What Are the Treatments for Sinus Infection in Children?

Your child gets a sinus infections when his sinuses and nasal passages become inflamed. There are a variety of treatments, including both home remedies and medications.

Inhaling Steam

• Your child can inhale warm steam as a treatment for her sinus infection. Fill a bowl with hot water, and have her lean over the bowl and inhale the vapors. You can also let her breathe in the steam from a hot shower.

Saline Sprays and Flushes

• Treat a sinus infection in your child with a saline nasal spray you can buy or make at home. Mix 1 tsp. salt with a cup of boiling water. Let cool, then have your child hold her head sideways over the sink. Carefully pour the solution into the nostril that faces up. The solution will escape through the other nostril into the sink, relieving congestion.

Over-the-Counter Medication

• Decongestant nasal sprays and oral medicines are a short-term solution to sinus infections in children. They ease sinus infection symptoms, allowing your child to breathe more easily.

Prescription Medications

• Doctors prescribe antibiotics to help destroy the bacteria that cause sinus infections in your child. Antibiotics help to alleviate symptoms and prevent more serious infections from occurring.

Chronic Sinusitis Treatment

• Children who suffer from recurring sinus infections may be prescribed nasal steroid sprays. They help prevent infections within the nasal cavities, allowing the sinuses to drain efficiently.