PEDIATRIC
ENT
Children and their developing bodies and senses often need special attention. We treat head and neck masses in children, recurrent ear infections, tonsil and adenoid infections, allergy, airway problems, hearing loss and more.
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PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITIONS
Ankyloglossia
(Tongue-Tie)
Ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie, is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion. This can interfere with breastfeeding, or later in life can affect the way a child eats, speaks and swallows. If tongue-tie causes these problems, it may require a simple surgical procedure for correction.
Ankyloglossia (Tongue-Tie)
Ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue's range of motion.
With tongue-tie, an unusually short, thick or tight band of tissue (lingual frenulum) tethers the bottom of the tongue's tip to the floor of the mouth, so it may interfere with breast-feeding. Someone who has tongue-tie might have difficulty sticking out his or her tongue. Tongue-tie can also affect the way a child eats, speaks and swallows.
Sometimes tongue-tie may not cause problems. Some cases may require a simple surgical procedure for correction.
What are the symptoms of ankyloglossia?
Signs and symptoms of tongue-tie include:
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Difficulty lifting the tongue to the upper teeth or moving the tongue from side to side
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Trouble sticking out the tongue past the lower front teeth
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A tongue that appears notched or heart shaped when stuck out
What are the causes of ankyloglossia?
Typically, the lingual frenulum separates before birth, allowing the tongue free range of motion. With tongue-tie, the lingual frenulum remains attached to the bottom of the tongue. Why this happens is largely unknown, although some cases of tongue-tie have been associated with certain genetic factors.
What are the treatment options?
The lingual frenulum may loosen over time, resolving tongue-tie. In other cases, tongue-tie persists without causing problems. In some cases, consultation with a lactation consultant can assist with breast-feeding, and speech therapy with a speech-language pathologist may help improve speech sounds.
Surgical treatment of tongue-tie may be needed for infants, children or adults if tongue-tie causes problems. A simple surgical procedure called a frenotomy can be done with or without anesthesia in the hospital nursery or in the office.
PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITION:
OTITUS MEDIA
(MIDDLE EAR INFECTION)
Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum that contains the tiny vibrating bones of the ear. An ear tube is used most often to provide long-term drainage and ventilation to middle ears that have had persistent fluid buildup, chronic middle ear infections or frequent infections.
Otitis Media
An ear infection (otitis media) is an infection of the middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum that contains the tiny vibrating bones of the ear. Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.
Because ear infections often clear up on their own, treatment may begin with managing pain and monitoring the problem. Sometimes, antibiotics are used to clear the infection. Some people are prone to having multiple ear infections. This can cause hearing problems and other serious complications.
What are the symptoms of otitis media?
The onset of signs and symptoms of ear infection is usually rapid.
Children
Signs and symptoms common in children include:
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Ear pain, especially when lying down
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Tugging or pulling at an ear
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Trouble sleeping
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Crying more than usual
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Fussiness
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Trouble hearing or responding to sounds
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Loss of balance
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Fever of 100 F (38 C) or higher
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Drainage of fluid from the ear
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Headache
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Loss of appetite
Adults
Common signs and symptoms in adults include:
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Ear pain
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Drainage of fluid from the ear
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Trouble hearing
What causes otitis media?
An ear infection is caused by a bacterium or virus in the middle ear. This infection often results from another illness — cold, flu or allergy — that causes congestion and swelling of the nasal passages, throat and eustachian tubes.
Role of eustachian tubes
The eustachian tubes are a pair of narrow tubes that run from each middle ear to high in the back of the throat, behind the nasal passages. The throat end of the tubes open and close to:
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Regulate air pressure in the middle ear
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Refresh air in the ear
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Drain normal secretions from the middle ear
Swollen eustachian tubes can become blocked, causing fluids to build up in the middle ear. This fluid can become infected and cause the symptoms of an ear infection.
In children, the eustachian tubes are narrower and more horizontal, which makes them more difficult to drain and more likely to get clogged.
Role of adenoids
Adenoids are two small pads of tissues high in the back of the nose believed to play a role in immune system activity.
Because adenoids are near the opening of the eustachian tubes, swelling of the adenoids may block the tubes. This can lead to middle ear infection. Swelling and irritation of adenoids is more likely to play a role in ear infections in children because children have relatively larger adenoids compared to adults.
What are the treatment options?
If your child has repeated, long-term ear infections (chronic otitis media) or continuous fluid buildup in the ear after an infection cleared up (otitis media with effusion), your child's doctor may suggest this procedure.
During an outpatient surgical procedure called a myringotomy, your surgeon creates a tiny hole in the eardrum that enables us to suction fluids out of the middle ear. A tiny tube (tympanostomy tube) is placed in the opening to help ventilate the middle ear and prevent the buildup of more fluids. Some tubes are intended to stay in place for six months to a year and then fall out on their own. Other tubes are designed to stay in longer and may need to be surgically removed.
The eardrum usually closes up again after the tube falls out or is removed.
PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITION:
PEDIATRIC HEARING LOSS
Three million children under the age of 18 have some kind of pediatric hearing loss. At birth, one in 1,000 children have significant permanent hearing loss.
PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITION:
PEDIATRIC SINUSITIS
Sinusitis in children can look different than sinusitis in adults. Children tend to have a cough, bad breath, low energy, and swelling around the eyes, along with a thick yellow-green post-nasal drip.
PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITION:
PEDIATRIC SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING
Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a general term for breathing difficulties occurring during sleep.
PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITION:
SWIMMER'S EAR
Swimmer’s ear (also called acute otitis externa) is a painful condition that affects the outer ear and ear canal that is caused by infection, inflammation, or irritation.
PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITION:
TONSILLITIS
Tonsillitis, or pharyngitis, refers to inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils, which are lymph glands located in the back of the throat that are visible through the mouth.
PEDIATRIC ENT CONDITION:
TONSILS & ADENOIDS
Tonsils are the two round lumps in the back of your throat. Adenoids are high in the throat behind the nose and the roof of the mouth.