Sinus/Nasal Issues

[Ratatosk]

DS has always had nasal issues. As a baby we'd have to go after him with the dreaded saline drops and booger sucker. And when he was 4 we got him to do sinus rinses when he was really stuffed up.
Due to the extra thick consistency of his nasal mucus, I never saw his nose run until he was almost 3 and started Pulmozyme. I was awestruck at the time.
At his CF appointment his doctor noticed he couldn't breathe out of his left nostril, that it was plugged and suggested we see an ENT familiar wcf at our next appointment in the summer. More recently he's had issues with snoring and mouth breathing. Think it's starting to affect him at school when he's trying to read out loud, etc. Rather than wait until summer, we made an appointment during his winter break and are heading to the City. I'm hoping for an easy fix, easy answers, though suspect it could be polyps or adenoids. I'm pretty sure it's not a leaf or a rock since I think he's outgrown that habit! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Ratatosk]

DS has always had nasal issues. As a baby we'd have to go after him with the dreaded saline drops and booger sucker. And when he was 4 we got him to do sinus rinses when he was really stuffed up.
Due to the extra thick consistency of his nasal mucus, I never saw his nose run until he was almost 3 and started Pulmozyme. I was awestruck at the time.
At his CF appointment his doctor noticed he couldn't breathe out of his left nostril, that it was plugged and suggested we see an ENT familiar wcf at our next appointment in the summer. More recently he's had issues with snoring and mouth breathing. Think it's starting to affect him at school when he's trying to read out loud, etc. Rather than wait until summer, we made an appointment during his winter break and are heading to the City. I'm hoping for an easy fix, easy answers, though suspect it could be polyps or adenoids. I'm pretty sure it's not a leaf or a rock since I think he's outgrown that habit! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Rebjane]

Hope your appointment goes smoothly. You made me smile with your rock comment.

 

[Rebjane]

Hope your appointment goes smoothly. You made me smile with your rock comment.

 

[kitomd21]

Hey there...DD has been an "open-mouth" breather for quite sometime now - she also snores but not as loudly as she used to. However, she can close her mouth and breathe through her nose when asked and seems to do so without issue. For whatever reason, her center wants to start with a sleep study. Not sure about that one! Coincidentally, her "open-mouth" breathing subsided when we got insurance approval for the study. Her center thinks it's her adenoids - but I have no clue what they're basing that on. Perhaps because she's never complains about sinus pain? I really don't know. She started Pulmozyme when she was less than a year old (she's 3.5 now) and I expected to see some visual affect at that time...no increased runny nose or cough.

If it is her adenoids, I'm inclined to wait and leave them as they do shrink with age - most by the time they are teenagers. Adenoids can help against immunity just as tonsils do - I think we'll sit on it for now....even though I'm not sure what the cause is! I hope you get some answers soon!

 

[kitomd21]

Hey there...DD has been an "open-mouth" breather for quite sometime now - she also snores but not as loudly as she used to. However, she can close her mouth and breathe through her nose when asked and seems to do so without issue. For whatever reason, her center wants to start with a sleep study. Not sure about that one! Coincidentally, her "open-mouth" breathing subsided when we got insurance approval for the study. Her center thinks it's her adenoids - but I have no clue what they're basing that on. Perhaps because she's never complains about sinus pain? I really don't know. She started Pulmozyme when she was less than a year old (she's 3.5 now) and I expected to see some visual affect at that time...no increased runny nose or cough.

If it is her adenoids, I'm inclined to wait and leave them as they do shrink with age - most by the time they are teenagers. Adenoids can help against immunity just as tonsils do - I think we'll sit on it for now....even though I'm not sure what the cause is! I hope you get some answers soon!

 

[Mom2Brinly]

My daughter with cf also had sinus issues. We had sinus surgery and her adnoids taken out when she was 5. It did seem to help, but we also had her checked for food allergies and took away her most higher ones which were peanut, corn and wheat for a year and her whole sinus issues are totally gone. Not sure if this is your sons issue but since he is congested a lot it might be worth looking into! I think we have increased her immune system by doing a cleansing.
Good luck. I am glad you do not have to wait til summer.
Blythe
Mom2brinly 7 w/cf

 

[Mom2Brinly]

My daughter with cf also had sinus issues. We had sinus surgery and her adnoids taken out when she was 5. It did seem to help, but we also had her checked for food allergies and took away her most higher ones which were peanut, corn and wheat for a year and her whole sinus issues are totally gone. Not sure if this is your sons issue but since he is congested a lot it might be worth looking into! I think we have increased her immune system by doing a cleansing.
Good luck. I am glad you do not have to wait til summer.
Blythe
Mom2brinly 7 w/cf

 

[Ratatosk]

I'm anxious to find out what's causing it and a solution.

I still laugh about the rocks and leaves -- "Mommy, didn't you believe me when I told you I put a leaf up there" when he blew his nose two weeks after the fact and a perfectly preserved, folded up leaf came out. Or the rock in the ear when he decided to see if it'd come out the other side. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Ratatosk]

I'm anxious to find out what's causing it and a solution.

I still laugh about the rocks and leaves -- "Mommy, didn't you believe me when I told you I put a leaf up there" when he blew his nose two weeks after the fact and a perfectly preserved, folded up leaf came out. Or the rock in the ear when he decided to see if it'd come out the other side. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[imported_Momto2]

We tried taking my daughters temp when she was about 5 with an ear thermometer.
It wasnt reading, then read really low, tried again and again.
Finally, I took the darn thing out and looked in her ear, expecting to see a huge blob of wax.
Much to my surprise, there was something white in there.
Got some tweezers and yanked it out........
It was a HUGE hunk of rice cake!!
And no, she didnt eat rice cakes at the time, only I did. *insert confused look*
I would LOVE to know how that thing got there.
DD said she had no idea............

 

[imported_Momto2]

We tried taking my daughters temp when she was about 5 with an ear thermometer.
It wasnt reading, then read really low, tried again and again.
Finally, I took the darn thing out and looked in her ear, expecting to see a huge blob of wax.
Much to my surprise, there was something white in there.
Got some tweezers and yanked it out........
It was a HUGE hunk of rice cake!!
And no, she didnt eat rice cakes at the time, only I did. *insert confused look*
I would LOVE to know how that thing got there.
DD said she had no idea............

 

[Allansarmy]

Hello there,
I am a parent of a boy with CF age 15 years of age and have vast experience with ENT as well. I am nurse and have been working with an ENT doctor for 18 years. My son had a polypectomy at age 7 and has been clear since.
Your son's symtoms suggest one of several things. It could definately be polyps which a lot of CF kids get (a CT-sinus would be a good start, or sometimes they can even order a simple sinus X-ray which is much cheaper and a good radiologist can detect polyps that way). Plain X-rays may not pick up the sphenoids and ethmoids very well though.
It could be a deviated septum - at your child's age, this is rare to be honest. Several people end up having a deviation to their septum and it can be caused by several things. Hit to the nose early in life with a fracture never repaired. Also simply just getting older, your nasal turbinates, cartlage, septum do continue to grow as an adult. Its just one of those things.
It very well could be the adenoids too. Does your child have enlarged tonsils? The adenoid tissue is similiar in nature to the tonsils that is why they end up doing a Tonsil and Adenoid procedure. You usually grow out of your adenoids by age 12 roughly.Allergies can cause swelling and a need to irrigate the sinuses (I know Neilmed is a good product and if you like them on facebook and say your child has CF they will send you free products <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">. This doesn't account why there is only one sided blockage though.
So just guessing here, I would have to say either adenoid enlargement or polyps. Now polyps can either be removed surgically, or sometimes they offer Nasonex or another steroid type of spray to try for a few months to see if it helps shrink the polyps down.
Good luck!

 

[Allansarmy]

Hello there,
I am a parent of a boy with CF age 15 years of age and have vast experience with ENT as well. I am nurse and have been working with an ENT doctor for 18 years. My son had a polypectomy at age 7 and has been clear since.
Your son's symtoms suggest one of several things. It could definately be polyps which a lot of CF kids get (a CT-sinus would be a good start, or sometimes they can even order a simple sinus X-ray which is much cheaper and a good radiologist can detect polyps that way). Plain X-rays may not pick up the sphenoids and ethmoids very well though.
It could be a deviated septum - at your child's age, this is rare to be honest. Several people end up having a deviation to their septum and it can be caused by several things. Hit to the nose early in life with a fracture never repaired. Also simply just getting older, your nasal turbinates, cartlage, septum do continue to grow as an adult. Its just one of those things.
It very well could be the adenoids too. Does your child have enlarged tonsils? The adenoid tissue is similiar in nature to the tonsils that is why they end up doing a Tonsil and Adenoid procedure. You usually grow out of your adenoids by age 12 roughly.Allergies can cause swelling and a need to irrigate the sinuses (I know Neilmed is a good product and if you like them on facebook and say your child has CF they will send you free products <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">. This doesn't account why there is only one sided blockage though.
So just guessing here, I would have to say either adenoid enlargement or polyps. Now polyps can either be removed surgically, or sometimes they offer Nasonex or another steroid type of spray to try for a few months to see if it helps shrink the polyps down.
Good luck!

 

[Ratatosk]

I was thinking along those lines, polyps or adenoids. He never used to snore. He has done sinus rinses in the past, but in recent months doesn't seem to help. Isn't as exciting for him cuz there's nothing coming out to gross me out and get my gag reflex going. Both dh and I had horrible tonsils, but ds never has had issues.

 

[Ratatosk]

I was thinking along those lines, polyps or adenoids. He never used to snore. He has done sinus rinses in the past, but in recent months doesn't seem to help. Isn't as exciting for him cuz there's nothing coming out to gross me out and get my gag reflex going. Both dh and I had horrible tonsils, but ds never has had issues.

 

[biz]

we have had such a horrible time with Aidan and basicly chronic sinus infections for almost 2 years now 3 of the infections resulted in picc lines after oral failed. also had sinus surgery due to blockage. he does snore but its not bad its low and i dont think he does it every night. however he does sleep with his moth open but not snore. the corners of his mouth are always cracked. i feel bad for him cause i know that hurts. we took him to an allergist did testing they came back negative. however did start him on singular. wow what an improvement. amazing actually. he stuffy right now. but we havnt needed to do abx. we are doing steriods for 5 days and i think that is helping. well praying it helps now and then when we stop it comes back. he also takes zithromax for inflattion. flonase too. sinuses rinses are the bain of my existance. weve tried and it just isnt happening right now. i will re visit it when i think he is more willing. so i suggest asking bout singular. good luck
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Elizabeth
mommy to Aidan 6 w/cf

 

[biz]

we have had such a horrible time with Aidan and basicly chronic sinus infections for almost 2 years now 3 of the infections resulted in picc lines after oral failed. also had sinus surgery due to blockage. he does snore but its not bad its low and i dont think he does it every night. however he does sleep with his moth open but not snore. the corners of his mouth are always cracked. i feel bad for him cause i know that hurts. we took him to an allergist did testing they came back negative. however did start him on singular. wow what an improvement. amazing actually. he stuffy right now. but we havnt needed to do abx. we are doing steriods for 5 days and i think that is helping. well praying it helps now and then when we stop it comes back. he also takes zithromax for inflattion. flonase too. sinuses rinses are the bain of my existance. weve tried and it just isnt happening right now. i will re visit it when i think he is more willing. so i suggest asking bout singular. good luck
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elizabeth
mommy to Aidan 6 w/cf

 

[Ratatosk]

So DS remains a mystery. ENT stuck a camera up his nose on Friday and saw no signs of polyps. Adenoids nonexistent. He DID say that the side he can't breathe out of is very inflamed, swollen. Had another ent come in and take a look as the tissue inside his nose appeared weird -- cobblestoned...? So he gave us some nasonex to use every night and ordered a CT scan here in town later this week.

 

[Ratatosk]

So DS remains a mystery. ENT stuck a camera up his nose on Friday and saw no signs of polyps. Adenoids nonexistent. He DID say that the side he can't breathe out of is very inflamed, swollen. Had another ent come in and take a look as the tissue inside his nose appeared weird -- cobblestoned...? So he gave us some nasonex to use every night and ordered a CT scan here in town later this week.