The ear, nose and throat area contains highly sensitive organs that are essential to survival and well being. These organs are also interconnected and problems in any one can affect all. Sinusitis, ear infections and tonsillitis should be treated by a specialist. Children?s and pediatric ENT is a highly specialized area of practice. ENT specialists also carry out cosmetic and non-cosmetic facial surgery, and treat conditions like sleep apnea.
February is Kids? ENT Health month
Pediatric ENT is a specialized area of practice because kids are built very differently from adults. They?re much smaller, and their nasal and throat passageways are much narrower than in adults. This also means that they are much more susceptible to problems in the ear, nose and throat area. February is Kids? ENT Health month, and a good time for parents to familiarize themselves with common problems in this area.
Pediatric ear, nose, and throat disorders are the most common reasons for a doctor?s visit for children. In fact, infections are the top ranking reason for an appointment with an ent doctor for kids. Other ENT related problems for kids include earaches, choking hazards, tonsillitis, thyroid disease and sleep apnea. Ear, nose and throat doctors may also fit patients with hearing aids and perform facial surgery.
Tonsillitis in kids: what every parent needs to know
Tonsillitis is an infection in the tonsils, which are lymph nodes at the back of the throat, just behind the nose. This is a very common infection among young children up to the early teens. Many people outgrow tonsillitis but in some cases, the only possible treatment is removal of the tonsils.
The infection may be due to a bacterial or viral infection. Either can be picked up through contact with a sick person, or by sharing a plate or glass with a sick person. Tonsillitis causes difficulty in swallowing, a sore throat that lasts for more than than 48 hours, headache, fever or chills.
Treatment for tonsillitis in kids
Doctors will look for visual symptoms such as unusual redness or white spots on the tonsils, and feel for swollen or tender lymph nodes. A strep test can be performed in the doctor?s office or a throat swab may be sent to a lab for a strep culture.
Viral tonsillitis, like other viral infections, will run its course and end in a few days. For a strep throat, antibiotics may be prescribed. Children suffering from tonsillitis may find relief in drinking cool or warm drinks, eating ice cream, or gargling with salt water. In case of recurring infections, surgery may be recommended. About a fifth of all tonsillectomies performed on children in the U.S. are to prevent recurrent infections, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology.
Pediatric ENT is a specialized practice because kids are built very differently from adults. They?re also highly susceptible to infections and other problems in this sensitive area. ENT doctors for kids treat all these special ailments, and also provide sleep apnea treatment and facial surgery.