Q: My son is 3 years and 11 months old. For the past two months, he was coughing in the nights(not throughout the night but twice or thrice in a night) and also reporting for headache occasionally. We checked up with a child specialist and she told us to go for an X-ray for Sinus for the kid and we did that.Here is the result we received from the lab:--------------------------------------------Paranasal SinusesBoth the maxillary sinuses and the nasal cavities show evidence of thickened mucosa.There is no deviation of nasal septum.Features of bilateral maxillary sinositis with rhinitis.--------------------------------------------What is it exactly? Will it be cured by medicine alone or should he undergo for an operation? What are the precautions to be taken to reduce this?Please advice me on the above issues.Thanks & RegardsA. Anbu sekaran

A:The X-ray shows some congestion in the sinuses and this may allow mucus to drain into the throat particularly at night and this may cause the cough. Treatment with medication should improve matters and I do not think that early surgery should be necessary. It would also bewise to check the adenoids which are situated at the back of the nose as these may also cause nasal congestion and this may make the cough worse.