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Rhinopharyngitis (rhinitis) in the child
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Acute rhinopharyngitis (synonyms: nasopharyngitis, rhinitis, runny nose.)
Acute rhinopharyngitis is an acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages and mucous membrane and lymphoid elements of the posterior pharyngeal wall.
ICD-10 code
J00 Acute nasopharyngitis (runny nose).
Epidemiology of the common cold in children
Among the infections of the upper respiratory tract, acute rhinopharyngitis (rhinitis) accounts for about 70% of all upper respiratory tract diseases in children, and the incidence of episodes of acute rhinopharyngitis can reach 6-8 times a year in preschool children, at a later age the incidence of acute rhinopharyngitis decreases to 2-4 episodes a year.
Classification of the common cold in a child
Classify acute rhinopharyngitis by the course and the presence of complications. Isolate the mild and severe course of acute rhinopharyngitis (cold), as well as uncomplicated and complicated.
Causes of a child's cold
The main pathogens of acute rhinopharyngitis (rhinitis) are viruses. These are primarily rhinoviruses (45% of all cases), less often - PC virus, ECHO viruses, coronaviruses, parainfluenza viruses and adenoviruses, as well as influenza B viruses.
Bacterial pathogens are less common, but still cause a rhinopharyngitis. Of these, the most frequent are Mycoplasma pneumoniae, much less often Chlamydoia pneumoniae, even less often Ch. Psittaci.
What causes a runny nose in a child?
Symptoms of a baby's nose
Symptoms of acute rhinitis or rhinopharyngitis (nasopharyngitis) are characteristic. The incubation period is usually 2-4 days. The disease begins with nasal congestion, nasal breathing, then there is rhinorrhea, coughing and sneezing. A night cough is possible, usually at the beginning of the night. Such a cough occurs due to the flow of mucus in the back wall of the pharynx, the so-called drip-syndrome.
Depending on the type of pathogen and the characteristics of the child's reactivity, rhinopharyngitis (rhinitis) may be accompanied by a febrile reaction. Other common symptoms are: congestion and swelling of the mucous throat in the region of the posterior pharyngeal wall, some soreness in swallowing, which sometimes causes the child or teenager to refuse eating and even the urge to vomit. Mark a general malaise and cough due to irritation and dryness of the mucous membrane of the pharynx when breathing through the mouth.
Diagnosis of a cold in a child
Diagnosis is based on an epidemiological history, clinical picture and data of a rhinoscopy.
Laboratory diagnostics
In severe acute rhinopharyngitis and in cases of hospitalization, which is most typical for children of the first three years of life, an analysis of peripheral blood is performed, which in uncomplicated cases reveals a normal leukogram or a tendency to leukopenia, lymphocytosis.
Identification of viral pathogens of acute rhinopharyngitis is carried out only in case of severe illness in cases of hospitalization of the child. To determine the viral antigens, the immunofluorescence reaction of the prints from the nasal mucosa is used. In recent years, it has become possible to use a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify a wide range of respiratory viruses.
Treatment of a cold in a child is determined by the age of the child and the severity of the course of the disease itself.
Diagnosis of a cold in a child
Treatment of a runny nose in a child should start in the first 2 days of the disease, the most effective therapy started in the first hours of the disease. The scope and program of treatment are determined by the severity of the disease, the health and age of the child, the development of complications or the risk of their development. Therapy may be limited to the appointment of vasoconstrictor intranasal drops. Frequently ill children, or with a severe course of the disease, or with the development of complications, therapy can be quite extensive. With the appointment of therapy in the first 2 days of the disease, these measures have a therapeutic effect proven in placebo-controlled studies.
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