When Repeated Ear or Sinus Infections Signal the Need for a Fresno Pediatric Allergist

When Repeated Ear or Sinus Infections Signal the Need for a Fresno Pediatric Allergist

As a parent, you do everything possible to keep your child healthy. Yet trips to daycare, playgroups, and school expose your child to so many germs. That leads to colds and coughs that progress into respiratory infections. 

It seems that every other week, you’re back at the pediatrician’s office with another round of fevers and an ear infection or sinus infection. It’s so hard to see your child in pain, but each time the infection clears up, it’s back just as quickly.

Any fever of 100.4°F or higher keeps your child home, which means you’re using up a lot of personal time or vacation days. Worse, you might have to take unpaid time off. Your child is missing out, too. It’s another day away from socializing with friends or learning new things. All the missed school days can impact your child’s education.

Recurrent ear or sinus infections don’t have to be a permanent part of your child’s life. A Fresno pediatric allergist helps determine the underlying cause and develop a treatment plan that prevents the immune system from overreacting.

How Do Allergies and Ear and Sinus Infections Connect?

Where does the crossover between ear and sinus infections and your child’s allergies lie? You have to take a step back and look at your child’s anatomy. Remember that all the sinus cavities and tubes we’re about to talk about are still growing as your child grows.

Looking at the nose, the nostrils lead to several sinuses found under the eyes, between the eyes, and the bridge of the nose, and above the eyebrows. There’s also a very small opening to the Eustachian tubes that lead to your ears. 

When you have allergies, your immune system overreacts to allergens such as mold, pollen, and dust mites. This triggers an inflammatory response that causes your nasal passages and sinuses to swell. 

Swollen sinuses don’t drain properly. Even with the excess mucus production helping flush allergens from the sinuses, if the mucus is thick and sticks, bacteria can develop, leading to a sinus infection.

This swelling can obstruct the Eustachian tubes, preventing proper drainage of fluid from the middle ear. When fluid is trapped, it can lead to an ear infection.

Allergies also cause Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD) in some people. Because the tube is narrowed, it creates uneven air pressure between the middle ear and the opening of the ear, which makes the ears feel plugged and achy.

If allergies are not managed, the problems keep recurring. Each time an ear or sinus infection clears, it returns shortly afterward. Allergies need to be managed for recurrent infections.

When Should You Seek Help for Your Child?

Your child will get sick from time to time. Immunizations help keep some of the worst symptoms at bay, but your child will get a cold, a stomach bug, or strep throat. It’s hard to avoid all germs. 

Knowing the signs that repeat infections aren’t normal is important. Look for these signs.

• A cold that never goes away.
• Continued darker or greenish mucus from the nose.
• Dark circles appear under the eyes.
• Infections can return and don’t always cause a fever.
• Three ear or sinus infections in six months are too many.

What Allergists Do That Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists Can’t

Your child’s pediatrician recommends seeing an ENT about tubes; make sure it’s the best decision. An otolaryngologist (ENT) is best when your child’s pediatrician diagnoses:

• A family history of narrowed ear canals
• Hearing loss is occurring.
• There are structural issues within the ear.
• Your child has persistent “glue ear,” a buildup of sticky mucus that affects hearing.

An ENT cannot help with ear and sinus infections linked to allergies. Your child should see an allergist if:

• Congestion doesn’t go away in time and is accompanied by itchy eyes and sneezing.
• Surgery isn’t ideal, and you want to have it be the absolute last resort.
• Symptoms worsen in certain seasons or environments.
• Your family has a history of asthma, eczema, or hay fever.

When you bring your child to an allergy specialist, prepare your child for:

• A customized management plan, such as immunotherapy or prescription medications.
• Comprehensive allergy tests using blood (IgE) tests or skin prick tests.
• Environmental changes, such as adding air purifiers throughout the home or installing a UV light system in your home’s HVAC system.
• Regular follow-up appointments to check that medications are working well and to check for new allergies.

Be Your Child’s Advocate

Advocate for your child. Adenoid removal and ear tube surgeries improve drainage by removing obstructing tissue and making it easier for the ears to drain. It’s still surgery, however. When the tubes fall out and the adenoids return, the problems will return. 

Recurrent ear infections impact speech and hearing. If your pediatrician prescribes antibiotics to treat an infection, bacteria can develop resistance, making it harder to treat the infection months or years later.

Your child’s quality of life declines. When your child’s sinuses or ears ache, and breathing is difficult, it’s hard to focus on school. Activities with friends are no longer fun. Worse, it impacts your child’s sleep. Poor sleep leads to so many other problems, such as moodiness, reduced concentration, and poor decision-making.

Diagnosing allergies and developing effective treatment plans can end the inflammation that leads to infections. It’s the reason we recommend that all children with recurrent ear and sinus infections see an allergist.

When you go to your first Fresno allergy appointment, bring this list of questions.

• Could the infections be related to a deformity?
• Do you have allergy action plans for my child’s school?
• How long should it take for ear or sinus infections to go away?
• Should my child also see an ENT?
• Should my child keep an allergy symptom journal?
• What allergens are you testing for?
• What is the ideal testing method for your child’s age group? What treatments are safe and effective at this age?

Book an Appointment With an Allergist

If your child experiences sinus symptoms for months without a break, it’s time to see an allergist. More than a couple of ear infections in one year is a problem. It’s frustrating, but some solutions end your child’s discomfort.

With an allergist’s help, your child has a treatment plan that effectively addresses the allergies causing recurrent infections. Your child returns to an active childhood, without missing school or being forced to stay indoors while friends enjoy Fresno’s sun.

Why allow your child to go through repeated infections unnecessarily? Schedule an appointment with Premium Allergy & Respiratory Center and take the first steps toward helping your child feel better and experience an allergy-free life.