There’s nothing worse than when your child is sick, especially if they’re complaining of hearing, breathing, sleeping, or speaking issues. You never want to see your child in pain, but worse still, pain from ENT (ears, nose, and throat) related problems has significant adverse knock-on effects.
As a parent, it’s tricky to know when your child’s suffering from a common cold or a more severe issue. Differentiating whether what they’re experiencing is normal or not is crucial to identify if there’s a more serious issue. Generally, it is always better to air on the side of caution and seek professional help regarding ear, nose, and throat issues.
So in which situations should you consult a pediatric ENT doctor?
Difficulty Swallowing
If your child is experiencing difficulty swallowing, especially liquids, this could signify a more severe ENT issue. Dysphagia is common among children for numerous reasons, including; low birth weight, neurological conditions, and ENT problems.
Whether this applies or not, it is always best to consult an ENT professional to determine precisely the issue. Swallowing issues in children is something never to be overlooked.
Persistent Nosebleeds
If your child suffers nosebleeds regularly for no apparent reason, this could be a reason to see an ENT doctor. Anything that can disrupt the blood vessels in the nose can cause nosebleeds, and common reasons for children include:
- Nose picking
- Dry air
- Getting knocked on the nose (while playing, for example)
- Allergies
If you start eliminating these factors and nosebleeds still occur, consult an ear, nose, and throat doctor. ENT doctors can help reduce your child’s nose bleeds or stop them altogether.
Snoring
While snoring is common in adults and children, for children, it causes much more concern and knock-on effects than it does for adults. This is because it can disrupt sleep which you know better than anyone just how negatively it impacts their routine and mood.
Pediatricians may be an excellent first point of call for issues regarding your child’s snoring, breathing, and disturbed sleep patterns. Still, If you’re concerned about your child’s breathing patterns while sleeping, you should contact an ENT doctor for a professional exam and evaluation. ENT doctors can evaluate if there is a serious issue and can treat both medically or surgically.
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is one of the main reasons you should consult an ENT doctor. No child should be experiencing hearing loss unless the issue is hereditary or an already established problem.
If your child cannot hear properly in 1 or both ears, it’s best to have it examined by an ENT doctor to identify the exact issue. While highly unpleasant for your child, especially in the critical learning stages of their life, being able to hear correctly needs to be treated as soon as possible.
If you’re concerned, call Mosman Fine Dental today and schedule an appointment with an ENT doctor.
Ear Infections
Another common reason your child may need to see an ENT doctor. Ear infections are prevalent in children, notably in their first 1-3 years of life. Many reasons can cause ear infections; if the issue persists, you may need ENT advice. If your child has an ear infection that includes any of the following, seek pediatric ENT advice.
- More than four ear infections in 1 year
- Eardrum rupture
- If your child has a speech delay
- Infections that require multiple antibiotics
Sinus Infections
Sinus infections can be highly unpleasant for children, and anything that prevents mucus from draining is uncomfortable. For example, if tonsillitis is common and your child is frequently off school or sick with sinus infections.
As with ear infections, any sinus infection that persists requires extensive courses of antibiotics and means your child is constantly stuffy and uncomfortable; call an ENT doctor.
When You Demand The Best For Your Child
To squash any doubt regarding your child’s ear, nose, and throat issues, get the best treatment for them by going straight to an ENT doctor. If any persisting problems are causing your child discomfort, call us and get a professional ENT evaluation from one of our top ENT doctors.
It’s very easy to overlook and pass things off as a common cold, but eliminating the worry and knowing the issue can give you peace of mind and get your child back to 100% quickly and efficiently.
We all love and care for our children, but knowing when there’s a serious issue and just something minor, differentiating between one or the other can be challenging to figure out. However, when it comes to ENT issues, we strongly advise you to seek professional help whenever your child experiences any of the problems discussed in this article.If your child has any of the above issues, always consult an Earn, Nose, and Throat doctor. If you are concerned about your child’s oral health or ENT issues in Mosman Sydney, please give us a call today and schedule a check-up with one of our ENT doctors.
