his sinuses'???  No mucus will drain out of his nose, it just stays packed in his back sinus cavity.  Is there something we are not looking at????  Please, please help me.  I am at the end of my rope.  The poor baby got up every morning for about 6 months and puked due to congestion.  He has also been checked for Asthma and was diagnosed with excercise induced.

[National Jewish]

It is certainly understandable that your son’s situation is so distressing to you.

Sinusitis is an inflammation, or swelling, of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities.  Inflammation of the sinuses could be due to an allergy, an infection, or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or smoke.  Symptoms can include a headache or pressure in the area of the sinuses, a stuffy nose, achy teeth, postnasal drip, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, constant low fever, and thick, yellow to green nasal drainage.  Generally a sinusitis will show up on a CT scan of the sinuses.

The most common cause of sinusitis is an infection, especially when the mucus is green.  Sinus infections can be difficult to treat since they respond slowly.  When a bacterial infection is the cause an antibiotic may be needed for at least 3 weeks.  Bacteria can become resistant to a particular antibiotic, especially when that antibiotic is used repeatedly.  When this happens it will take a different antibiotic to clear the bacteria.  Even after the antibiotic clears the infection, it is possible for the inflammation to linger.  However, inflammation of the sinuses could also be due to an allergy or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or smoke.

This inflammation can block sinus drainage and cause increased mucus production.  The mucus can drain from the nose and sinuses down the back of the throat.  This postnasal drip can cause coughing to the point of vomiting, especially first thing in the morning.

This can fester sinusitis.  An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip.  However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult for your son to blow out of his nose.  A decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) can relieve his blocked sinuses so the postnasal drip drains better.  Check with your son’s doctor to see if either of these medicines would be helpful for him.

A nasal wash helps remove mucus and germs from the nose and sinuses.  This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and help your son’s sinuses to drain better.  Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique.  Share this information with your son’s doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.

If your son’s symptoms continue, his doctor may recommend a prescription nasal steroid spray.  This can decrease inflammation in the nose and sinuses and the mucus production.  This generally provides a more lasting decrease in sinus congestion and improves sinus drainage.  To get the most help from a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash.  A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms.  It may take several weeks of routine use to become effective.

You will need to work with your son’s doctor to learn why his symptoms are reoccurring and what treatment would be best for him.  Please read our Sinusitis MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/sinus.html for further information.  An ENT would be the type of specialist to identify if blocked sinuses are causing your son’s symptoms to continue and the best treatment.

With asthma there is swelling and tightness of the airways of the lungs.  Also the airways of the lungs become more sensitive to a variety of things that make asthma worse.  These things are called triggers and vary from person to person.  Exercise is the only trigger for people who have exercise induced asthma.  However both postnasal drip and sinus problems can also trigger asthma.

[ozark]

has he ever been checked for a fungal infection?  also has he been seen at a childrens hospital near you? has he ever been treated with a prednisone spray to help decrease the swelling?  maybe they need to do an mri with contrast of his sinuses....has he been checked for allergies? dust especially?  its good that his immune system is ok.....good luck and i hope you find out whats wrong

[ShannonB]

He has not been tested for fungal.  He has been tested for allergies, all negative.  We also tried the steroid nasal spray.  It did nothing.  He hasn't been treated with steriods except for when his asthma reacted a couple of times, but shortly after treatment, he would flare up with his sinus' again.  I am going to talk to his doctor about the fungal possibility.  Thanks for your thoughts!!!

[burchm634]

We are all concerned for you and your little one!  Our hearts go out to you.  Is is possible you have ever lived in the Southwest area of the United States or visited Mexico or any area nearby?  Check out the question posted below yours by "terong".  If you have been to that part of the US, California, NM, etc could there be a possibility of Valley Fever.  My comments to terong might provide you with more info on VF or other fungal infections.  The University of Arizona in Tucson has a Center for information on Valley Fever and many other fungal infections.  Their website provides a hotline #, an email address, info for physicians that are unfamiliar with VF and ways to get in touch with them. These websites may also be helpful: www.valleyfever.com, www.ivillag.com, www.arl.arizona.edu.  Their hotline #: [phone] and their email address: ***@****.  Good Luck.  There are many of us out here that do care!

[ShannonB]

huh...I've never heard of that.  We live in Arkansas and the only states we have been to since Sam was born is Kentucky and Texas.   Ain't we Southerners!!!    Anyway, thank you for the information, I will check into the websites!!!

[blondeviolin]

Have you tried daily nasal irrigation?  At National Jewish they recommend this.  You can find a starter kit at www.sinusrinse.com for like $3.95 and then to make the packets it is a half tsp of salt with a pinch of baking soda...mix it with the 8 oz (to the line) and then irrigate.  Maybe if you get all that gunk out twice a day, things will start to improve!  You can read more about irrigation at www.nationaljewish.org

[CAM]

May want to check into a new product called Sinufresh.  It is sold at many pharmacies.  I do not know if it recommended for children, but you should check with your doctor or pharmacist.  It is a nasal wash that kills bacteria in the nose.  I have not tried it personally, but have asked my local pharmacy about it and was told that people love it.  Just a thought.

[CINDY4]

My 10 yr old daughter has had chronic sinusitis for years.  In the process of never ending sickness we found out she has an autoimmune disease that has caused severe lung disease, which in the beginning was thought to just be severe asthma.  She had her adnoids out and 2 sinus surgeries in the past 2 years.  She is still currently infected and now has polyps.  Her ENT says this moderate level of infection is better than the severe infection she has had, and that is as good as it will get.  She also has gotten fungal infections and pseudomonas(a bad antibiotic resistant bug)in the cultures from her lungs and it is presumed they are in the sinus as well.  She has grown resistant to many antibiotics, but there are still many to try.  She also has been non stop on antibiotics for years, huge amounts of steroids, and ended up with bleeding ulcers as a result.  The constant drug use is not good, and her drs think that is what led to the fungal infection, which are also very hard to get rid of. Many studies show that antibiotics are not very effective for the long term chronic sinusitis sufferer.  Also, how long is the course of treatment, sinus infections should always be at least 21 days. Recurrent sinus infections are signs of both autoimmune and immune defiency.  Have him tested for both.  I believe you said he had his immune system checked, that was probably for defiencies, have them check for auto antibodies.  They need to do an ANA,sed rate, and CRP at least.  If these are normal he shouldn't need further testing that way.  You mentioned his CT's are normal.  Do you mean they showed no infection?  How often have they done CT's?  Is that the only one?  Sinus disease can go from none to severe in a month.  My daughter as she has gotten older has learned to live with sickness, and rarely complains like when she was younger.  Her CT's have gone from normal to severe in 6 weeks, and she never complained that she felt bad.  So sinus disease really needs to be followed with regular CT's when active.  I am confused if his CT's are normal how can he be diagnosed with sinus disease?  Maybe they need to look into other causes, sinus infections would show up on CT's. Sorry to go on so, I certainly can empathize.

Cindy

[crouth]

To all who read this, I have a question posted a few spots down (crouth).  I am 32, and the last 4 winters have been terrible for sinusitis infections for me.  I'm glad to see many of you offering your suggestions for this precious child.  This site offered me some help, however, I encourage the parent to consider all possibilities of traditional and non-traditional medicine, even if your doctor won't.  Within the last two weeks, I have discovered that my chronic sinusitis is from a fungal infection, and a yeast infection.  This happens when too many antibiotics are taken.  Once again for the doctors, too many antibiotics.  All drugs are just that, drugs, they will all have some bad side effects.  When taken in small amounts, no problem, but taken over a long period of time, and obviously accumulating in ones system, guess what!  Lots of problems.  The medical field is not perfect, yet very gifted, however it is synchronized with the FDA, govt., and pharmaceuticals, all equalling up to big business, with corruption.  The way I found my answer is God!  There is an answer somewhere!  Whethere it is with the gifted medical professionals, or with other non-traditional gifted professionals.  God provided all of them with answers.  You just have to decide who to trust and listen to.  Who is going out of there way to cover every possibility out there even if it exists with a voodo doctor(don't think so)!  Anyway, fungus is killed with oregano, and garlic.  The yeast is a candida.  These are caused when the good bacteria in your gut flora(digestive) is killed with the bad bacteria from antibiotic use, thus allowing anything including parasites to grow.  We must get our bodies back in good harmony with nature, even with our polluted industrialized world.  It can be done through body cleanses, but I wouldn't do it til spring, and the sinus season is gone.  I'm taking bromelain, a natural antihistimine, oregano, garlic, with a nasal rinse that has grapefruit seed extract in it.  Here are a few web sites.  www.mercola.com; www.pantry.biz; www.gardenoflifeusa.com;  www.curezone.com; www.quantumhealth.com;  www.simplenaturals.com;  The pantry.biz, is where I now will do all of my grocery, and health and beauty aid shopping.  Go to the health notes on their site.  Find a good health store near you, and ask them about gardenoflifeusa.  I started using their product and the others mentioned through other companies, and got over my 4 week long sinusitis, when 4 different antibiotics from my ENT didn't help.  The turbinectomy from my ENT did help me breathe, but only when I'm clear of mucus.   Hope this helps.  God Bless!