My Child Has a Perforated Eardrum — Will It Heal? A Parent’s Guide Being told that your child has a perforated eardrum can sound more alarming than it often is. Parents may hear terms such as “burst eardrum”, “hole in the eardrum” or “tympanic membrane perforation”. Sometimes the diagnosis follows a painful ear infection that suddenly starts discharging. In other cases, the hole is found after an injury, loud noise, pressure change or hearing test. The first question is usually: “Will it heal?” In many children, the answer is yes. NHS guidance explains that a perforated eardrum is a hole or tear in the eardrum and that it commonly heals on its own, often within around two months. However, not every perforation behaves in exactly the same way. The cause, size and position of the hole, whether infection keeps recurring and whether hearing is affected all influence what happens next. This guide explains what parents need to know, including water precautions, hearing assess...
Why Does My Child Have a Lump in Their Neck? A Parent’s Guide to Swollen Glands Discovering a lump in your child’s neck can be unsettling. You may notice it while washing their hair, fastening a school shirt or cuddling them at bedtime. Sometimes your child finds it first and says there is a small “ball” under the skin. One of the first questions parents understandably ask is: “Should I be worried?” Fortunately, the majority of neck lumps in children have a benign explanation , and swollen lymph nodes associated with infections are particularly common. NICE states that reactive cervical lymphadenopathy is the most likely cause of a neck lump in children. However, not every neck lump is simply a swollen gland. Its position, size, duration, whether it is painful and whether your child has other symptoms all matter. This guide explains common causes, what parents can monitor and when medical or paediatric ENT assessment is appropriate. What are the little glands in my child...