Not only adults, nasal polyps can also occur in children. Polyps are an inflammation of the nasal membranes and sinuses that lasts more than 12 weeks.
This condition is actually a soft, painless, noncancerous growth on the lining of the nasal passages or sinuses. The growths appear to hang like teardrops or grapes.
Parents, come on, see the complete explanation about nasal polyps in children.
Getting to Know Nasal Polyps in Children
PagesNCBIexplains, Nasal Polyps (NP) or nasal polyps as inflammatory masses or benign inflammation that cause chronic nasal obstruction, usually associated with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) which occurs in 2-4% of children or chronic rhinosinusitis. Generally, this health case is rarely reported, especially in children under 10 years of age.
Regarding nasal polyps in children, according to the pageVerywell Health, these pediatric polyps are harmless lumps of tissue that grow in a child’s nasal passages. WhereParentsEven the little one himself will not be aware of the presence of the lump until the child grows big enough and the lump then causes problems.
According to NCBI, in the pediatric population, nasal polyps usually represent a warning sign indicating underlying systemic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), and immunodeficiency.
Nasal polyps are more common in adults than in children. They can grow in one or both nostrils. They are pear- or grape-shaped and usually grow in clusters.
It should be noted that many cases of adult NP represent manifestations of a process that may have begun in childhood or adolescence, as in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Therefore, further research is needed to determine the early stages of TN development.
The health problem of ‘nasal polyps’ has been known since the time of Egypt, which was first described by an ancient Hindu doctor about 150 years before Hippocrates introduced the disease with the term ‘polyp’. Since then, research on this has continued until an update was made through the “European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps 2020” published in 2012.
Characteristics of Nasal Polyps in Children
The following are the characteristics of nasal polyps in children:
- Single or multiple masses or lumps
- Potential to arise in any part of the nasal mucosa and paranasal sinuses.
- Appears as digitiform elements, like translucent, raised grapes.
- Its color ranges from grayish pink to yellow, and it can be easily mobilized when touched with a probe.
In real life, nasal polyps are depicted as shown in the image above.
Symptoms of Nasal Polyps in Children
At an early age, your little one may not realize that there is a lump in his nose. Even if he feels it, he may not know how to tell you. Parentsspecifically about what is bothering them.
In fact, there are many symptoms of nasal polyps that can be observed. One of them is by looking directly into the child’s nose, if the lump is very large or low in the nasal passage.
Nasal polyps can sometimes occur without symptoms, especially in young children. However, a common symptom that often occurs is excessive mucus.
Common symptoms of nasal polyps in children include:
- Nasal congestion : Can change a child’s voice and cause mouth breathing.
- Runny or runny nose : You may notice your little one has a runny nose or is frequently picking at the nose.
- Reduced sense of smell: While these polyps may not affect your child much at an early age, nasal polyps in children can potentially reduce your child’s sense of smell or make it difficult for them to breathe by blocking their nostrils. Your little one may complain that they can’t smell or taste their food, which is a side effect of the reduced sense of smell.
- Snoring: Nasal polyps interfere with airflow which can cause snoring while sleeping.
- Postnasal drip: Children affected by postnasal drippostnasal dripwill be seen swallowing frequently or trying to clear their throat, or complaining that their throat feels sore or itchy.
- Pressure on the face and/or forehead: Nasal polyps may cause a feeling of fullness in the face and/or forehead, but usually do not cause pain.
- Pain in the upper teeth and/or pain in the face and headache.
Causes of Nasal Polyps in Children
The exact cause of nasal polyps is unknown, but the growth of these lumps is associated with chronic inflammation in the nasal passages. When lumps develop in children, they are usually accompanied by other medical conditions, such as:
- Asthma . Asthma symptoms often appear in childhood. The condition develops from chronic inflammation in the lungs. Children are more likely to develop asthma if they have frequent viral respiratory infections.
- Cystic fibrosis. This genetic disease causes mucus in the lungs (and other organs in the body) to become too thick, leading to chronic infections and difficulty breathing. Most cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed by age 2.
- Chronic sinus infections. Nasal polyps prevent your child’s sinuses from draining properly, allowing bacteria to build up in the mucus, leading to chronic infections.
- Allergic rhinitis ( hay fever ). If your child has seasonal allergies, they are more likely to develop nasal polyps. Allergies cause chronic inflammation and swelling in the nasal passages—the same environment that causes nasal polyps.
- Aspirin sensitivity. Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is a condition that has three distinct features: Nasal polyps (from sinus disease), asthma, and sensitivity to aspirin (and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs). When someone has asthma, nasal polyps, and an aspirin allergy, this is called Samter’s triad .
- Allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS). This condition is caused by fungi inhaled from the environment. AFS is most common in adolescents and young adults, rather than children. People who often develop AFS also have nasal polyps.
Other causes of nasal polyps in children can also be caused by a deviated (off-center) or crooked nasal septum, enlarged adenoids (glands above the roof of the mouth, behind the nose called the third tonsil), and nasal or sinus tumors – in very rare cases.
Nasal Polyp Diagnosis
The first step in diagnosing nasal polyps is a physical exam performed by your pediatrician using an otoscope. This magnifying instrument has a light on the end—originally designed for examining the ears—that can be inserted into the nostrils to look for polyps.
If your child’s doctor suspects nasal polyps, he or she will likely be referred to a specialist called an otolaryngologist or ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor.
A nasal endoscopy may also be performed to diagnose nasal polyps. This procedure uses a long, flexible tube with a light on the end that is inserted into the nose and sinuses to look for potential polyps.
In rare cases, additional imaging may be needed to diagnose nasal polyps, including a CT ( computed tomography ) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Because nasal polyps often occur with other medical conditions, your doctor may also recommend allergy testing or blood tests for your child. There are some other conditions, such as benign tumors (nasopharyngeal angiofibroma) in adolescents, that have symptoms similar to nasal polyps, so additional tests may be needed.
Nasal Polyp Complications in Children
Nasal polyps can cause complications because they can block normal airflow and fluid drainage. Complications that can occur include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea, such as irregular breathing while sleeping.
- Asthma relapse. Polyps are also known to cause more chronic asthma conditions.
- Sinus infections. Nasal polyps can make your little one more susceptible to sinus infections that recur frequently or become chronic.
Nasal Polyps Treatment
When your child is diagnosed with nasal polyps, there are several effective ways to treat the disease and reduce uncomfortable symptoms. These include:
- Corticosteroid nasal spray. This initial treatment for nasal polyps aims to reduce the size or eliminate the growth of polyps in the child’s nose and reduce inflammation and swelling in the nose.
- Your doctor may also prescribe oral steroids . Other medications, such as antihistamines and decongestants, may also improve symptoms if he has allergies. Infections are also often treated with antibiotics, but these types of medications do not treat nasal polyps.
- Surgery. Done if steroid medications are ineffective and the child continues to have serious side effects from nasal polyps. This procedure is done using a nasal endoscope—the same procedure used for diagnosis. The polyps are then removed with an instrument such as a griper or microdebrider .
Caring for Children with Nasal Polyps at Home
Home remedies can help reduce the side effects of nasal polyps in children. These interventions can also reduce inflammation in the child’s nose and help prevent nasal polyps from returning after they are removed. Here’s how:
- Keeping the nose clean: Nasal irrigation or rinsing the nasal passages with sterile saline solution can reduce bacteria and blockage in the nasal passages, improving your child’s ability to breathe. This can be done with a neti pot or saline nasal spray.
- Humidify the air in the child’s room. Dry nasal passages can cause mucus to build up in the nose and sinuses. Use a humidifier to increase the humidity of the air your child breathes while sleeping.
- Avoid symptom triggers. If your child has allergies, avoiding nasal irritants like smoke and dust can help prevent symptoms. Allergy testing can also help determine the specific substances your child is allergic to.
When to be wary?
Although nasal polyps in children are not dangerous, they can still make your little one’s life uncomfortable. Breathing problems will greatly affect everything from your child’s activities throughout the day to a good night’s sleep.
Be proactive by consulting your pediatrician about treatment options and ways to reduce symptoms of nasal polyps in children.
Consult a doctor immediately if your child experiences the following signs:
- Thick yellow or green drainage from the nose
- Fever
- Serious difficulty breathing
- Symptoms worsen suddenly
- Experiencing double vision, reduced vision or limited ability to move the eyes
- Severe swelling around the eyes
- Headache that gets worse accompanied by high fever
- Inability to turn head forward
- Chronic cough
- Mucus changes color
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Parents, be aware of the symptoms of nasal polyps in children. Take them to the doctor immediately if they experience symptoms, such as other common colds that last more than 14 days.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
