Nasal obstruction in the pediatric patient.

Early signals of pathologic causes of nasal obstruction in childhood may pass unnoticed by the unsuspecting physician because these signals mimic innocuous problems such as the common cold, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis. The hope for early recognition of the more serious causes of nasal obstruction in children depends upon a high degree of suspicion. Some of the common and uncommon causes of nasal obstruction are enumerated by categorizing the possible etiologies into congenital, traumatic, iatrogenic, inflammatory, and neoplastic classifications. With a systematic approach that utilizes history, physical examination, and special diagnostic studies, misdiagnosis can be avoided and treatment initiated more rapidly and effectively.