Rhinopharyngitis in children: causes, symptoms and treatment, reviews

Rhinopharyngitis: symptoms and treatment in children

In most cases, nasopharyngitis in children is a consequence of ARVI, and therefore requires symptomatic therapy .
Carefully! During the course of the disease, inflammatory processes spread to the mucous membranes of the pharynx and nose, which sometimes leads to confusion and the disease is often mistaken for a common cold.

In fact, the disease is a complication in which two diseases combine: rhinitis and pharyngitis (this is clear from the name).

Treatment with traditional medicine

Kalanchoe juice - used to eliminate the inflammatory process. The juice, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2, is used for instillation into the nasal passages (1 drop 3 times a day) and gargling.
Beetroot juice has a similar effect. Well relieves inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane. Before use, it should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2. Gauze swabs soaked in beetroot juice and inserted into the nasal passages are highly effective.
Calendula solution - to prepare it, dissolve a tablespoon of calendula juice in 500 ml of warm boiled water. The resulting solution is used to rinse the nose. The procedure is performed over a sink so that the liquid flows freely from the nose.
Inhalations with potato decoction are highly effective when it is necessary to quickly relieve acute signs of nasopharyngitis in children.
Gargling with soda solution helps eliminate sore throat and sore throat.
Herbal decoctions - chamomile flowers, sage, coltsfoot, St. John's wort, etc. are used for their preparation. Solutions are used for gargling in children over 5 years of age. If the child is not able to perform this procedure, steam inhalations can be performed over decoctions. But they cannot be carried out at elevated temperatures.

Causes of the disease

Rhinopharyngitis occurs as a reaction of the body to irritants of a bacterial, mechanical, chemical and thermal nature .

In this case, the disease can manifest itself in the form of a runny nose.

Or it can be practically asymptomatic (but more often inflammatory processes covering the entire area of the nasopharynx make themselves felt).

The main reason for the development of nasopharyngitis is the activity of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Such pathogenic microflora include:

staphylococci;
streptococci;
diphtheria bacillus;
any types of adrenoviruses ;
fungal microorganisms;
plant and household allergens;
unfavorable environmental conditions (smoke and dust in the room, as well as excessively dry air).

Reference! The disease can develop at any time of the year and occur in acute, subacute or chronic form.

Rhinopharyngitis is transmitted by airborne droplets and can be either descending or ascending (in the second case, the pathology spreads from the pharynx to the nose).

Nutrition

Children with strong immunity are not susceptible to the disease. Therefore, you need to worry about health and strong immunity even before the birth of the child. You shouldn’t think much about the fortified nutrition of a newborn breastfeeding. The main thing is that mom eats well. But for older children and for those who are prescribed artificial feeding, it is important to control the intake of large amounts of vitamins into the body. This especially applies to vitamin C. The following must be present in the daily diet:

fruits;
vegetables;
dairy products;
meat dishes, especially white chicken or turkey;
tea with lemon;
cereal porridges and soups (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal);
hard cheeses;
sea fish and fish caviar.

Any caring mother knows that carbonated drinks, fried foods, sweets, and pickled foods should be excluded from the diet not only during illness. You can learn how to steam a dish from a video on the Internet.

A drink made from rose hips with the addition of honey as a natural antibiotic can be a rich source of vitamins. Do not forget that both ingredients can cause allergies, and rosehip decoctions can cause constipation.

Symptoms

Rhinopharyngitis is primarily indicated by a runny nose, in which clear mucus is released from the nose , and after a few days the following symptoms of the disease occur:

constant sneezing ;
nasal congestion , in which the discharge may contain blood or purulent deposits;
hoarseness of voice;
redness of the palatine arches and pharyngeal tissues;
uncontrollable profuse lacrimation ;
itching and rawness of the upper lip;
pain and sore throat ;
child's refusal to eat ;
dry cough , which after a few days turns into wet and productive;
increased body temperature ;
sleep disorders;
headache;
enlarged lymph nodes located in the neck and behind the ears;
lethargy and weakness .

Also, an indirect sign such as a deterioration in the child’s mood and constant whims may indicate the disease even before the development of the main symptoms.

Diagnosis of the disease in children

Attention! Usually the disease is diagnosed by external signs that are observed during a medical examination.
But to differentiate pathology, laboratory diagnostic methods are used, which include the following methods:

virological . It is used when a viral origin of the disease is suspected; during such an examination it is possible to determine which pathogen caused the development of the pathology;
serological . Standard diagnostic procedure for determining ARVI;
bacteriological . During such an examination, gonorrheal rhinitis and nasal diphtheria are identified, which often cause the development of nasopharyngitis in newborns.

Diagnostic measures

The disease is diagnosed based on complaints from the mother, the child himself, if he can describe the condition, visual examination and laboratory data. Sometimes a culture to detect pathogenic bacteria or viruses may be recommended. If an allergic form is suspected, tests are prescribed to identify the allergen.

After analyzing all the data obtained, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment, which can be carried out on an outpatient basis. An exception may be newborns, whose treatment must be carried out in a hospital setting.

Diagnostics does not require a complex examination, and sometimes a visual examination by a specialist is enough to make a correct diagnosis. More serious diagnosis must be carried out when the disease is accompanied by a severe course or another disease.

Any disease can bypass a child if simple preventive measures are followed. Any type of hardening makes the baby’s body more resistant to diseases. These include daily walks in the fresh air and swimming. It is necessary to exclude cases of both hypothermia and overheating. They can reduce the body's resistance.

At home, regularly ventilate the room, make sure that dust does not accumulate, and carry out wet cleaning. Modern air ionizers give good results in terms of resistance. By installing them in your baby’s room, you can ensure optimal humidity and destroy pathogenic bacteria. In the rooms where such a device is installed, much less dust accumulates.

It is necessary to teach a child to breathe correctly from an early age. Preventative breathing exercises will not hurt. The baby must understand that it is necessary to breathe only through the nose. If he cannot do this, immediately go to an ENT specialist.

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Parents should monitor the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Dysbacteriosis and the presence of worms greatly reduce the body's immunity and resistance.

It is necessary to minimize or eliminate children’s contact with sick peers or relatives; if allergic reactions are noticed, identify the allergen and rule it out. It is not advisable to have animals in a house where such children live. Walks should be regulated during the period when poplar, acacia and other types of allergenic plants are actively blooming.

Treatment of nasopharyngitis in children: general approach

For any type of nasopharyngitis, only symptomatic treatment is required , which requires compliance with the general rules of therapy:

The patient must follow a drinking regime (the child must drink up to one and a half liters of liquid per day, excluding too hot, cold and carbonated drinks).
The diet should not contain overly spicy, salty or fatty foods , and the menu should include fresh fruits and vegetables to prevent the development of vitamin deficiency.
The nasal passages should be flushed regularly with salt water .

Treatment should be carried out using vasoconstrictors of the phenylephrine and oxymetazoline series, as well as antipyretics and painkillers (ibuprofen or paracetamol).

antihistamines are prescribed to relieve inflammation (loratadine is mainly used in the treatment of children). It is also recommended to use lozenges and sprays that have an antimicrobial effect.

Acute nasopharyngitis in children

Most often, nasopharyngitis in children occurs in an acute form: the disease is characterized by vivid symptoms , but unlike the acute form, this type of disease is easier to treat .
Be careful! The main thing is not to self-medicate and consult a doctor at the first signs of illness. In this case, the prognosis is favorable even with outpatient treatment.

But if a specialist insists on treatment in a hospital for a severe form of nasopharyngitis, one should not refuse, since in the absence of adequate measures corresponding to the severity of the disease, complications may develop.

Treatment of acute nasopharyngitis in children

medications are used for treatment

anaferon and interferon (only for children older than one month);
amiksin (upon reaching the age of seven);
oxolinic ointment;
Viferon;
collargol solution (protargol);
rivanol;
ephedrine;
farmazolin and galazolin (as vasoconstrictors).

The duration of use of the drugs and dosage are prescribed by the attending physician based on the results of the examination and based on the physiological characteristics of the child.

It is not recommended to independently shorten or extend the duration of treatment or change the dosage.

If vasoconstrictor drugs are prescribed in the form of drops and contain menthol, such drugs can only be used to treat children over three years of age.

Important! When using antipyretics such as diphenhydramine, analgin, paracetamol and nurofen, you must first consult with your pediatrician.

At the same time, it is not worth reducing the temperature to below 38 degrees.

During treatment, in parallel with the main course of treatment, it is also recommended to gargle.

To do this, you can use pharmaceutical solutions such as chlorophyllipt, rotokan, furatsilin and diluted hydrogen peroxide , as well as medicinal herbs: sage, chamomile, calendula .

Inhalations for rhinopharyngitis in children

For young children, it is better to replace rinsing with inhalation , but only if the child does not have a fever.

Starting from the age of five, children can be given lozenges, which will eliminate soreness and relieve pain.

Antibiotic drugs for nasopharyngitis are used only in cases where, against the background of the disease, a secondary infection begins to develop , which is the causative agent of concomitant diseases.

In such situations, in addition to antibiotics physiotherapeutic procedures can also be performed , and if the disease is accompanied by a dry cough, the child can be given mustard plasters, but only if he is older than 4-5 years.

Types and forms of the disease

This type of disease is most often diagnosed in children in spring and summer, during the period of active flowering of trees and flowers. It is quite difficult to distinguish it from a viral or bacterial one; only professional pediatricians can do this. Typically, the allergic type of rhinopharyngitis is accompanied by the following symptoms:

sudden rhinitis and nasal congestion;
burning in the nose, throat congestion;
redness of the eyes, tearing;
Symptoms increase when lying down;
breathing is heavy, difficult;
cough;
gagging.

When you stay at home where there are no allergens, symptoms may disappear. This is the main distinguishing feature of allergic rhinopharyngitis from other types. If this is noticed, it is necessary to consult an allergist, who will give recommendations and prescribe treatment. This condition cannot be ignored, as the disease can trigger asthma.

Acute nasopharyngitis

The causes of this form of the disease are various allergens:

food;
household;
vegetable;
animal origin.

Their development is facilitated by unfavorable environmental factors, polluted air, large crowds of people in unventilated rooms, and insufficient amounts of vitamins supplied with food. In fact, there are a lot of allergens that cause an unfavorable reaction in the body. These include house dust, animal hair, plant pollen, bird feathers, etc.

Allergic rhinopharyngitis in children usually has the same symptoms that are diagnosed in its acute form:

swelling of the mucous membrane and sudden nasal congestion as a result;
labored breathing;
copious mucus discharge from the nose;
burning in the nose and eyes;
redness and tearing of the eyes and eyelids;
sore throat;
cough.

All of the above signs of the disease intensify in the lying position. Cough with nasopharyngitis in children is most often dry. It increases upon contact with the allergen and, conversely, decreases when interaction with it ceases. Most often, this sign is used to correctly diagnose the disease.

Allergic rhinopharyngitis is not acute and does not pose a threat to the child’s life. But this does not mean that parents should not be involved in its treatment. This form of the disease also has complications, the most dangerous of which is asthma.

A prerequisite is the exclusion or limitation of contact with the allergen. Otherwise, therapy may be ineffective. Rhinopharyngitis in a child, both acute and allergic, should be treated strictly as prescribed by the doctor. The following means are used for this:

Nasal drops - they contain components that block the effect of the allergen on the mucous membrane. As a result, swelling is relieved, breathing becomes easier, and a runny nose stops. The most effective drugs in this group include Vibrocil and Allergodil.
General antiallergic drugs - dosage and duration of treatment are determined by the doctor.
A course of specific therapy includes the introduction of microdoses of the allergen into the body to prevent further development of the reaction. Treatment is carried out strictly under the supervision of an allergist.
Sorbents are prescribed during an exacerbation to quickly remove the allergen from the child’s body. One of the effective drugs in this group is Enterosgel. It is important to take care to eliminate dysbiosis, which often accompanies diseases of this form.

In the treatment of allergic rhinopharyngitis in children, according to reviews, homeopathic preparations are highly effective. A prerequisite is to maintain a favorable microclimate in the room. To do this, you should humidify the air, ventilate the room, and ensure optimal temperature conditions (within 20 ° C above zero).

Disease prevention

Rhinopharyngitis can be treated quickly if the disease is diagnosed in time, but it is easier to prevent its development.

To do this, the following preventive instructions should be followed:

The child needs to be hardened in order to strengthen his immune system and prevent the development of such diseases.
In spring and winter it is necessary to give children vitamin complexes , since during these periods the body’s defense systems are as weakened as possible.
It is important to always dress your child according to the weather and avoid hypothermia , which can cause the development of nasopharyngitis.
If a child attends a kindergarten or school, his contact with children who already suffer from nasopharyngitis should be limited.