Keys to Understanding Pediatric Otolaryngology

Pediatric Otolaryngology is the subspecialty of Otolaryngology responsible for preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases of the nose, throat, and ears in childhood. Children have unique characteristics, so the development of a disease can vary substantially from adults; in addition there are diseases that occur exclusively in the first years of life. Therefore, specific skills, techniques and therapies adapted to the child population are required, which are those applied by Pediatric Otolaryngology.

Most common diseases in children

Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology covers the specific diseases of children affecting the nose, throat, ear and neck; in an integral way, from the medical and surgical point of view. Therefore, it covers a large number of pathologies, although due to their frequency we can highlight some of them:

  • Vegetations (adenoids) and tonsils (angina).

They are a very common reason for consultation because when they increase in size they cause difficulty in children to breathe, swallow and even sleep. They can also lead to repeated infections with affectation of the general condition and school performance. Sometimes it is necessary to operate them.

  • Recurrent otitis

Repeated otitis is also a very frequent problem in childhood that should be treated by the specialist. When it becomes persistent (seromucous otitis) it can affect the child’s hearing, being the most frequent reason for ear surgery in children (transtympanic drainage). It is therefore essential that it be detected early.

  • Respiratory allergy

Respiratory allergy begins to manifest itself in the first years of life and should be diagnosed and treated early to avoid complications such as otitis, sinusitis and its evolution towards asthma.

  • Childhood deafness

The detection of infantile deafness (hypoacusis) plays a key role, since it is estimated that one in every thousand newborns has severe or profound deafness. Child Otorhinolaryngology is responsible for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment (surgery, hearing aids or cochlear implants).

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Subspecialties of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology

As in the case of adults, Pediatric Otolaryngology is subdivided into specific areas in order to diagnose and treat each disease with the greatest specificity, both from the medical and surgical point of view. Thus, we find the following subspecialties:

  • Otoneurology: covers all ear problems, both chronic infections and hearing disorders (infantile hypoacusis), as well as vertigo and balance disorders.
  • Rhinology: studies diseases of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses.
  • Laryngology: in charge of larynx affections and voice alterations.
  • Audiology: deals with hearing disorders (deafness or hypoacusis).
  • Speech therapy: deals with speech and language disorders in collaboration with speech therapists and speech therapists.

When to visit the specialist?

In case of any nose, throat and ear problem in the child, a specialist in Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology may be consulted, but it is especially recommended in the following cases:

  • When the child suffers from ears frequently.
  • If the child has repeated throat infections.
  • When breathing poorly through the nose, sleeping with the mouth open or snoring and apnea pauses during sleep.
  • When there is a delay in language acquisition.
  • If we suspect that he/she hears poorly, for example, due to speech difficulties, attention problems or poor school performance.
  • When, despite repeated visits to the pediatrician, the child does not have a clear diagnosis or does not respond satisfactorily to various treatments.