Ear, Nose & Throat

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions can have a big impact on a child’s life, affecting their ability to breathe, sleep, hear, swallow, socialize and play. Some ENT disorders are present at birth while others may develop over time due to an injury or illness.

Our pediatric-trained ENT physicians (also called otolaryngologists) use the latest medical and surgical techniques to diagnose and treat the full spectrum of ENT conditions, from congenital abnormalities to sinus problems to lumps in the head and neck and more. Parents turn to us because we offer:

An experienced, collaborative team. Our pediatric experts include physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses who bring years of clinical training and experience in treating children with ENT disorders. They routinely collaborate with specialists from other medical fields right here at Mary Bridge Children’s.

Care for complex airway problems. Mary Bridge Children’s is one of the few centers in the region that specializes in treating aerodigestive disorders — conditions that affect the airway, lungs and upper digestive tract. Members of our ENT team as well as other specialists provide comprehensive evaluations for children with aerodigestive needs at the same appointment.

Support for permanent hearing loss. For children with some forms of permanent hearing loss, we offer coordinated appointments where children and their caregivers can meet with one of our ear, nose and throat specialists as well as an audiologist.

Proactive support from child life specialists. Our child life specialists are available to support children during procedures and some outpatient visits. Their goal is to minimize stress and anxiety through education and developmentally appropriate play.

Our team treats a wide range of pediatric ear, nose and throat conditions with a special focus on pediatric aerodigestive and speech disorders.

We do not currently provide cochlear implants, cleft lip repair or outer ear reconstruction. If surgery is recommended as part of your child’s treatment plan, it will not happen on the same day as your initial visit.

The following information can help you plan for your first appointment:

Initial appointments

Please come prepared to fill out questionnaires about your child’s medical history, family history and symptoms. We will review this information with you and take your child’s weight and vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature.

Next, one of our ENT physicians will discuss your concerns and perform a head and neck exam. This usually involves looking in the ears with an otoscope, looking in the nose and throat with a flashlight, and feeling your child’s neck for any lumps or bumps.

We may perform additional exams or testing depending on your child’s symptoms.

Ear concerns

If your appointment is to explore concerns about ear problems, such as hearing loss or chronic ear pain, your child may first see an audiologist for a hearing test. Even if your child has had a recent test elsewhere, it’s often important that a full hearing test be done in our office.

In some cases, we may need to do a special exam of the ears using a microscope. We may also need to remove earwax or other objects from the ear canal. While this examination is not painful, it can be scary for some children.

Breathing or voice concerns

For children with some nasal problems, voice concerns or breathing/airway concerns, we may perform a special exam so we can better see these areas. This type of exam involves a small, flexible scope, like a thick piece of spaghetti, with a camera attached to it. The scope is usually inserted into the nostril and can be used to look throughout the nasal cavity and throat.

The examination is brief, usually taking less than two minutes. For older children, a numbing spray will first be applied. While not painful, the exam can be scary and a little uncomfortable.

Support for children

Often, one of our child life specialists is available to help children cope with these exams and minimize discomfort and stress as much as possible.