Symptomatic treatment of upper respiratory tract symptoms in children

Abstract

AbstractMost upper respiratory tract infections are viral and treatment of a viral URTI is symptomatic. Today, with the emergence of antimicrobial resitance, antibiotics must be thought of as contra-indicated. Acute bacterial sinusitis may complicate a viral URTI. All special investigations for diagnosing acute sinusitis are unhelpful. Treatment of pain and fever are usually the only nonspecific measures that help. Antimicrobial treatment has become a mainstay of acute sinusitis but there are studies suggesting that antibiotics do not alter the course of the disease. Since hearing loss is a risk of untreated and severe acute otitis media, this conditionis usually treated with antibiotics. However, a recent Cochrane Review has concluded that the number of patients needed to treat with antibiotics for a benefit is 15. The picture of itching, sneezing and profuse rhinorrhoea are classic of early allergic rhinitis but with time, and especially in perennial allergic rhinitis, nasal obstruction is a prominent s...