When to take your child to see an ENT specialist

A paediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist will examine your child and help determine the best ways to treat recurring conditions such as tonsillitis, hearing loss or a blocked nose.

Mr Michael Kuo is a highly esteemed and experienced consultant ENT surgeon, the past-president of the British Association for Paediatric Otolaryngology and the president-elect of the section of Laryngology & Rhinology of the Royal Society of Medicine. So who better to explain what happens during a paediatric ENT appointment than the expert himself. 

What is a paediatric ENT specialist?

A paediatric ENT specialist is an ear, nose and throat surgeon who looks after children. Problems in the ear, nose and throat are among the most frequent problems arising in children. These may be congenital as the child is born with it, or acquired as they arise after birth. However, even those conditions that a child is born with may not become apparent until the child is several years old.
 

What are common reasons to take your child to see an ENT specialist?

The commonest reasons to take your child to see an ENT specialist would be:
 

• Concerns about their breathing (noisy breathing during the day and snoring at night)
• Communication (including hearing loss and language delay)
• Upper respiratory infections (including tonsillitis and ear discharge)
• Allergies with runny noses
• Various lumps and bumps around the neck
   

What symptoms should I pay attention to?

All symptoms that do not resolve in time deserve to be assessed by your family doctor. The symptoms which are more urgent, particularly in infants and smaller children, are related to possible foreign bodies which children can put in their ears, nose and throat (button batteries being especially dangerous).

Smelly discharge from one nostril in a young child often suggests that they have put something in their nose! Breathing problems are, of course, also more urgent.
 

What can I expect during our first appointment?

During your visit, you should expect your doctor to listen to your story and engage with your child. 
 

Mr Michael Kuo practises at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, BMI Priory Hospital and Spire Little Aston Hospital. You can book an appointment to see him via his Top Doctors profile here.