Pediatric Otolaryngology

Refers to the study, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the head and neck (excluding brain, eyes, and spinal cord). Otolaryngologists, sometimes called "ear, nose, and throat doctors" or "ENT's," perform surgical procedures to correct conditions, such as hearing loss, ear infections, sinus and airway problems, and sinus or neck tumors. They are also well-versed in facial plastic surgery.

Pediatric Airway Disorders and Reconstruction - evaluation and management of congenital and acquired airway problems [narrowing or abnormalities of the airway; subglottic, laryngeal, tracheal stenosis]. Surgical reconstruction of the airway can be completed by our surgeons who perform these procedures on a regular basis at Riley Hospital. If the patient's condition requires, our airway surgeons collaborate with the Riley Pediatric Cardiovascular surgeons on long segment tracheal stenosis.

Pediatric Voice & Swallowing Disorders - offering comprehensive evaluation tools including videostroboscopy, videofluoroscopy and laryngeal electromyography. Assessment may involve a variety of team members including otolaryngologists with laryngology or pediatric fellowship training, neurologists, and licensed speech language pathologists, with interventions including speech/swallowing therapy, and/or surgery.

Pediatric Head & Neck Surgery - surgical management of multiple clinical problems of the head & neck including thyroid disease [nodules, goiters, cancer], congenital neck masses & cysts and vascular malformations.

Pediatric Chronic Sinusitis and Sinonasal Disorders Program - offering medical and surgical management of sinusitis, cystic fibrosis sinusitis care, surgical management of congenital nasal lesions & masses [including choanal atresia, nasal airway obstruction, dermoids, gliomas, encephaloceles]. We collaborate with other pediatric physicians [pediatricians, pulmonologists, allergists/immunologists, neurosurgeons, infectious disease specialists] at Riley Hospital as well as private practitioners in the community to offer the best possible care for patients. Services are offered at Riley Hospital for Children downtown and Riley North at Clarian North Medical Center.

Pediatric Otology/Ear Surgery: our fellowship trained otologists/neurotologists and pediatric otolaryngologists offer state of the art ear and hearing care. Services include management of otitis media, chronic ear infections/drainage, cholesteatoma, evaluation of hearing loss, treatment of hearing loss [hearing aids, surgery, cochlear implants].

Pediatric Cochlear Implantation: As an investigative center for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's clinical trials - the first ones involving children - Riley was instrumental in the federal approval for the use of cochlear implants in infants and children. Riley otolaryngologists, audiologists and researchers remain one of the largest pediatric cochlear implant centers in the world as well as the only one in the state that is funded by the National Institutes of Health. The team is a pioneer in the new field of brain stem implants for the hearing impaired.

Speech and Hearing Program: Riley offers a number of clinics to help children with complex medical problems. Many of these children have speech and hearing problems. Riley's otolaryngologists, audiologists and speech language pathologists help children with cleft palates, craniofacial anomalies, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders.

Sursa Infant Speech Perception Laboratory: Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Sursa Infant Speech Perception Laboratory investigates several aspects of language development in infants and toddlers who have hearing loss: (1) speech and language comprehension skills, (2) communicative interactions with their mothers, and (3) auditory-visual integration. Their language skills before and after hearing intervention (cochlear implant or hearing aid) are compared to normal-hearing infants' to better understand how hearing loss and intervention can affect later language development.