Pasadena Now: ‘Does My Child Need an Ear, Nose and Throat Physician?’
Pasadena Now recently featured Alexis Rieber, MD, an otolaryngologist—ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist—at Huntington Health, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai, who discussed ear infections, chronic congestion, tonsillitis and other head- and neck-related conditions that some children commonly experience.
Rieber told Pasadena Now that children are typically referred to a pediatric ENT when their ear, nose and throat symptoms recur frequently, are more severe than usual or are not improving.
“There are some problems that are natural for kids to experience, but if infections are too frequent or severe, maybe there is something an ENT can do to help,” Rieber told Pasadena Now.
Rieber said that for certain conditions, such as pediatric hearing loss, surgery might be an effective treatment option.
“Many children fail their newborn or pediatrician hearing screen, and it can be a very stressful or frightening experience for the family,” Rieber said. “Many times, we can address hearing loss if it is due to wax or middle-ear fluid. Other types of hearing loss need amplification with hearing aids or surgical correction.”
Rieber told Pasadena Now that when congestion lasts a few months and is not caused by a cold, children should be evaluated by an ENT specialist to ensure no anatomical abnormalities are affecting their breathing.
“This is especially important when the congestion is affecting their sleep, and they are showing signs of obstructive sleep apnea,” she told Pasadena Now.
Rieber said that pediatric care and treatment is always managed in collaboration with other specialists as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Click here to read the complete article in Pasadena Now.