Pediatric otolaryngology, often called a pediatric ENT (ear, nose, and throat), is a field of medicine concerned with diagnosing, managing, and treating problems that affect the throat, nose, ear, neck, and head of children. A pediatric otolaryngologist or pediatric ENT Surprise specialist has the training to operate as a medical doctor and a surgeon. A pediatric ENT specialist also relies on state-of-the-art technology and procedures to treat and manage various complex pediatric disorders.
Below are common ear, nose, head, and throat conditions that may make you take your child to a pediatric ENT specialist.
Table of Contents
Ear and hearing issues
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that about two or three out of every 1000 American children are born with a level of hearing identified in one or both ears via an examination.
That organization also reports that nearly five out of six children have ear infections before age three.
A pediatric ENT specialist can help resolve hearing loss or ear infections that affect your child.
Although an ear infection may disappear without treatment, your health provider may prescribe antibiotics for your kid to get relief faster. Remember that a recurring ear problem puts you at high risk of a cholesteatoma, a growth similar to a cyst that occurs in the middle of your ear.
Nasal problems
Your child is highly likely to suffer from occasional nose obstruction, especially when inflammation results from bacterial infections or exposure to allergies.
Furthermore, your kid may have nasal deformities or develop nasal blockage due to the swelling of the adenoids. Adenoids are a group of tissues that exist at the very back of your nasal passage.
Adenoids play a vital role in keeping the body healthy by seizing dangerous viruses and bacteria you may breathe in or swallow.
A pediatric ENT specialist may recommend different treatments if you have nasal problems, such as infected or inflamed adenoids, nasal obstruction, sinus infection, and bleeding from the nose.
Throat problems
Common throat problems that may affect your child are recurrent sore throats, tonsillitis, and breathing difficulties that occur during sleep.
For example, the blockage of the airways often causes your child’s breathing to start and stop during sleep frequently. The abnormal breathing pattern during sleep will usually make your child sleep-deprived, exhausted, and sleepy during the day.
Tonsillitis is a swelling of the tonsils. Tonsils are lymph nodes located in the back of your mouth and at the top of your throat and are shaped like an oval pad to help stop harmful bacteria from getting into the body via your nose or mouth.
Your child may also be affected by cleft lip and cleft palate. The CDC reports that about one in 1500 babies in America are born with cleft lip and palate. Also, about 1 out of 2700 babies are born with a cleft lip without a cleft palate.
If your child has a cleft lip, palate, or both, your pediatric ENT specialist may recommend surgical treatment.
Contact Oasis Ear, Nose, and Throat pediatric specialist today to learn more about treatment options for your child’s ear, nose, or throat problems.
