Brief Answer: Please find detailed answer below Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX Thanks for writing in to us. At two years of age, your grandson is quite young. He might be having viral flu and this is usually a self limited condition requiring supportive treatment. His sinuses and the air cells in his mastoid (behind the ear) are still in development phase and yet to form completely. On many occasions children with such viral infections are seen to be suffering from a secondary bacterial infection at the same time. This bacterial infection can be treated with antibiotics. I suggest you get a swab culture done from the nasal discharge and throat. This will help identify any particular organism possibly causing the repeated infection. Once the bacteria is isolated in culture, the antibiotic most sensitive to kill the germ may be given in pediatric doses keeping in mind his age and body weight. Your doctor will know which antibiotic can be safely given to control the infection. Hope your query is answered. Please do write back if you have any doubts. Regards, Dr.Vivek

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Brief Answer: Please find clarification below Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX Thanks for writing back to us. A self limiting condition is usually seen in infections like flu caused by viruses. In these conditions the virus attacks the person (host) and undergoes an incubation period through which it multiplies in numbers and then affects the hosts immune system. When the viruses are in sufficient numbers, clinical symptoms develop and then in a few days time the virus numbers decline over a convalescent period. During the convalescent period the host is already weak and this can cause secondary bacterial infections. Viral infections by themselves do not respond to antibiotics but when there is secondary bacterial infection, antibiotics help in killing the bacteria. Flu viruses come in new strains every season (two to three months apart) and the child needs to be protected from extreme weather conditions and possible sources of infection. Hope your query is answered. Please do write back if you have any doubts. Regards, Dr.Vivek

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Brief Answer: Please find detailed answer below Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX Thanks for writing back to us. I am sorry if you found my earlier reply a bit complicated. A self limiting disease condition is a disease process that resolves spontaneously with or without specific treatment. If your grandson has been having repeated similar infections for the last six months then it is possible that he is getting infected by different strains of the flu. A secondary bacterial infection also needs to be ruled out clinically by doing swab culture tests. Hope your query is answered. Please do write back if you have any doubts. Regards, Dr.Vivek

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