Hearing Disability Reasons Among Kids
The ear is commonly divided into three parts: the ear lobe and ear canal are located on the outside of the ear; the ear drum and ear bones are located in the middle of the ear; and the hearing organ and nerve that travels from the ear to the brain are located in the interior of the ear. Long-term infection or disease of the middle or inner ear can cause hearing loss because of the sensitivity of these structures. Temporary or permanent hearing loss are both possible outcomes of this condition. Most of the time, your Pediatric ENT won't be able to guarantee that your child's hearing loss will go away completely. However, the initial hearing test can often give a good idea of the patient's hearing "reserve."
Ear Drainage and Perforations in the Ear Drum: What Are They?
Trauma or infection can cause a perforation in the ear drum. The majority of the time, infections that lead to perforations in the ear drum heal on their own. Some perforations, on the other hand, are too large to close on their own and will eventually become infected, resulting in ear drainage. First, your doctor will treat the infection and give your child a "safe" ear. This will keep the infection from spreading and causing more damage to the ear.
After the child's ear infection has been treated, it will be possible to talk about repairing the perforation.
Cholesteatoma - What Is It?
The skin in the ear canal may grow into the middle ear if a perforation has been present for several months or years, leading to cholesteatoma. A cholesteatoma is a type of cyst that is composed entirely of dead skin cells. Cholesteatomas are frequently accompanied by a great deal of skin debris. Cholesteromas are slow-growing masses that are capable of eroding nearby structures, such as the middle ear bones (malleus) and the bone encompassing the ear next to the brain (the incus). The inner ear's balance and hearing organs can be damaged by cholesteatomas as well. As a result, cholesteatomas should be removed as soon as possible after they are found. Before removing the cholesteatoma, your doctor may try to treat the infection first to increase the likelihood of a successful procedure.
What is a Congenital Cholesteatoma, and how does one go about getting one?
Skin tissue trapped behind the tympanic membrane during foetal development can form a cholesteatoma in rare cases. These people have never had an issue with the eardrum perforation or serious ear infections that can occur because of it.
The cholesteatoma, on the other hand, can be quite large. Typically, cholesteatomas are small "Pearls" or cysts that are attached to the tympanic membrane's inner surface or one of the ear's bones directly. Sometimes, a single operation is all that's needed to get rid of the growths.
How do you know if you have chronic ear disease?
Depending on the diagnosis, your doctor may use an operating microscope to look at your child. This will help you see the problem more clearly and give you a better idea of how bad your child's ear disease really is. A computed tomography (CAT) scan is used to determine if a cholesteatoma has spread beyond the area behind the ear drum. To examine the area directly behind the ear and the mastoid bone more closely, your doctor will use this specialized x-ray image.
Before beginning therapy, your doctor will have you take a hearing test to rule out any underlying hearing issues. As a result of cholesteatoma-related dizziness or unsteadiness, your doctor may also recommend a few other specialized tests to determine how bad your child's hearing is.
When it comes to treating ear disease, what options are there?
Even if you think your child's ear disease is getting better, it's critical to follow your doctor's instructions and keep taking the medications prescribed for chronic ear infections. Antibiotics, both oral and in the form of ear drops, are frequently prescribed by your doctor. In order to remove debris, pus, and other elements of chronic infection, he may ask you to watering the affected ear with a special solution.
Some bacteria in the ear and mastoid that cannot be treated with oral antibiotics may necessitate hospitalization or home intravenous therapy for your child. Using any one of these approaches will lead to a complete recovery from chronic otitis media. It's your job to see that your child gets the therapy they need, and to schedule follow-up appointments with the pediatric ENT so he or she can monitor their progress.
**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.