Is your happy-go-lucky toddler stuck being unusually fussy? Tugging at their ears or eating all the popsicles to ease a sore throat? When you put the clues together you realize, it’s probably another ear infection or strep throat. According to the NIH, 80% of children will have at least one ear infection by the age of three.
At SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, our Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialists, also known as otolaryngologists, often see conditions related to three critical structures in a child’s upper respiratory system: the eustachian tubes, adenoids, and tonsils. Each plays a significant role in children’s respiratory health.
Under sinus pressure? We can help.
Ear Tubes
About 1 million kids in the US under the age of 3 get tubes each year.
Adenoids
Did you know adenoids shrink and disappear before adulthood?
Tonsils
Our tonsils are one of the body's first barriers to infection.
The eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the back of the nose and help equalize sinus pressure by draining fluid from the ear. In children, these tubes are shorter and more horizontal, making them more susceptible to ear infections. When a child, usually between the ages of 1-7 years old, experiences recurrent ear infections or fluid accumulation, an ENT might recommend placing tubes. This allows for better airflow and fluid drainage, significantly reducing the frequency of infections, providing for better hearing and improved language development.
Adenoids are tissues located at the back of the nasal cavity. They play a role in helping the immune system by trapping germs. However, when adenoids become enlarged, they can obstruct the airway and cause sleep apnea, chronic nasal congestion, and recurrent ear infections. To ease these symptoms, pediatric ENTs may recommend removing the adenoids (adenoidectomy). This allows for better breathing, improved sleep, and fewer respiratory infections. Children who have an adenoidectomy often report improvements in behavior and cognitive function due to higher sleep quality.
Tonsils are found on either side of the throat and play a vital role in immune function as well. If they become enlarged or chronically infected this can lead to frequent sore throats, difficulty swallowing, and sleep disruptions. An ENT may discuss a tonsillectomy, removal of the tonsils, to drastically reduce the amount of throat infections and improve your child’s ability to eat, sleep, and thrive.
If you’re a parent or caregiver at the beginning of an ear, nose, or throat journey with your child, SSM Health’s otolaryngologists can help. We collaborate with other SSM Health Cardinal Glennon subspecialties including cardiology, neurology, radiology, and audiology to provide your little one with the highest multidisciplinary care and healing.
