Three widespread causes mother and father take their kids to the physician are: ear infections, recurring nosebleeds, and sore throats. They’re additionally a number of the commonest circumstances for ear, nostril, and throat docs, or ENTs, to deal with. Pediatricians are well-versed in dealing with a sore throat. But when these points turn into recurring, it is likely to be time to see an ENT (often known as a otolaryngologist).
As a father or mother, you’re most likely used to calling your baby’s pediatrician for sore throats and ear infections. Your pediatrician has sufficient coaching and expertise to assist with these. But there are additionally ear, nostril, and throat docs who deal with children. They have further coaching to deal with issues with these elements of the physique. So how have you learnt when your child ought to see their common pediatrician or an ENT?
How Do You Know It’s Time to See an ENT?
If you simply want a strep check or to cease a nosebleed, your pediatrician might be your finest wager.
But when your baby retains having the identical challenge again and again, it is likely to be time to see an ENT. These docs have further instruments of their therapy toolbox that your pediatrician doesn’t — like surgical procedure.
Ear infections, like scraped knees and Cheerio breath, are a part of the toddler expertise. While we hardly ever get ear infections as adults, it’s fully regular for toddlers to get 2 or 3 yearly.
How Do You Get In to See an ENT?
It is determined by your insurance coverage. You may want your baby’s pediatrician to make a referral to an ENT. It additionally helps to get a referral as a result of your pediatrician can share useful info with the ENT earlier than your appointment.
Does Your Child Have Frequent Ear Infections?
At UVA Children’s, now we have ENTs who may also help discover out why and supply therapies for sooner restoration and fewer ache.
What Do ENTs Do for Ear Infections?
Toddlers get ear infections extra usually due to variations of their bones and muscle tissues. As your toddler grows, the form of their cranium and muscle tissues of their face will change. Because of those modifications, children normally cease getting so many ear infections after they flip 3. But in some children, the infections don’t decelerate till they’re 5.
When Is It Time for Ear Tubes?
If fluid builds up in your baby’s ears and doesn’t go away, they could get ear infections extra usually. Ear tubes may also help. Doctors do surgical procedure to place in ear tubes, so it’s necessary to weigh the advantages and dangers. An ENT may also help resolve if ear tubes are proper to your baby.
How Can ENTs Help With Sore Throats?
Strep throat is a typical bacterial an infection. But that doesn’t make it simpler to see your baby undergo it.
And some children get it again and again. If that occurs, surgical procedure may also help.
Your baby’s tonsils may want to return out if they’ve:
- 7 infections in a single 12 months
- 5 infections a 12 months for two years
- 3 infections a 12 months for 3 years
At UVA Children’s, we provide much less invasive surgical procedures to repair this downside along with common surgical procedure to take away the tonsils (tonsillectomy). That means your baby can have much less ache and recuperate sooner. In one of many surgical procedures, docs shave the tonsils as a substitute of taking them out.
What If My Child Snores?
If your baby retains the entire home awake with their loud night breathing, an ENT is likely to be the reply. Everyone snores generally after they’re congested. But loud, fixed loud night breathing can preserve your baby and household from getting an excellent night time’s sleep. One of the most typical causes is obstructive sleep apnea.
In children, obstructive sleep apnea normally occurs due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Doctors generally deal with by doing surgical procedure to take away them.
But, similar to with recurring strep throat, we provide much less invasive surgical procedures with much less ache and sooner restoration at UVA Children’s which you can’t discover in all places.
“These procedures can reduce the pain and bleeding that can cause such a long recovery. We are also using endoscopes (small, flexible tubes with a camera) to evaluate sleep at the time of surgery to see if we can do smaller procedures that are likely to get similar results,” says UVA Children’s ENT William Brand, MD.
How Do You Know When Nosebleeds are a Problem?
If your baby has multiple nosebleed per week with heavy bleeding, then chances are you’ll need to see an ENT to rule out critical points. Sometimes all they should do is apply warmth to a problematic vein to stop future bleeds. But generally frequent nosebleeds are attributable to a deviated septum.
The septum is the skinny wall that separates your left and proper nostril. When it curves, it makes one nostril that’s narrower and one which’s wider. While this may sound minor, it will probably trigger loads of points, like hassle sleeping and frequent nosebleeds.
Never Wrong to Get an Opinion
Ultimately, it is smart to see an ENT when:
- Your baby has the identical challenge again and again
- Your intestine tells you one thing is flawed
Fixing issues like frequent ear infections may also help your baby really feel higher sooner. If any of this feels like your baby, then it’s time to speak to a pediatric ENT. At UVA, our children’s ENTs are consultants at discovering underlying points and providing therapies that enhance restoration time.