Section 1: General Chapter 1 : General Considerations In Pediatric Otolaryngology Normal Growth Physiologically, children have a greater ratio of body surface area to volume than adults; as a result they are at greater risk of excessive loss of heat…
Key Points A stable airway is a prerequisite for oral feeding. Functional and safe swallowing consists of interrelated sequential movements of saliva, liquid, and food through the oral cavity, pharynx, and upper esophagus to the stomach. Dysphagia is defined as…
Key Points Most foreign bodies occur in boys under the age of 3. Common airway foreign bodies are peanuts, seeds, and vegetable matter. Most common esophageal foreign bodies are coins and pins. A reliable history and a witnessed aspiration or…
Key Points The frequency of diagnosis and treatment of ankyloglossia (tongue tie) and tight maxillary frenulum (lip tie) has increased dramatically in the last few decades. Ankyloglossia can be categorized into four types, with types I and II describing “anterior”…
Key Points Because of the advances in medical care, rates of pediatric tracheotomy have recently declined. The process of obtaining informed consent prior to surgery requires that families understand expectations for tracheostomy management and the potential for decannulation. Prior to…
Key Points The true incidence of laryngeal cleft is difficult to estimate, but it is as high as 7.6% in patients undergoing direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy for recurrent respiratory symptoms. A multidisciplinary approach is required to evaluate and manage laryngeal…
Key Points Tracheal anomalies in children represent one of the greater challenges in pediatric otolaryngology. In addition to the compromised airway, there is a high prevalence of associated anomalies. Despite surgical and technologic advances, significant morbidity and mortality remain. Advances…
Key Points Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a devastating, albeit rare, disease in which papillomas of the airway cause hoarseness and airway obstruction. The disease is caused by human papillomavirus 6 and 11, the same subtypes responsible for the development…
Key Points Laryngeal stenosis can be congenital or acquired. It often involves multiple levels of the airway. The presentation may range from mild symptoms affecting the voice, respiration, and/or feeding to significant respiratory distress requiring emergent intubation or tracheotomy to…
Key Points Initial evaluation of a child with noisy breathing involves assessment of the phase and character of the noise; patient distress in relation to states of sleep, wakefulness, and feeding; overall color and oxygen saturation; growth and weight gain;…