Pediatric ENT Diseases

Pediatric ENT Diseases

Ear, nose and throat problems are quite common in children. This is due to the fact that many parts of the ENT area in children are not sufficiently developed and therefore cannot function properly.

Another important cause of ENT problems in children is allergies. It is important to know the most common ENT problems that children face and to distinguish whether allergies play a role in the problem.

Problems in the ear, nose and throat area can affect a child's ability to speak, hear and develop.

Based on the symptoms of ENT problems, it is important to find the root cause. ENT problems can cause not only unnecessary pain and discomfort, but also potentially lifelong illness.

If your child is experiencing any of the following problems, treatment needs to be diagnosed and whether allergies or other factors are responsible. In addition, we recommend that you see an Antalya ENT doctor (Antalya ENT specialist) without wasting time for the diagnosis and treatment of larger problems (cases such as cancer that are less common).

Some ENT diseases in children are as follows;

Sinusitis
Otitis media
Eardrum problems
Adenoid
Tonsil
Respiratory problems
Common cold
Neck head tumors

Chronic Or Acute Ear Infections

Every child faces an ear infection at some point. In fact, ear infections in children are as common as the common cold. Most ear infections are middle ear infections. Upper respiratory infections can progress to the Eustachian tube and affect the middle ear, causing pain, fever and even some hearing loss. In this case, oral medications are typical treatments that can help solve the problem.

Untreated chronic ear infections can cause many complications, including hearing loss. A variety of medical devices such as otoscopy, tympanometer, and audiometer are used in the pediatric department to test a child's hearing and eustachian tube function. If ear infections persist and are accompanied by hearing loss, ear tube surgery may be recommended to remove the accumulation of middle ear fluid.

However, allergies can also be held responsible for some situations. Because allergic rhinitis, which is characterized by serous discharge in the nasal cavity and nasal region, can trigger many diseases in the ear. Especially with the enlargement of the adenoid, the fluid behind the eardrum may accumulate gradually and cause hearing loss. Patients who had to undergo surgery at an early age due to adenoidal enlargement are usually patients with allergic rhinitis. These patients also have frequent recurrent middle ear infections.

Hearing loss

The first rule is that a child's hearing should be at a normal level for a healthy communication. Because children learn to speak by hearing. Therefore, hearing should be evaluated in children with delayed speech. A comprehensive assessment is carried out by specialists to determine the source and extent of the child's hearing problems. Treatment options are then identified, including medical or surgical intervention or the use of assistive technologies such as hearing aids or cochlear implants. In some cases, hearing loss can be corrected with simple interventions. However, if it is delayed, permanent hearing loss can be seen. For pediatric language treatment, your ENT specialist will evaluate the impact of your child's hearing loss on speech and language development. He then works with experts to help children learn to add sounds.

Microtia and Atresia

Children born with microtia (small ear) and/or atresia should undergo thorough evaluation. In addition to surgical treatments for ear reconstruction, patients should seek support from audiologists, speech therapists, educators, and early intervention specialists.

This type of multidisciplinary team-based approach allows speech and language delays to be resolved and treated with hearing aids.

Sore Throats

The two most common throat problems in children can be tonsillitis and pharyngitis. The difference between the two is that pharyngitis specifically affects the throat while tonsillitis affects the tonsils. In both cases, infections and inflammations can occur in the throat. Anti-inflammatory drugs can treat this problem. However, it is necessary to add antibiotic treatments in the periods when the infection progresses.

Some children may have frequent throat infections. In this case, it is important to distinguish whether the patient has pharyngitis or tonsillitis. Because both treatments are different. As it is known, in frequently recurring tonsillitis, tonsils may need to be surgically removed. In order to make this decision, the patient's history should be evaluated together with examination and tests. It should be remembered that there is no disease in medicine; there is a patient. So every patient is unique.

However, sometimes sore throats can simply be caused by allergies. Allergies can cause too much mucus to form. Excess mucus can run down the back of the throat and sometimes trigger reflux in the throat. In this case, sore throat, cough and sometimes hoarseness can be seen.

Pediatric Sinusitis

Sinusitis is typically caused by a maxillary sinus infection in children. Typical symptoms are often runny nose, nasal congestion and cough. In the treatment of acute sinusitis, most children respond well to antibiotics and decongestants.

However, if the symptoms persist, the underlying problem may be allergies. If there is chronic sinusitis, it should also be examined in detail.

If your child complains of sinusitis symptoms for at least 12 weeks or has recurrent periods, diseases with underlying mucosal disorders should be investigated. First of all, medical treatment should be applied. Surgical treatment should be considered as a last resort for sinusitis in children.

rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is also often called hay fever. It is a common ear, nose and throat problem in children. Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal, or it can last all year. It typically causes a runny nose, sleep problems, fatigue, and skin rashes. The chronic problem can also be caused by a number of allergens from internal or external causes. The environment in which the child lives is particularly influential. Parental smoking also increases the frequency of allergic rhinitis.

Pediatric Sleep Disorder, Respiratory And Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The most obvious symptom is loud snoring or intermittent breathing. This condition, which is often caused by the enlargement of the adenoids in children, can sometimes be accompanied by the enlargement of the tonsils. Especially in patients with allergic rhinitis, the adenoid may enlarge at younger ages and block the airway. If left untreated, it can cause hearing loss after a while. This hearing loss initially responds to treatment; If it is delayed, it can become permanent. Patients with sleep apnea cannot have a quality night's sleep because they cannot get enough sleep. As a result, problems such as behavior and learning problems, bedwetting, slow growth and development, obesity can be seen. In addition, in children who sleep with their mouths open all the time, the palate and tooth structure begin to deteriorate. Especially considering that the bone structure is developing; In these cases, dental caries, high palate, which we call the dome palate, and as a result, facial deformities appear.

Depending on the cause and severity, sleep apnea can usually be treated with surgical removal of the adenoids and/or tonsils. But sometimes different treatments such as medical treatment can be applied to patients who do not require surgery.