
The doctors at Dubuque ENT are your local experts in pediatric ENT care. We truly enjoy caring for your whole family, and making the experience easy for your little ones.
Benefits: Reduced number and severity of infections, Treat most infections with ear drops instead of oral antibiotcs, improved hearing and speech, prevent chronic ear damage
The tonsils and adenoids are structures of the lymphatic system, resting at the back of the throat (tonsils) and the back of the nose (adenoids). They help the body recognize and fight infection. Sometimes, when they are too large or become chronically infected, surgery may be necessary. One of the most common reasons to perform a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) is because of recurrent infections. If your child has had infection after infection, and meets the appropriate criteria, you may decide with your doctor that a T&A is necessary. Another reason to perform this surgery is if we are concerned about obstructive sleep apnea. This dangerous condition occurs when the tonsils and adenoids are enlarged, blocking off the child’s breathing during sleep. If there is long pausing between breaths, gasping for air, or a series of other symptoms, this is a sign of sleep apnea and surgery may be necessary to help your child breathe better during sleep. Untreated sleep apena in children can lead to problems with facial skeletal and dental growth, heart and lung problems, and issues with brain growth and development. Our doctors use the most up to date technology to safely and effectively remove the tonsils and adenoids. This requires a general anesthesia, but for most children is a same-day outpatient procedure.
Benefits: Decrease chronic sore throat pain, decrease number of throat infections or tonsillitis, improve breathing, reduce snoring, treat pediatric obstructive sleep apnea.
Click here to read the All About Tonsils and Tonsillectomy ebook.
Sometimes our children may fail a hearing test through school, or at their newborn evaluation. If this is the case, our doctors will work to identify the cause, and work together with our team of doctorate level audiologists to perform an age appropriate hearing evaluation.
Sniffling, sneezing, and cough may be signs of allergy. Allergy can frequently lead to problems with the ears and ear infections, as well as sinus and nasal problems, and asthma. Our experienced allergy team can perform pain-free allergy testing on even young children. This is helpful to help explain the cause of the child’s symptoms, and to help direct the most appropriate treatment.