A deviated septum is a common condition in children. In many cases, the deviation is mild and doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms. However, a more significant deviation can make it harder for your child to breathe comfortably through their nose.
Other conditions, such as allergies, sinus infections or enlarged adenoids, can also contribute to nasal obstruction. When these issues occur together, your child may experience ongoing congestion, mouth breathing, snoring or trouble sleeping.
How Do You Know if a Deviated Septum Needs Treatment?
Not every child with a deviated septum needs treatment. If your child is breathing comfortably and doesn’t have bothersome symptoms, their ENT specialist may simply recommend monitoring the condition.
When a deviated septum contributes to persistent nasal obstruction, however, treatment may be beneficial. Research suggests that chronic nasal obstruction in children can affect sleep and breathing and may contribute to other developmental or behavioral concerns.
We’ll evaluate your child’s symptoms, examine their nose and consider any other conditions that could be affecting their ability to breathe clearly. From there, we can determine whether treatment is appropriate.
How Is a Deviated Septum Treated?
Treatment depends on what is causing your child’s symptoms and how much the deviated septum is affecting their breathing.
We may first recommend treating conditions that are making nasal obstruction worse. For example, antihistamines or nasal steroid sprays may help children whose congestion is related to allergies.
These treatments can make breathing easier, but they won’t straighten a deviated septum. If your child continues to have significant breathing problems despite treating other contributing conditions, surgery may be an option.
A procedure called a septoplasty can correct the position of the nasal septum and improve airflow. During the procedure, your child’s ENT specialist reshapes or repositions the cartilage and bone that are causing the obstruction.
What Can We Expect After a Septoplasty?
It’s normal for your child to have some temporary symptoms while they recover from septoplasty. These may include nasal congestion, mild swelling, bloody drainage, ear pressure or fullness and a mild headache.
Most children begin to feel better within a week or two, although the nose can continue healing for several months. We’ll monitor your child during follow-up appointments to make sure they’re recovering well and that their breathing is improving.
If your child regularly struggles with nasal congestion, mouth breathing, snoring or other symptoms that could be related to a deviated septum, schedule an appointment with the specialists at ENT of Georgia North. We can evaluate their symptoms and help determine whether treatment could improve their breathing.