February is Kids ENT Health Month and since pediatric ear, nose and throat disorders are still some of the most common reasons children visit the doctor we thought we should tell you about it.
Common ENT Illnesses in Children
- Ear infection is the number one reason children go to the doctor.
- Acute Otitis Media is also know as a middle ear infection.
- Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, usually caused by strep throat or the common cold.
- Sinusitis is inflammation in the sinuses, usually caused by the common cold or allergy and can include upper respiratory or throat infections.
Whether any of these illness are viral or bacterial, your child’s doctor can assess and treat when necessary, with antibiotics. Left untreated any of these illnesses can lead to more serious conditions which is why regular check ups and timely visits, when rest and fluids are not enough, are so important for your child’s overall health.
Hearing Loss in Children
1 out of every 1000 newborns and 3 million children under the age of 18 have some level of hearing loss. Because hearing loss can lead to speech and language development delays it is important to have your child’s hearing checked.
There are many reasons why a child may have hearing loss. If a child weighed less than 3.5 lbs, experienced jaundice or had a blood transfusion at birth, or were in the neonatal intensive care unit for more than 5 days they may experience hearing loss. If your child has received antibiotics through a needle, suffered a severe head injury or skull fracture, had meningitis or recurring ear infections with fluid in the ears they also may have hearing loss.
Genetics can also play a role in child hearing loss. Situations the mother experienced throughout the pregnancy can also be an indicator such as: alcohol use, German measles, viral infections and flu can all can affect a child’s ability to hear.
Signs of Hearing Loss in Your Child
During infancy:
- Infant does not respond to unexpected loud noises
- Infant does not imitate sounds
- Infant does not turn their head in the direction of your voice
- Infant does not babble or babbling has stopped
- Infant does not understand simple phrases by age 12 months
During Childhood
- Child does not respond to soft sounds
- Child does not respond to first calls
- Child does not talk like children their age
- Child does not show consistent growth in use and understanding of words.
If you suspect that your child is living with hearing loss please make an appointment with their primary doctor. Your doctor may clean their ear properly and assess the situation and they may refer your child to an ENT specialist for hearing tests. In some cases children will require ear tube surgery. In other situations your child may need hearing aids or cochlear implants. If your child is deaf or severely hard of hearing your doctor can suggest specialists to help your child and you to communicate with each other and the rest of the world.
The cold winter months often antagonize ENT issues in children which is why February is a good month to learn how to treat your child’s illness from their doctor. One thing to keep in mind is a healthy immune system may spare your child from experiencing many health problems. The goal should be to make sure your child gets plenty of sleep, stays well hydrated, has some form of play or exercise and eats balanced meals with a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.
>>Read Nutrition, How do I Help My Child With This?
I hope this article was easy to understand and answered any questions you might have. There is more information to be found in the links below. If you have other questions that we could research for you please send us an email on our Dear Jamie page and someone one of our Team Members will research and write an article for you.
Resources and Start Learning More:
- February is Kids ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Health Month by Memorial Healthcare Staff
- Helping Children Hear During Kids ENT Health Month by Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associations, P.A. Staff
- Kids ENT Health Month by American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Staff
- Kids ENT Health Month by Healthy Magazine Staff
- OOA: February is Kids ENT Health Month! by Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, LLC Staff
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I hope this article helps Fuel Your Wellness. Please leave your comments below.
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Summer D Clemenson co-owns Clemenson Enterprises and Wellness Works NW with her wife, Karen G Clemenson. Their personal motto is Creativity, Honesty & Positivity are a must! This mantra helps them stay community and wellness minded in all they do. Summer also writes poetry and inspirational blogs @ ClemensonEnterprises.com. Her crochet art can be viewed and purchased @ KnottyWares.com & she loves special orders!
