Sinusitis in Children

At the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, our patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to treating pediatric sinusitis.

Our pediatric otolaryngologists — also known as ear, nose and throat specialists — are considered national experts on treating sinusitis, also called rhinosinusitis, in children. Together with our highly skilled allergy and asthma specialists and other physicians, they routinely treat children with complex cases of sinusitis and co-existing conditions.

Meet our Pediatric ENT Team

Comprehensive Diagnosis

Making an accurate diagnosis is critical when treating sinusitis, since it can be confused with other problems, such as allergies and upper respiratory tract infections, and can be associated with other health problems such as cystic fibrosis or a weak immune system. To diagnose sinusitis, our expert physicians conduct a detailed history and examination and may order tests to help rule out other illnesses. Our team is particularly skilled at diagnosing and managing young patients with difficult-to-treat sinus problems.

Full Spectrum of Treatments

For most children with sinusitis, medical management is enough to relieve their symptoms. Our otolaryngologists and pediatricians usually treat sinusitis with antibiotics and may also use medicines that help control inflammation in the sinuses.

If medical treatments aren’t successful against sinusitis, Comer Children's otolaryngologists offer several procedures that can help treat sinusitis. One of the newest treatments for sinusitis is balloon sinuplasty. Although it has not been widely available for use in children, our surgeons have used this technique for several years. During a balloon sinuplasty, the surgeon inflates a small balloon into the sinus passageways to restore normal drainage and uses the same dilated opening to wash out the sinuses.

For patients with severe sinusitis, surgery to improve sinus drainage may be an option. At Comer Children’s, our pediatric otolaryngologists use CT-guided surgery equipment to make these surgeries safer, more complete and more effective.

Research into Sinusitis & Allergies

Our physicians and researchers are actively trying to understand the causes of sinusitis in children and adults. In addition to researching sinusitis, our expert otolaryngologists are investigating allergy-related sinus problems in children and adults.