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NEWS & RESOURCES

At Quail Creek ENT we want you to have the best quality of life possible and that means quality of hearing and otolaryngological health. There is no disorder of the ear, nose OR throat in children or adults that we are not prepared to address. 
QUAIL CREEK ENT

We are honored to be nominated in two community media surveys for the Amarillo Globe News Reader's Choice and News Channel 10 Viewers Choice for best Hearing Center.

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Quail Creek ENT has been serving patients since 2006 & we are honored to provide the latest advancements in Ear, Nose & Throat health.

Sinusitis (rhinosinusitis) in children can look different than sinusitis in adults. More often, children have a cough, bad breath, crankiness, low energy, and swelling around the eyes, along with a thick yellow-green nasal or post-nasal drip.


Most of the time, children are diagnosed with viral sinusitis (or a viral upper respiratory infection) that will improve by just being treated for its symptoms, but antibiotics can be considered in severe cases of bacterial sinusitis. In the rare child where medical therapy fails, surgery can be used as a safe and effective method of treating sinus disease in children.





Your child’s sinuses are not fully developed until late in the teen years. Although small, the maxillary (behind the cheek) and ethmoid (between the eyes) sinuses are present at birth. Like sinusitis in adults, pediatric sinusitis can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may be caused by other problems, such as a viral illness or allergy.


What Are the Symptoms of Pediatric Sinusitis?

The following symptoms may indicate a sinus infection in your child:

A cold lasting more than 10 to 14 days

Low- or even high-grade fever

Thick yellow-green nasal drainage for at least three days in a row

Post-nasal drip, sometimes with sore throat, cough, bad breath, nausea and/or vomiting

Headache, usually in children age six or older

Irritability or fatigue

Swelling around the eyes


WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

Young children are more prone to infections of the nose, sinus, and ears, especially in the first several years of life. Viruses, allergies, or bacteria usually cause sinusitis. Acute viral sinusitis is likely if your child has been sick for less than 10 days and is not getting worse. Acute bacterial sinusitis is likely when the sinusitis symptoms do not improve at all within 10 days of getting sick, or if your child gets worse within 10 days after beginning to get better.

Chronic sinusitis lasts 12 weeks or longer, and is usually caused by prolonged inflammation, instead of a long infection. Infection can be a part of chronic sinusitis, especially when it worsens from time to time, but is not usually the main cause.


WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS?


If you take your child to an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist, or otolaryngologist, they will examine your child’s ears, nose, and throat. A thorough history and examination usually leads to the correct diagnosis. The doctor may also look for factors that make your child more likely to get sinus infection, including structural changes, allergies, and problems with the immune system.


Occasionally, special instruments will be used to look into the nose during the office visit. Imaging (X-rays) of the sinuses, such as a CT scan, are not recommended in acute sinusitis unless there are complications from the infection. Radiation safety concerns may limit imaging scans, especially in children younger than six-years-old.


Acute Sinusitis—When bacterial sinusitis is present, most children respond very well to antibiotic therapy. Nasal steroid sprays or nasal saline (saltwater) drops or gentle sprays may also be prescribed for short-term relief of stuffiness. Over-the-counter decongestants and antihistamines are generally not effective for viral upper respiratory infections in children, and should not be given to children younger than two-years-old.


If your child has acute bacterial sinusitis, symptoms should improve within the first few days of treatment with antibiotics. Even if your child improves dramatically within the first week of treatment, it is important that you complete the antibiotic therapy. Your doctor may decide to treat your child with additional medicines if he/she has allergies or other conditions that make the sinus infection worse.


Chronic Sinusitis—If your child suffers from two or more symptoms of sinusitis for at least 12 weeks and has signs of sinus pressure, he or she may have chronic sinusitis.3 Chronic sinusitis or more than four to six episodes of acute sinusitis per year indicates that you should see an ENT specialist, who can recommend appropriate medical or surgical treatment.


Surgery may be considered for a small percentage of children with severe or persistent sinusitis symptoms despite medical therapy. In children under 13-years-old, your doctor may advise removing adenoid tissue4from behind the nose as part of the treatment for sinusitis. Although the adenoid tissue does not directly block the sinuses, infection of the adenoid tissue, called adenoiditis (infection of the back of the nose that can cause blockage), can cause many symptoms similar to sinusitis—runny nose, stuffy nose, post-nasal drip, bad breath, cough, and headache.


In older children and those for whom medical therapy has been unsuccessful, adenoidectomy or other surgical options may be recommended. An ENT surgeon can open the natural drainage pathways of your child’s sinuses and make the narrow passages wider. This also allows for culturing the infection so that antibiotics can be directed specifically against the bacteria causing your child’s sinus infection. Opening the sinuses allows nasal medications to be distributed more effectively, allowing air to circulate and usually reducing the number and severity of sinus infections.


QUESTIONS TO ASK?

1. What is the most appropriate antibiotic to use to treat a sinus infection in my child?

2. What are the complications from a sinus infection that I should be aware of for my child?

3. How do you prevent sinusitis from occurring?

4. Should I have my child tested for allergies?


References

Wald, ER, et al. “Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and management of acute bacterial sinusitis in children aged 1 to 18 years” Pediatrics. 2013;132(1):e261-80Setzen G, Ferguson BJ, Han JK, et al., “Clinical consensus statement: appropriate use of computed tomography for paranasal sinus disease,” Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2012 Nov;147(5):808-16. doi: 10.1177/0194599812463848. Epub 2012 Oct 10.Brietzke SE1, Shin JJ2, Choi S3, “Clinical consensus statement: pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis,” Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Oct;151(4):542-53. doi: 10.1177/0194599814549302.Brietzke SE et al. Clinical Consensus Statement: Pediatric Chronic Rhinosinusitis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014; 151(4).

Copyright 2019. American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. Last reviewed August 2018.

QUAIL CREEK ENT

SOURCE: ENTHEALTH.ORG


Just like glasses are for patients with vision loss, a hearing aid helps patients with hearing loss. Hearing loss is a serious condition caused by many different factors. An ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist, or otolaryngologist, is the best specialist to diagnose a hearing loss. Depending on your degree of hearing loss, type of hearing loss, and other medical factors, you may benefit from a hearing aid. A primary care physician can refer you to an ENT specialist, who often works in conjunction with an audiologist, to evaluate the severity and cause of your hearing loss.


An audiogram, often given by an audiologist, assesses the hearing loss. The audiogram is a hearing evaluation your ability to hear pure tone sounds and understand words. The results of these tests will reveal the degree of hearing loss, and additional information about your ears and overall health. A soundproof booth minimizes outer noise. After the test, an ENT specialist can diagnose your hearing loss and counsel you on how best to manage it.


How Do I Select a Hearing Aid?

Your care team can recommend hearing aid manufacturers that best meet your hearing requirements. Hearing aids vary according to style, features, and price so selecting the right one is essential. Prices can range from under $1,000 to more than $4,000 for each device depending on the level of technology (most insurance providers do not cover the cost). Product quality and proper care can save you repair costs and enhance your satisfaction.

Important Tip: Federal law on obtaining hearing aids is changing. Adults will not have to see a doctor to buy hearing aids, but we recommend that it’s still the safest, smartest step to talk to an ENT specialist. Hearing loss and balance disorders are medical conditions. Only licensed physicians with a medical school degree (MD or DO) and training may diagnose and direct the management of diseases and medical disorders that cause hearing loss. (Learn more here.)


What Are the Different Types of Hearing Aids?

The best hearing aid for you depends on your individual hearing loss and listening needs, the size and shape of your ear and ear canal, and how well you can use your hands. Some hearing aids work better with phones and other sound systems, and some include Bluetooth options. Styles include:

  • Behind-the-ear (BTE) aids go over the ear and are thinly wired to personally fitted earpieces

  • Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) aids are placed over the ear but are small

  • nearly invisibleIn-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids fit in the ear bowl area and part of the ear canal

  • You may also be able to use smaller in-the-ear, or in-the-canal (ITC) aids

  • The least visible aids are completely-in-the-canal (CIC)

In addition, Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs), which are available over the counter, cost a fraction of the price of the average hearing aid. The Food and Drug


Administration currently states that “PSAPs are not intended to be used as hearing aids to compensate for hearing impairment,” but they may be helpful to some people with mild to moderate hearing loss.


Usually, if you have hearing loss in both ears, using two hearing aids is best. Listening in a noisy environment is difficult with an aid in just one ear because it is harder to distinguish where sounds are coming from. Again, your otolaryngologist and/or audiologist can help you decide which device may work best for you and your lifestyle.


What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor?

With any healthcare provider, you always have the right to ask questions like:

Do I really need a hearing aid?Will using a hearing aid cause further hearing loss?Are there simpler, cheaper options?What happens if I don’t do anything?


When talking to your hearing aid retailer, be sure to ask about:

Proper usage and care strategies

Future service and repair plans

Trial period or return policy

Warranty coverage and extra insurance

Consumer protection programs

A hearing aid should fit comfortably, or you’re likely not to use it. The person fitting your hearing aid should test your understanding of words and sounds in quiet as well as in noisy environments. On your own, you may start using your hearing aids in quiet surroundings to get used to the changes before moving on to more noisy places like the grocery store or a restaurant.


Think about keeping a diary to help you remember your experiences in different environments and report them to your fitter for adjustments as needed until you’re comfortable wearing your hearing aids during all waking hours. Be patient and allow yourself to get used to the aids and the “new” sounds they allow you to hear.


RELATED CONDITIONS

The information on ENThealth.org is provided solely for educational purposes and does not represent medical advice nor is it a substitute for seeking professional medical care.

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