When your child has problems with their ear, nose or throat, you should seek a specialist for treatment. These specialists, called Pediatric Otolaryngologists, are experts in the illnesses affecting these regions in kids, and can provide the best experience and qualifications to treat these problems.
When you are not sure what ENT issues your child has, it can be frustrating to track down a specialist. Here is some information about what these specialists treat and how to choose one for your child.
Training
ENT Specialists who can treat children are medical doctors and have a range of specialized treatment training. This includes a four-year stint at a medical school followed by a year of surgery internship, a year of general surgical residency training, and a minimum of 3 or 4 residency years.
Who They Treat
These doctors can treat all children from newborns and infants all the way through teens. They focus especially on pediatric care, which gives them a unique understanding of the specialized medical and surgical care for this age range. Their training, understanding and experience gives them an expertise in pediatric care that general practitioners may not possess.
Why a Specialist?
It is important to understand that your child has unique and individualized medical needs. Treating kids is not the same as treating a small adult. Kids are not always able to communicate their needs, or be as cooperative as needed. A specialized pediatric otolaryngologist knows how to address the needs of children. They will have special equipment and approaches to keep the experience comfortable, effective and non-threatening.
Treatments
ENT Specialists provide surgical and medical treatments for diseases of the ear, nose and throat in children and teens. In general, the following services can be provided:
Finding an ENT Specialist That Treats Children
Many children’s hospitals, large community medical centers and hospitals, and university hospitals and research facilities have expert ENT doctors on staff. Your primary care physician should be able to recommend you to a good doctor if your child seems to be having problems with their ear, nose and throat.
You should, if these types of illnesses and disorders present themselves, never be afraid to ask your doctor for a referral to an expert, if the referral is not immediately offered. Remember, an expert ENT doctor will have the best range of options for treatment as well as the best experience, training and expertise to address the condition.
If you think your child may have problems with their ear, nose, or throat, feel free to give us a call for a consultation today!
