Paediatric Conditions

Snoring and Sleep Apnoea

Snoring and noisy breathing while sleeping is abnormal in children, and is usually caused by partial or complete
obstruction of the upper airway when sleeping. Untreated it has significant physiological, neurocognitive and behavioural effects. It is often under-recognised and under-reported by parents. A thorough assessment of the upper airway can identify areas of obstruction to improve sleep quality, including adenoid and tonsillar enlargement, as well as nasal obstruction.

Ear infections / Glue ear

Children are more susceptible to developing both painful ear infections, or developing persisting fluid in their middle ear. This can have significant impact on their hearing, speech and language development, and even balance. These can be difficult to identify as children may not notice any symptoms. If fluid lasts for more than 3 months in the ear, or there are speech development concerns, or they have recurrent ear infections, small ventilation tubes (grommets) may need to be placed in the ear drum.

Airway and swallowing disorders

Paediatric airway and swallowing conditions are not infrequent issues in children, and can be contributed to by a variety of factors. Symptoms can include stridor (noisy high-pitched breathing) or stertor (snoring) and be associated with difficulty in feeding, poor weight gain, and disrupted sleep. Dr Wood works closely with Paediatricians, Neonatologists, GPs and Speech Pathologists to assist your child.

Nasal obstruction and allergic rhinitis

Nasal obstruction is very common in childhood, however if persisting can lead to disrupted sleep, daytime tiredness, long term nasal discharge, sniffing and a chronic cough. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is thought to present in up to 40% of children and frequently goes unrecognised and untreated. A thorough assessment can identify the obstruction and tailor a treatment strategy for your child.

Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis can vary from mildly annoying to severe and potentially life-threatening. Damaged tonsils most commonly result in recurrent throat infections with pain, fever and lethargy.

Removal of the tonsils may be indicated if the tonsillitis is severe and/or recurrent. Our specialists are trained in the use of modern techniques which reduce pain after tonsillectomy.

Congenital head and neck masses

Head and neck masses in the child are often a concerning finding, and have a wide range of causes. Further evaluation is often required to determine the aetiology and appropriate management, and may include radiological imaging such as ultrasound, MRI or CT.

Salivary gland disorders/Sialendoscopy

The salivary gland, in particular the parotid gland, which lies over the corner of the jaw, can be prone to recurrent swelling in childhood. These episodes are associated with a painful swelling in the cheek and can become infected. If frequent enough, ENT assessment is recommended to consider a sialendoscopy, which can reduce its frequency and severity

Voice & Swallow

The larynx (voice box) is one of the most intricate and finely controlled parts of the human body. A thorough assessment and voice or swallow analysis is available in our Adelaide city office with the latest HD video stroboscope.

We work closely with speech pathologists, singing teachers and voice physiotherapists to give our patients the best possible assessment & treatment.

Dr Wood has subspecialty training in pediatric breathing and swallowing disorders. He works closely with pediatricians and speech pathologists including the complex airway clinics at Flinders and WCH.