Growing Strong: Celebrating Kids ENT Health Month

• Written by Nidhi Goyal

  Reviewed by Akhil Pillai

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Parul: Nitya, can you name a few baby ent problems?

Nitya: What are those? What’s ENT?

Parul: Let me tell you about ENT full form. It’s Ear, Nose and Throat. And baby ENT problems include ear, nose, and throat problems in children, like tonsillitis.

Nitya: How do you know so much about this?

Parul: February is Kids ENT Health Month, and our school is celebrating it this year.

Nitya shared that her ear infections are the main reason she visits a doctor. Parul said that according to National Health Statistics, ENT issues are the most common reason children see a physician. They discussed various child ENT issues and became more aware of their ENT health.

February: Kids ENT Health Month

Kids ENT Health Month is celebrated every February. The month is designated as such because this is the time of the year when doctors see several ENT issues among children. Ear, nose, and throat health is essential and requires increased attention due to rising air pollution. The National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communicable Disorders suggest that 5 out of 6 kids have at least one ear infection by age 3. Children continue to face various pediatric ENT disorders. Therefore, an entire month is dedicated to understanding and caring for children's ENT health. Every part of the body contributes uniquely to our lives, from listening to breathing and speaking. The goal is to raise awareness about common ENT issues in children, such as nasal conditions, throat problems, and ear infections. 

6 Common ENT Problems

The ear, nose, and throat are sensory organs that share several critical structures within the head, so their conditions are often grouped together. 

• Baby Ear Infections: Ear infections can be caused by bacterial or viral infections and can lead to newborn hearing loss. They involve middle ear inflammation caused by fluids building up behind the eardrum. When a kid has fluid leaking from the ear or has trouble hearing or responding to quiet sounds, ear infections are likely the cause.
• Child Nosebleeds: Vigorous nose blowing, inherited clotting disorders, and allergies may cause posterior and anterior nosebleeds. 
• Pediatric Sinusitis: Some signs of sinusitis in children include thick yellow-green nasal discharge, post-nasal drip, bad breath, cough, crankiness, swelling around the eyes, or low energy levels.
• Tonsillitis in Children: Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils caused by a bacterial infection, a cold, or a virus. Over 4,70,000 tonsillectomy procedures are performed annually, 90% for recurrent infections. 
• Baby Sleep Apnea: Parul used to stop breathing at night, and on attending the awareness program, he found out that he may have sleep apnea. It occurs because of frequent disturbances in their sleep. Removing adenoids/ tonsils may help with these behaviours.
• Balance disorders: There are over 12 different balance disorders. They can cause dizziness or steadiness, staggering while walking, blurred vision, disorientation, and lightheadedness.

Common Child Allergy Symptoms

Allergies in children's ENT are common and can cause various physiological responses with varying severity from child to child.

• Constant sneezing
• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Reduces ability to taste or smell
• Frequent sinus infections
• Pain in ear
• Constantly feeling fatigued
• Persistent cold for 10+ days
• Frequent and unexplained nosebleeds

What Causes Allergies In A Child?

Children can contract allergies from everyday activities. Some common causes are:

• Moulds
• Foods
• Medicines
• Trees, weed pollens
• Feathers
• Natural rubber latex
• Bee stings
• Pests

How to Ensure Your Child’s ENT Health

Understanding the problem is the key to finding a solution. Encourage your child to pay attention to their body’s signals, such as ear pain, persistent sinus headaches, and throat discomfort. Hygiene plays a vital role in preventing ENT problems. To avoid needing to visit a child ENT hospital, follow the preventive tips: 

• Complete ear care
• Maintain hygiene practices
• Healthy eating habits
• Proper nose care
• Consistent medical checkups
• Manage stress
• Sleep soundly

Even a single doctor visit or minor OPD treatment can cost a lot. Having health insurance can secure your finances and prevent you from draining your savings. You'll know the treatment costs if you've consulted an ENT specialist for kids.

How ENT Health Affects Overall Well-Being

Infant ENT Care is essential. Can you imagine your life with degraded ENT health? One can’t live a normal life with compromised listening and spoken capability. Also, having a sore throat limits your freedom of life. They are important for communication and entertainment. Here are some problems that your kid might have to face with ENT issues:

• Inferiority Complex: Poor ENT health can lead to stress. A kid is likely to develop an inferiority complex when other classmates are doing well, listening and speaking well, and participating in competitions. 
• Childhood Trauma: Any ENT issue can significantly impact a child’s emotional well-being, and childhood trauma can be complex to heal if left untreated. 
• Obstacles to Goal Achievement: A healthy body and mind are required to achieve life goals. Any medical condition restricts individuals from giving their best and reaching their potential. 
• Reduced Quality Of Life: Living with a loss of sound, smell, and speech can significantly affect your health. Nutritional health also suffers; according to NIH, humans can detect only five basic tastes without smell- sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury. 
• Physical Safety: Losing sound and smell may leave you vulnerable to dangerous events such as gas leaks, fires, and road crossings. The odour of toxic fumes and smoke is the first warning of danger. So, not only for overall well-being, ENT health must be maintained to accomplish your life's goals.

Fun and Engaging Ways to Educate Your Kids About ENT

Interesting ways to teach your kids how to achieve optimal ENT health:

1. Sherlock Nozzle Game: You can organise a game where you ask your kids to figure out the smell by pretending their nose is a detective.
2. Who’s Bugs Bunny?: Guess the sound game to teach them the importance of auditory modality. 
3. Animated Videos: Informative and explanatory videos demonstrating how sound travels through the ear, how a person speaks, and smells are a great way to educate them.
4. Interactive Storytelling: Organise a session and invite Mr Ears, Ms Nose, and Dr Throat. You may also arrange costumes of ears, noses, and throats to create an interesting evening with your kids.

Sound, Smell and Speech- Care for Each

As important as skin, shoulder, and spine are, so are the other three S-sound, smell, and speech. All these should function properly for an optimal nervous system and a good life. Challenges may arise, but our passion for fighting battles must be intact. Life and its challenges become more manageable to combat when we truly love ourselves. At some point, we might have to be cautionary and take preventive measures that may cause some discomfort today, but your future body will thank you for following them.

Stay Healthy!

>> Also Read: Does ENT Treatment Cover Under Health Insurance?

Disclaimer: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.