Key Points Enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct is a commonly detected inner ear anomaly. The hearing loss of enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct (EVA) characteristically shows fluctuation, progression, or both. Patients with EVA often have a low-frequency conductive hearing loss…
Key Points In congenital sensorineural hearing loss, approximately 20% of inner ears demonstrate a radiographically detectable abnormality. Many patterns of deformity appear to result from disturbances in the embryogenesis of the inner ear during the first trimester. Enlargement of the…
Key Points Protocols for newborn hearing screening include a hearing screen by 1 month of age, diagnostic hearing testing in those who failed the hearing screen by 3 months of age, and early intervention for infants diagnosed with hearing loss…
Key Points 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the most common microdeletion syndrome. There is a large phenotypic variance in 22q11.2DS, thus requiring a high index of diagnostic suspicion for genetic testing. Otolaryngologists play a key role in the care of…
Key Points Velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) refers to any type of abnormality in form or function and is further categorized as insufficiency, incompetence, or mislearning and as phoneme- or sound-specific VPD. Phoneme- or sound-specific VPD involves abnormal production of one or…
Key Points Cleft lip and palate deformities constitute the most common congenital defects of the head. The etiology of clefting is multifactorial. Its prevalence varies among ethnic groups and within families. Syndromes are common, especially among patients with cleft palate.…
Speech and language disorders in children comprise a variety of conditions with overlapping features. Pediatric otolaryngologists are often one of the first professionals to see these children, often to rule out hearing loss as a potential contributing factor. Parents may…
Key Points Trauma is the leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality in the United States. The patterns of facial fractures in children are age dependent because of developmental, anatomic, and behavioral considerations. Pediatric facial fractures are associated with higher…
Key Points Craniofacial anomalies occur in as many as 1 in 500 to 1000 live births for cleft lip and palate, 1 in 2000 for isolated craniosynostosis, and 1 in 20,000 to 50,000 live births for some syndromic types of…
Key Points Most congenital nasal lesions occur secondary to developmental errors in one of three embryologic zones: the anterior neuropore, the central midface, or the nasobuccal membrane. Encephaloceles, gliomas, and dermoids share a common embryologic origin and frequently manifest as…