4 Signs Your Child Needs a Pediatric ENT

It’s always frightening when you notice that your child is suffering from a health issue. This could seem minor or severe but the fact is you often won’t know what’s causing it and whether you need to be concerned. That’s why it is often best to book an appointment with a pediatric ENT. A pediatric ENT is an ear nose and throat doctor or specialist for children. They can often diagnose and provide treatment for a range of conditions that impact these areas of the body.

Difficulty swallowing

If you notice that your child is having issues when they are swallowing, you should take them to see an ENT as soon as possible. Ask your child if they are experiencing any pain or discomfort when they are swallowing, and take a note of anything that is particularly difficult. The biggest red flag that you should be watching out for is difficulty swallowing liquids. It could be an indication that there is a bigger problem going on here, and that is where a pediatric ENT will come in. Once the ENT has taken a look at your child, they will be able to diagnose and treat them. A lot of the time it is not something serious and can be cleared up with some antibiotics, but it is always better to stay on the safe side and call your ENT as soon as your child starts telling you they have issues swallowing.

Regular nose bleeds

Everybody experiences nose bleeds at some point in their life, and it is fairly common to have these at a young age. When kids pick their nose or put something up there, it can cause trauma to the nose, resulting in it bleeding. However, if this is happening multiple times in a day or a week for more than a couple of weeks, you need to get the opinion of your ear, nose and throat specialist as soon as possible. It could be that your child has a deviated septum, or a blockage of the nasal passage or sinuses which are resulting in frequent bleeding.

Snoring

It’s quite possible that your child is suffering from snoring. You might think that snoring isn’t a major concern. After all, it’s certainly not life threatening. While this is likely to be true, it’s important to understand that snoring can be caused by a more severe underlying medical problem. If that’s the case, then it’s important to get it treated sooner rather than later and an ENT can help. Even if it’s not a sign of a serious condition, snoring may be disrupting your child’s rest and cause them to feel tired through the day. As such, it’s always best to get them treatment and potentially even surgery.

Hearing loss

Last but not least your child could be experiencing some form of hearing loss. Don’t panic, most forms of hearing loss are not serious or permanent. A buildup of earwax can be enough to cause an issue here. But you still need to see an ENT doctor for a quick diagnosis and a potential treatment plan. This may or may not involve hearing aids.