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Something Stuck Up Child’s Nose? What Parents Should Do | London & Essex ENT

  Something Stuck Up My Child’s Nose? A Parent’s Guide to Nasal Foreign Bodies Young children explore the world with extraordinary curiosity. Unfortunately, that curiosity sometimes involves putting things in places they do not belong. Beads, peas, bits of toys, paper, foam, seeds and small pieces of food can all end up inside a child’s nose. Sometimes a parent actually sees it happen. At other times nobody notices, and the first clue appears days later when the child develops a blocked nostril, an unpleasant smell or discharge from only one side of the nose. A nasal foreign body is the medical term for an object that has become lodged inside the nose. Most can be removed safely, but how parents respond matters . Repeated attempts with tweezers, fingers or other instruments can push an object deeper or injure the nasal lining. There is also one particularly important exception that every parent should know about: a button battery in the nose requires urgent hospital assessme...
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Petrous Apex Cholesteatoma Surgery | London & Essex ENT

  Petrous Apex Cholesteatoma: Expert Care for Complex Temporal Bone Conditions Persistent deep ear pain, progressive hearing loss, unsteadiness, or subtle facial weakness can easily be mistaken for routine sinus issues or recurring ear infections. However, when symptoms arise from deep within the temporal bone at the base of the skull, a detailed radiological investigation may reveal a Petrous Apex Cholesteatoma . The petrous apex is the innermost, pyramid-shaped portion of the temporal bone, located near vital cranial nerves, major blood vessels, and the brainstem. A cholesteatoma in this region is a benign (non-cancerous) but locally aggressive skin-lined cyst that expands over time. Left unmanaged, it can gradually erode surrounding bone and impinge on critical neurological structures. Because of its deep location, managing a petrous apex cholesteatoma requires sub-specialised otological expertise, high-resolution imaging, and advanced surgical planning. This guide explains the ...

Child Snoring Every Night? Sleep Apnoea Signs | London & Essex ENT

  My Child Snores Every Night – Could It Be Sleep Apnoea? A Parent’s Guide Hearing your child snore occasionally when they have a cold is common. But what if the snoring happens almost every night ? Parents may notice their child breathing loudly through their mouth, tossing around the bed, sweating heavily or sleeping in unusual positions. Some children appear to briefly stop breathing before snorting, gasping or taking a deeper breath. Understandably, seeing this can be worrying. One of the questions parents frequently ask in paediatric ENT clinics is: “How do I know whether my child is simply snoring or actually has sleep apnoea?” Most children who snore do not have obstructive sleep apnoea. NHS Healthier Together estimates that snoring occurs in around 10% of children, whereas obstructive sleep apnoea affects a much smaller proportion. However, regular snoring accompanied by disturbed breathing or poor-quality sleep deserves assessment. This guide explains what parent...

Child Ear Pain After Swimming? Swimmer’s Ear Guide | London & Essex

  Why Does My Child’s Ear Hurt After Swimming? A Parent’s Guide to Swimmer’s Ear Swimming is one of the pleasures of childhood, particularly during summer holidays. But sometimes a day in the pool is followed by a child complaining: “My ear hurts.” Parents may immediately assume their child has developed another middle-ear infection. However, when ear pain starts after swimming—particularly when the ear feels itchy, blocked or tender to touch—the problem may actually be otitis externa , often called swimmer’s ear . Swimmer’s ear affects the skin lining the ear canal , rather than the space behind the eardrum. Water is an important trigger, but it is not the only one. Scratching, cotton buds, eczema, soap and shampoo can also damage or irritate the delicate skin of the ear canal. Understanding the difference can help parents know what to do, what not to put in the ear, and when their child needs a medical assessment. What exactly is swimmer’s ear? The ear has several differe...