Does your child have ear, nose, and throat problems? Let's learn about a pediatric ENT specialist (Pediatric Otolaryngologist)!

Does your little one often have earaches? Or does he often catch a cold and have a stuffy nose and breathe through his mouth? Sometimes your family doctor refers your child to a doctor who specializes in 'ear, nose, and throat', right? That's how we're going to talk about ENT doctors, who specialize in children. We call these people 'pediatric otolaryngologists'.

Who is this pediatric ENT specialist?

Simply put, these are doctors who are specially trained to provide medical and surgical treatment for ear, nose, and throat conditions in children from birth to about 17 years of age . Although we say ENT for short, it stands for Ear, Nose, and Throat.

If your child has a more complex medical condition, or needs surgery involving the ear, nose, or throat, your general practitioner will often refer your child to a specialist like this.

What kind of special training do these doctors have?

This is not an easy journey. A pediatric ENT specialist is someone who has completed a four-year basic degree in medical school and then completed a long training program. Imagine how long that journey is.

• First, complete a general medical degree.
• After that, you must complete at least a year of surgical internship.
• Next, you will train in General Surgery for about another year.
• After that, the real specialized training begins. You receive three to four years of in-depth training in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery.
• Often, after this training, they receive further specialized training (Fellowship) under experienced specialists at large children's hospitals.

Only after such extensive training are they qualified to treat these complex problems in children.

What are the common medical conditions treated by a pediatric ENT doctor?

Okay, now let's see what kind of diseases these doctors treat. The list is a bit long, but it could be something your child has. They treat any problem that affects the child's airway, voice, hearing, speech, and sinuses.

Hearing loss

There are three main ways that children can develop hearing loss.

Middle ear infection (Otitis media)

This is a very common condition in children, called " pus in the ear." If your child has frequent ear infections or has any abnormalities in their ears, you may need to see a pediatric ENT specialist.

Cochlear implant surgery

Children with severe hearing loss can benefit greatly from this surgery. A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that is implanted in the ear. It stimulates the auditory nerve and sends signals to the brain. This helps even those who are completely deaf to understand sounds and speech.

Nasal obstruction

This is when the nasal passages become blocked and it becomes difficult to breathe through the nose. There can be many reasons for this.

Tonsil infections (Tonsillitis)

If your child has frequent tonsillitis or persistent sore throats, you may be referred to a pediatric ENT doctor for treatment such as tonsillectomy.

Sleep apnea

This is a sleep-related condition. In this, breathing stops for a moment while the child is sleeping. This is caused by some obstruction in the upper airway. Many children with this condition snore loudly . The main cause of this condition in children is enlarged tonsils or adenoids.

Other head and neck diseases

These specialists treat many other head and neck related diseases.

• Thyroid tumors or lumps
• Lumps in the head and neck
• Facial paralysis
• Salivary gland tumors
• Hemangiomas, which are lumps formed by blood vessels, sometimes look like birthmarks
• Lymph node related diseases

Why does my child need a pediatric ENT specialist?

This is a very important question. You may be wondering, "Why would a child be referred to a pediatric ENT instead of a regular ENT doctor?"

Children often can't describe their pain accurately . They can't say anything other than "it hurts here," and they can't say exactly what it is, how long it's been there, or how bad it is. Pediatric ENT specialists know this. They are skilled at examining children in a way that doesn't scare them, putting them at ease.

Also, since they only treat children, their offices and even their examination equipment are designed to be child-friendly. The walls of the office are decorated with beautiful paintings, toys, and books. This greatly reduces the child's fear and anxiety. Imagine how scared a small child would feel when they were made to sit in a big chair and on a big examination table made for grown-ups?

Not only that, but these doctors also have a lot of experience in how to talk to children. If a child refuses to be examined or cries, that is nothing new to them. They know very well how to handle the child and get their support at such times.

Even if a child has to undergo something difficult, such as surgery, it is easier for the child to face that experience in a child-friendly, child-friendly environment.