Throat Conditions and Procedures
Children often have trouble with their throats, whether it is a sore throat, an airway problem, or problems with the tonsils or adenoids. At Pediatric ENT Associates (PENTA) in Birmingham, our experienced surgeons have years of experience and expertise in dealing with all manner of throat conditions in children. You can trust the Pediatric ENT Associates doctors with your child’s throat health.
Airway Obstruction
Airway obstruction can happen due to a number of causes in children. The most common cause of airway obstruction is the inhalation of a foreign object, such as a toy or piece of too large food. In this case, emergency care should be sought. Other causes of obstruction to the airway can include infection, epiglottitis, allergic reaction, laryngomalacia or tracheomalacia, among others.
Airway obstruction treatments will depend on what type of obstruction it is and how severe. In some cases, surgery may be recommended, while others may be able to be dealt with in a nonsurgical manner. The doctors at Pediatric ENT Associates belong to the Aerodigestive Program at Children’s of Alabama, and are well versed in many kinds of airway obstructions and their treatments.
Learn more about airway obstruction treatments.
Pharyngitis (Sore Throat)
Pharyngitis, commonly known as a sore throat, is one of the most common afflictions in children. Sore throats are the number one reason for visits to the pediatrician in young children. Sore throats are most often an effect of viral illnesses such as the common cold, influenza (or “the flu”), and mononucleosis, also known as mono. In some cases, a sore throat may be a result of a bacterial infection, the most common of which is streptococcus, also known as strep throat.
A sore throat can also be a symptom of other illnesses such as chicken pox, measles, whooping cough, or croup. At PENTA, our doctors are able to perform a throat swab culture during your appointment to determine if your child has strep throat. If your child does not have strep throat, and the sore throat has lasted longer than a week, blood tests might be ordered to determine further what condition your child has.
Learn more about pharyngitis treatment.
For more information on sore throat, visit cdc.gov.
Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy treatments are procedures which remove the tonsils and adenoids, respectively. These procedures can be done individually or together, depending on the extent of your child’s conditions. In some cases, the tonsils alone may need to be removed to due inflammation or enlargement, and in other cases the adenoids alone may need to be removed for the same reasons. They are often removed together as the tonsils and adenoids are very close to one another and serve similar purposes.
While removing the tonsils and adenoids is a relatively quick and safe procedure, only taking half an hour to an hour to perform and requiring no incisions, it is still a surgical procedure that should be entered into only after thorough discussion and examination of all options. Your expert surgeon at Pediatric ENT Associates in Birmingham will be sure to explore all options and discuss them with you before deciding upon one or both of these surgeries.
Learn more about tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy treatments.
Tracheostomy
A tracheostomy is a surgical procedure in which a tube is inserted into a small hole in the trachea in order to help your child breathe better. Airway obstruction is a serious problem in some children, and a tracheostomy treatment can help your child to breathe on their own until their trachea expands enough that they can breathe on their own without the help of the tube. A tracheostomy treatment is a procedure that has been done for many years and is quite safe, but it does require a lot of care and attention at home following the surgery. Contact our tracheostomy treatment specialists today!
Learn more about tracheostomy treatments.