Curvature Of The Nasal Septum In Children - Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Curvature of the nasal septum in children

Immediately after birth, the baby's nasal septum is straight and even. It is represented by cartilaginous tissue, but with small areas of ossification. As the child grows older, the bone tissue becomes more and more. These islets begin to grow together with each other. The septum can be bent for certain pathological reasons that occur in the human body during his life.

In children, the septum in the nose is curved less often than in adults. Nevertheless, this pathology occurs. If this happens, then the child's breathing suffers, which negatively affects the body as a whole. The brain and organ tissues begin to experience oxygen starvation. In childhood, this becomes the cause of a delay in mental and physical development. Even the appearance of the child changes. His mouth is open all the time, his skin is pale, and his constitution is asthenic. The reasons for such changes lie in anemia and tissue hypoxia.

Content:

• Causes of curvature of the nasal septum in children
• Symptoms of curvature of the nasal septum in children
• Diagnostics
• Treatment of curvature of the nasal septum in children

Causes of curvature of the nasal septum in children

The reasons for the curvature of the nasal septum in children can be distinguished as follows:

• Injury received. Injury to the cartilage and bones of the nasal septum can occur during childbirth or during life.
• Compensation mechanisms launch. They are activated in children suffering from frequent respiratory diseases, adenoids, nasal polyps, and chronic rhinitis.
• Violation of the growth rate of cartilage and nasal bones.

Symptoms of curvature of the nasal septum in children

The following symptoms of curvature of the nasal septum in children can be distinguished:

• Violation of nasal breathing. It arises from the side of the nostril, which is blocked by the deformed plate. Parents may note that sometimes the child has a completely blocked nostril, while the other one breathes freely. Sometimes during sleep, children purposely roll over on one side to facilitate nasal breathing.
• Long-term chronic rhinitis with complications. Their occurrence is explained by the fact that the mucous membranes become vulnerable to attacks by infectious agents. They thicken and thicken, and polyps can form in the nose. These build-ups further aggravate the situation.
• Frequent nosebleeds. Injury to the mucous membranes occurs due to the fact that they do not receive sufficient moisture.
• Otitis. When the Eustachian tube is blocked, it cannot be properly ventilated and cleaned. Therefore, the middle ear is often inflamed.

• Persistent colds: tonsillitis, ARVI, laryngitis. Normal nasal breathing is impossible, the child breathes through his mouth all the time. It is not difficult for bacteria and viruses to enter the child's respiratory tract and begin to multiply there.
• Snore. In a dream, the child will make appropriate sounds. They arise due to the presence of an obstacle in the path of air.
• Overgrowth of the adenoids. The more often the child is sick, the more the adenoid tissues grow in him.
• Headaches. They arise due to oxygen starvation of the brain.
• Deterioration of smell. The receptors that are located in the nasal mucosa gradually die off.

Sometimes, when examining a child, it is impossible to notice any changes in his appearance. His nose looks flat. However, when examining the nasal cavity, the doctor discovers a narrowing of the nasal passages. Therefore, the air in one nostril does not circulate normally. The mucous membranes swell, their defenses are reduced. As a result of this disorder, the child often suffers from a runny nose and ear inflammation.

Diagnostics

The doctor makes a diagnosis based on an external examination of the patient and after a series of studies. During an endoscopy, the doctor examines the inside of the nose, the back of the septum.

If the doctor cannot visualize the curvature of the nasal septum, but he suspects the presence of this defect, he will refer the patient for an x-ray, CT, or MRI.

Treatment of curvature of the nasal septum in children

For children under 14 years of age, surgery to correct the nasal septum is performed only in emergency cases. At this age, predominantly conservative treatment methods are used. It is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of the disorder, at normalizing nasal breathing and at relieving swelling from the nasal mucous membranes.

Drugs that can be prescribed to a child:

• Antibiotics in the form of drops and sprays: Bioparox, Isofra, Polydex. These drugs destroy the pathogenic flora in the nose and prevent complications from developing.
• Cromones and mucolytic sprays. Cromones can eliminate the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, and mucolytic sprays thin thick mucus and promote its discharge from the paranasal sinuses.
• Vasoconstrictor drugs: Naphthyzin, Knoxprey. They relieve swelling from the nasal mucous membranes and restore normal breathing.
• Moisturizing sprays: Aqua-Maris, Salin. They allow you to get rid of dry mucous membranes, eliminate irritation, and improve immunity at the local level.

If it was not possible to achieve improvement with the help of medicines, then the child is shown an operation. Septoplasty in childhood is performed only if there are strict indications and after reaching the age of 14.

Surgery

They try to protect young children from surgery to correct the septum of the nose. This procedure can negatively affect its further formation. Therefore, the help of a surgeon is resorted to only in emergency cases.

The procedure to correct the nasal septum is called septoplasty. It is prescribed for children over 16 years old. Less often, it can be given to children over 6 years old.

The type of anesthesia depends on the child's age and the characteristics of the surgery. General anesthesia is indicated for children under 5 years of age. For schoolchildren, the procedure can be performed under local anesthesia.

During the operation, the doctor makes an incision inside the nose, and then separates the mucous membrane from the cartilaginous tissue. The doctor corrects the cartilage itself, the spines and ridges are removed, the correct shape of the nose is formed. The cartilage is set in the desired position, the wound is sutured.

If the cartilage is too thin and cannot maintain the shape of the nose, then its fragments are attached to a special mesh. If this is not done, then there is the likelihood of subsidence of the nose or other deformities of it. The mesh will not be felt by the child. After a year, it will completely dissolve. In this case, the cartilage will already be able to independently maintain the shape of the nose.

In the first week (10 days) after the operation, the child should have as little contact with other people as possible. This will eliminate infection with infectious diseases and prevent the development of complications of the disease.

Laser treatment

Treatment of a deviated nasal septum with a laser is an innovative technique that prevents tissue injury and minimizes any side effects. Recovery from surgery is quick.

Cauterization of cartilage with a laser up to 70 ° C promotes the burning of cartilage structures, due to which it is possible to correct the shape of the nose. The operation is bloodless, since the vessels instantly coagulate. Special tampons are inserted into the nasal passages, which allow you to give the septum the correct shape.

The author of the article: Lazarev Oleg Vladimirovich | ENT

Education: In 2009, he received a diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" at the Petrozavodsk State University. After completing an internship at the Murmansk Regional Clinical Hospital, he received a diploma in Otorhinolaryngology (2010)