Pediatric ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat)

When your child has trouble hearing, breathing, swallowing or sleeping, it can affect their growth and development. At mid-Missouri’s only pediatric ENT (ear, nose and throat) clinic, our expert pediatric otolaryngologists (ENT specialists) can address your concerns and help kids thrive.

Our board-certified pediatric ENTs at Children’s Hospital treat children of all ages with aerodigestive conditions affecting their breathing and swallowing.

Our team also performs a high volume of pediatric ENT procedures, including ear tube placement and tonsillectomy, as well as advanced minimally invasive and reconstructive surgeries for conditions present at birth.

Our Approach to Pediatric ENT Care

Our pediatric otolaryngologists can treat even the most complex ear, nose and throat conditions in kids of all ages. Because we’re part of an academic health system, we also work closely with other specialists not available at many hospitals.

Your child’s expert care team may include:

Pediatric ENTs: Perform advanced surgery for a range of ear, nose and throat conditions.
Pediatric gastroenterologists: Help treat kids with acid reflux and other digestive issues.
Pediatric sleep specialists: Evaluate sleep apnea, snoring and breathing concerns for kids with issues with breathing or sleeping.
Pediatric head and neck cancer surgeons: Perform surgery for kids with certain cancers.
Pediatric neurosurgeons and pediatric plastic surgeons: Help repair complex conditions affecting your child’s face, head and neck.
Pediatricians: Manage chronic conditions like allergic rhinitis or other issues and may refer you to us.
Pediatric audiologists: Offer tests and treatments for hearing loss.
Speech pathologists and feeding therapists: Support kids with swallowing and voice issues.
Interventional radiologists: Provide minimally invasive treatments for hemangiomas.
Pediatric nurse practitioners: Can provide education to your family and help manage your child’s follow-up care.
Resident physicians: Help evaluate your child and support the entire care team.

How to See a Pediatric ENT

You can reach out to our team directly, or your pediatrician, dentist or other specialist can refer you to us. We routinely provide second opinions for issues like enlarged tonsils, recurrent sinus infections, sleep apnea and other ear, nose and throat conditions in kids.

Conditions We Treat

Acid reflux (GERD)
Aerodigestive conditions
Airway issues
Allergic rhinitis
Balance issues (dizziness, vertigo)
Bell’s palsy (facial paralysis)
Breathing issues (including noisy breathing)
Broken nose (nasal fracture)
Craniofacial anomalies (cleft palate, Treacher Collins syndrome)
Ear pain
Facial and neck trauma
Foreign body in ear, nose, throat or lung
Frequent ear infections (otitis media)
Frequent strep throat
Head and neck injuries
Hearing loss
Hemangiomas and vascular anomalies
Laryngeal cleft and other inherited conditions
Lumps in neck (neck masses)
Noisy breathing
Nosebleeds
Perforated eardrum
Ringing in ears (tinnitus)
Sinus Infections (sinusitis)
Sleep apnea and snoring
Swallowing issues (dysphasia)
Swollen adenoids
Swollen ear
Thyroid issues
Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia)
Tonsil infections (tonsilitis)
Voice box issues (including laryngomalacia)

Pediatric ENT Treatments Available

When you first meet with our team, we’ll ask you questions about your child’s condition and health history. Your child may also have a hearing test, blood test or X-rays. We may also examine your child’s airway with a small flexible camera (endoscope).

Not every condition requires surgery. When treatment is needed, we’ll explain all options clearly and help you decide what’s best for your child.

Minimally Invasive Airway Surgery

Kids can be born with or develop issues that affect their airways, causing problems like noisy breathing or difficulty swallowing. Our team can perform minimally invasive surgery to correct these issues using endoscopes (small cameras), lasers and other advanced techniques.

With our leading-edge techniques, we can even perform surgery on newborns to support healthy growth and development.

Ear Tube Surgery for Frequent Ear Infections

If your child has recurrent ear infections, ear tubes may help improve hearing, drain fluid buildup and reduce infections. Our pediatric ENTs can evaluate your child’s ears to determine if surgery is a good option for them.

Tonsil and Adenoid Surgery

Large tonsils or adenoids (glands at the top of the throat) can affect your child’s breathing or sleep. For some kids, surgery to remove the tonsils and/or adenoids can help ease their symptoms. We perform a high volume of successful tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies in kids of all ages.

Surgery for Hearing Loss

We offer cochlear implants and other devices to help kids with hearing loss. Our pediatric ENTs work closely with other specialists, including audiologists and therapists, to determine the right approach and support your child’s communication and development.