-- Earlier today local general practitioner known by the name of Dr San Sunkaraneni has reached out to us to talk to us more about Children’s ENT, common causes and what the solutions are. Dr San Sunkaraneni runs this service through his Guildford ENT website. Three of the most common ENT issues that children can suffer with are: Tonsillitus, “glue ear” and snoring/sleep apnoea. Some of these issues are common and easily treatable however problems such as sleep apnoea can have complications later in life if left untreated.
Tonsillitis is a very common condition affecting children (it also causes problems for many adults). The most common symptom will, of course, be a sore throat, but a high fever and sometimes breathing problems may accompany it. The tonsils are a pair of ‘lymphoid organs’ which are designed to trap micro-organisms as they enter the body. In so doing, not only do they remove these micro-organisms, but they enable to body’s immune systems to learn to recognise them more quickly in the future. As a result, they contribute to the development of a child’s immunity.
Otitis media with effusion (OME or Glue Ear) is a very common childhood condition. It can cause hearing loss which may first come to the attention of parents or health care providers because of poor speech and language development. It can also cause recurrent middle ear infections which are distressing for both the child and the parents. These infections can sometimes lead to a perforation (hole) in the eardrum as the infection in the middle ear cavity builds up pressure and bursts through the ear drum.
Children can develop snoring at a very young age, and it may even be present from birth. In patients with certain syndromes, it can be due to anatomical restrictions in the airway caused by a receding jaw or weak muscles/tissues in the throat. However, in most children, it can be due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
For more information, see Guildford ENT’s children’s ENT page by visiting the link here: https://www.guildfordent.co.uk/earnose-and-throat/childrens-ent-tonsillitis/
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