Spring is gone and summer is starting to fade away. That means the crisp and much beloved seasons of autumn and winter are just around the corner. While everybody has plenty of holidays and good times ahead, there’s always the omnipresent concern of spreadable illness — the phrase of the day is ‘ear nose and throat problems in children and adolescents!’ Although adults are often privy to the methods of reducing the chance of common colds and flus, children are much more susceptible to bad habits when around their peers. If your child is starting to have breathing difficulties or is struggling with hearing loss, they may just have an ear or throat issue! Below is a crash course on ear nose and throat problems in children and adolescents, from awareness to prevention.

Snoring

This seemingly benign side-effect of sleeping can have potentially deeper ramifications if left untreated. Around 10% of children who snore on a regular basis, with another 4% of the pediatric population, has a form of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (also known as OSA). Children with enlarged tonsils were also nearly four times more likely to experience symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing than those who did not have the condition. While a little snore here and there is nothing to worry about, you’ll want to visit a doctor if the snoring becomes chronic!

Ear Infections

If your little one is scratching at their ears or experiencing pain along their neck or jawline, they could be facing a significant side-effect of ear nose and throat problems in children and adolescents — ear infections! One of the most painful and common issues facing young children are ear infections, which occur for a variety of reasons ranging from narrow ear canals, poor hygeine and injury. By the time they’re three most children have had at least one ear infection, with 30% of children having multiple episodes. Thankfully, surgeries can be done to eliminate the risk of future ear infections — repairing the eardrum is a process that has a success rate of anywhere from 85% to 90%, with additional medications and awareness the ideal supplemental for a healthy and happy child.

Hearing Loss

A side-effect of ear infections can lead to hearing loss. More than 90% of all children have had at least one ear infection by the time they’re two, with additional estimates seeing one in every 1,000 newborns experiencing hearing loss. They are not the only source, however, and can also be caused by infections during pregnancy, environmental influences and complications after birth. All of these and more have added up to 30% of babies with some form of hearing loss. Continued hearing loss can be mediated by reducing exposure to excessively loud music, teaching healthy ear cleaning habits and visiting the doctor whenever an ear infection or similar issue presents itself.

Tonsils

Ear nose and throat problems in children and adolescents are all interconnected. Tonsils can affect snoring patterns as well as contribute to infections if not checked. According to ongoing studies, anywhere from 300,000 to 400,000 tonsillectomies are performed every single year. Just thirty years ago 90% of these surgeries were done for recurrent infection, but as of modern times it’s often done to reduce the onset of obstructive sleep problems. Additional surgeries like airway reconstruction or endoscopic sinus surgery can also be done.

How To Keep Your Children Healthy

If you want to avoid ear nose and throat problems in children and adolescents, you need to be aware of the risks and how to mediate them in the day-to-day. Teach your children to practice healthy habits, such as regularly washing their hands and not sharing toothbrushes or clothes with their peers — this will reduce spreading the common cold or flu when the weather gets brisk! Cleaning one’s ears should be done regularly, but be careful not to stick q-tips inside the ear. This can actually cause earwax to become stuck and build, leading to potential ear infections. Last, but not least, regular visits to the doctor can pinpoint small problems before they become bigger. With a little work, everyone can stay healthy this winter!

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Ear, nose and throat problems are pretty common among young children. There are a variety of reasons for this commonality. Children?s ears, nose and throat are not yet fully developed. They are a smaller version of what they will be, making things like ear drainage more difficult. Some children may have ear, nose and throat problems from genetics or from poor nutrition during gestation. Also, a child?s diet may affect their ENT. Although some problems are common in young children, frequent ENT problems should be evaluated by a medical professional. Frequent ENT problems can lead to things like hearing loss or other types of permanent damage.

Five out of six children (83%) will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. Usually, a single ear infection is not a cause for concern. The child?s pediatrician will prescribe the child some medications and pain relief options. After a few days, the ear infection will clear up and the child will feel all better. However, some children continue to experience the symptoms of ear infections and consistently deal with chronic ear infections and other problems of the nose and throat.

Chronic ear infections can lead to some hearing loss. The hearing loss may recover over time, once the ear infection is treated. However, some hearing loss may be permanent, depending on the amount of damage done to the ear canals. Chronic ear infections should always be evaluated by a medical professional, someone who is specialized in the ear, nose and throats of young children.

Some children may experience a lot of sore throats, as well. Sore throats are another common illness for young children. However, just like with chronic ear infections, chronic sore throats or sicknesses should be looked at by a specialized professional. Sometimes throat problems may not even show typical symptoms, but you can look for things like hypernasal speech. If you notice hypernasal speech symptoms with your young child, it is possible they are experience some form of a throat infection.

Throat problems are one of the most common ENT problems that children deal with. If chronic sore throats or hypernasal speech occurs, sometimes the ear nose and throat doctor Tampa FL will recommend a tonsillectomy. A tonsillectomy is a procedure that is done to remove the tonsils. The tonsils are not needed, and often cause more problems than needed. However, thirty years ago, approximately 90% of tonsillectomies in children were done for recurrent infection, now it is about 20% for infection and 80% for obstructive sleep problems (OSA). Obstructive sleep problems may include breathing problems like sleep apnea.

Young children may also experience problems with their noses, or their sinuses. Sinus infections tend to occur in high allergy seasons. Children with a lot of allergies will notice an increase in sinus infections. Sinus infections can lead to things like breathing difficulties and trouble sleeping. Sinus problems can also cause hypernasal speech. Sinus problems can also cause loud snoring or sleep apnea in young children. This is usually due to the fact that the sinuses are blocked or infected, blocking the route for proper breathing. Approximately 10% of children snore regularly and about 2 to 4% of the pediatric population has Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

There are many health problems that can occur in young children. Younger children?s ears, nose and throats are not yet fully developed, leading to chronic problems. Things like a single ear infection or a single sore throat are usually not a cause for concern. These types of medical conditions are very common in young children. However, if your child experiences chronic ear infections, sore throats or difficulty sleeping, it is a good idea to visit with a ENT specialist. The ENT specialist will run a series of tests and will monitor your child?s conditions. Sometimes surgery may be recommended, other times medication may be prescribed to help deal with the symptoms.

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