Why Does My Child Keep Clearing Their Throat? A Parent’s Guide “ Ahem… ahem… ahem. ” Once you notice your child repeatedly clearing their throat, it can become difficult to ignore. Perhaps it happens every few minutes while they watch television. Their teacher may mention it at school. Some children repeatedly sniff as well; others say they feel mucus in their throat or that “something is there”, even though they otherwise seem completely well. Parents naturally wonder whether this means allergy, enlarged adenoids, reflux, infection—or even something stuck in the throat. Persistent throat clearing in children has several possible causes , and the symptom pattern is often more informative than the sound itself. Sometimes nasal mucus irritates the throat. Sometimes the throat remains sensitive following a viral infection. In other children, repeated clearing gradually becomes a learnt or habitual behaviour. Throat clearing can also occur as a vocal tic. The important point i...
What is a pharyngeal pouch? When we eat food, it passes through the mouth, into the pharynx (the space behind our oral cavity) and then into the oesophagus (food pipe). In some patients, the lower part of the pharynx can bulge or form a pocket that can collect food and become large enough to compress on the food pipe. This 'hernia' is commonly known as the pharyngeal pouch or Zenker's diverticulum. Is a pharyngeal pouch serious? A pharyngeal pouch is an uncommon condition presenting predominantly in males than females, usually showing after the age of seventy or later. If the pharyngeal pouch is left untreated, it can become more prominent, and the regurgitation of food into the windpipe can lead to chest infections. In sporadic cases, cancer can form in the pouch. What are the symptoms of a pharyngeal pouch? Symptoms of pharyngeal pouch depend on the size. A small pharyngeal pouch mainly presents as a feeling of something stuck in the throat or choking...