Being the parent of a newborn is hard work, and you may want to rush your little bundle of joy to the emergency room at the slightest sign of illness. However, it’s important to learn the difference between an illness that requires medical attention and something you can easily manage at home. If you’re ever concerned about your child, don’t hesitate to call your pediatrician’s office. They can help you determine the best course of action. One common illness infants get is a sinus infection. Sinus infections can be mild or severe, and some do require medical attention. Learn when to see a pediatrician for a sinus infection.
When your infant has a fever
If your baby has a sinus infection, it may come with a fever. Infants don’t yet have fully developed immune systems, so they get illnesses and infections more often than older children and adults. If your child has a fever over 100 degrees for three days, you should call the doctor. A fever for more than three days requires a pediatrician to rule out more serious conditions and to provide treatment to manage your child’s high temperature.
When you can’t manage your child’s congestion
When you’ve tried everything you can do safely at home to manage your baby’s congestion and they still can’t breathe easily, you may want to call your pediatrician and make an appointment. Some things you can do to ease your child’s congestion at home are to put a humidifier in the room where they sleep, use a baby booger remover to clear their nasal passageways, and feed them sitting up. Congestion can make it harder for infants to drink milk, so they may decrease their intake.
When your baby is experiencing ear or sinus pain
Ear infections are common issues following a sinus infection in young children and infants. Although your child can’t tell you that their ear hurts or that their sinuses are painful, they’ll show you signs. If your baby is losing a significant amount of sleep and crying for reasons you can’t seem to identify, they may need to see a doctor because of sinus or ear pain. Your child may also scratch at their ears or grab their eyes when they’re hurting or irritated.