What’s a Pediatric Otolaryngologist?
Pediatric otolaryngologists diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases and disorders that affect children’s ears, nose, sinuses and voice or throat. They have the expertise and training to care for:
- Allergies
- Head and neck cancers
- Hearing and balance problems
When to Get ENT Care
Rely on your pediatric primary care doctor for help with routine ear, nose and throat problems. Ask for a referral to an ENT specialist when your child has severe or frequent symptoms, such as:
- Abnormal breathing
- Ear, nose or throat pain
- Head or neck mass
- Hearing issues
- Nosebleeds
- Snoring
- Swallowing problems
- Throat infections
Pediatric ENT Conditions We Treat
Turn to the highly trained pediatric ENT doctors at University Health when your infant, child or adolescent up to age 18 needs evaluation and care for complex or rare conditions, including:
- Adenoid enlargement
- Airway obstructions (narrowing or blockages in the upper throat)
- Allergic rhinitis
- Balance problems
- Feeding and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)
- Frequent nose and sinus problems, such as nose bleeds (epistaxis) and infections (sinusitis)
- Frequent tonsilitis
- Head and neck masses
- Hearing loss
- Recurrent ear infections
- Sleep problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea
- Tongue and lip tie
- Vocal cord disorders, including nodules, paralysis and hoarseness
Congenital Disorders
Ear, nose and throat abnormalities present at birth, such as:
- Laryngomalacia
- Branchial anomalies
- Choanal atresia (narrowing of the back of the nose)
- Microtia (abnormal external ear shape)
What to Expect
At your first appointment, expect your ENT doctor to ask about your child’s medical history, do a physical exam and listen to their symptoms. Your doctor may recommend testing to help diagnose your child’s symptoms.
Pediatric ENT Testing & Diagnosis
Get compassionate, kid-friendly care to help ease your child’s testing fears. We offer some tests in our office on the same day as your appointment, while others need scheduling. Your child may have tests such as:
- Bronchoscopy
- Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallow (FEES)
- Flexible, fiberoptic nasolaryngoscopy – Evaluates the throat, voice box and vocal cords
- Hearing tests with an on-site audiologist
- Imaging tests, such as an X-ray, CT or MRI scan
- Laryngoscopy – Checks the throat, larynx, trachea and bronchi (tubes leading to the lungs)
- Microscopic ear exam
- Rhinology – Focuses specifically on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders related to the nose and sinuses
- Nasal endoscopy
- Sleep study
- Stroboscopy – Evaluates vibrations of the vocal cords
- Transnasal-esophogoscopy; Looks at the esophagus to detect problems
Your Pediatric ENT Care Team
Your child’s ENT care team at University Health includes compassionate UT Health San Antonio doctors and dedicated staff, such as:
- Audiologists
- Child Life specialists
- Nurse practitioners
- Respiratory therapists
- Social workers
- Speech-language pathologists
Pediatric ENT Support Services
Expect the best possible care and support services at University Health. You’ll appreciate:
- Pediatric anesthesiologist coverage for all surgical procedures
- Private patient rooms featuring a pullout bed for family members for hospital overnight stays
- Social work and treatment-related financial counseling
- Interpreter services
