The picture of the six month old infant in his hospital gown and with his pacifier tug at your heart. After a bad run of sickness for the last three months, however, led to a very early surgery that included getting tubes nearly three weeks ago. although he is one tough babe, you still wish and pray that he will finally 100% before long. The prescription for antibiotics, and the resulting allergic reaction, were more than a challenge. As the doctors worked to find a cure for the apparent super bug your son had contracted, you simply wished for the happy little baby that you brought home from the hospital.
Few things are more frustrating than watching a young child who is pain. For many families, the symptoms of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) conditions lead to long sleepless nights for both parents and children. In fact, common ENT problems are the conditions that cause parents to not only lose out on sleep, but also days at work as they look for ways to comfort a young infant or child. From doctors appointments to surgeries, the most common ENT problems can be solved by doctors who are thorough and skilled. Left untreated, however, even what seems like simple and common ENT problems can lead to hearing loss, hypernasal speech later in life, and continued sinus infections and sleep disordered breathing.
Getting the Best ENT Care Is Important to the Future Health of Your Child
Did you know that 83% of children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday? The pain and the fevers, combined with long nights with no rest and missed days at work, make these ear infections conditions that can affect an entire family. And while heredity and genes are responsible for hearing loss among the 50% to 60% of children with hearing loss, if ENT problems are left untreated parents risk the future of hearing problems for their children.
Instead of letting health conditions drag on for months, and possibly years, many parents seek the advice of doctors and pediatricians for the most common ENT problems. Although ear infections are typically fairly easy to treat, few doctors want to see a young child who deals with these painful infections on a regular basis. The growing concern about repeated prescriptions of antibiotics is another reason that many doctors look to the surgical procedure of inserting ear tubes as an option for some children. If your doctor has recommended an ear tub surgery for your child they have likely spent a good deal of time already attempting to treat continuing ear infections.
Although some children are particularly prone to ear infections because of environmental factors, this is not always the case. For instance, while some children who attend group childcare settings seem to get more ear infections, others in those same settings do not. Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure and taking a bottle to bed have also been shown to be indicators of frequent ear infections, but, again, not every child with those environmental factors will get sick. The most important decision of any parent who has a child that experiences frequent ear infections is to see a doctor. Medical records of events can track the frequency of these illnesses and can better lead a doctor to the most informed decision. Parents who self treat their children and do not go into a medical office leave their doctor’s with an incomplete picture of the child’s health.
When was the last time that you slept through the night? If you are a parent of a young child, you may find yourself dealing with several nights in a row where the painful symptoms of an ear infection keep both you and your child from getting the rest that you need. Are you keeping your doctor informed when these infections occur? Paying careful attention to the health of your child when it comes to problems with his or her ear, nose, and throat can help you avoid further complications later in life. By three years of age, 30% of children have had three or more ear infections and may be candidates for ear tube surgery and healthier futures.
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