The most common children's ENT conditions seen in my practice, and I believe in most ENT practices in Singapore, include:
- Impacted earwax
- Ear infections
- Nose allergies
- Nosebleeds
- Sinus and adenoid infections
- Frequent tonsil infections
- Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea
- Enlarged lymph nodes
The above-mentioned conditions are considered "general ENT conditions" in children and can be managed by all ENT Specialists in Singapore.
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) or Otorhinolaryngology is a surgical specialty. An ENT Specialist is not the same as a general practitioner with a special interest in ENT (often by obtaining a Diploma in ENT). It takes more than 5 years of postgraduate training and numerous examinations to become an ENT Specialist. All ENT Specialists must be accredited by the Ministry of Health and Singapore Medical Council.
Most ENT Specialists in Singapore undergo 1-2 years of additional training in overseas centres to subspecialise within the field of ENT. They include:
- Ear Subspecialist (Otologist)
- Nose and sinus subspecialist (Rhinologist)
- Throat and Voice Subspecialist (Laryngologist)
- Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Subspecialist (Sleep Surgeon)
- Subspecialist in plastic surgery of the face, including Rhinoplasty aka "nose job" (Facial plastic surgeon)
- Head and Neck Subspecialist (Head & Neck Surgeon)
- Children's ENT Subspecialist (Paediatric ENT)
The expertise of a paediatric ENT may be required if your child has complex medical ENT conditions as follow:
- Severe hearing impairment possibly requiring cochlear implant (may be assessed and managed by an Ear Subspecialist too)
- Complex upper airway conditions requiring surgical intervention
- Abnormal ear or ear canal requiring reconstruction
- Complex swallowing and voice disorders
- Head & neck tumours (may be assessed and managed by a Head & Neck Surgeon too)
To find out more about how to go about seeing ENT Specialist in Singapore, do check out my previous article on Human here.
