ENT conditions (Mr Gaurav Kumar)

  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...

  Retracted Eardrum in Children: Ear Infections, Glue Ear and Hearing Concerns Explained Parents are sometimes told after an ear examination that their child has a retracted eardrum . This can sound worrying, especially if the child has had repeated ear infections, glue ear, blocked ears, hearing problems or speech concerns. A retracted eardrum means the eardrum is being pulled inwards towards the middle ear space. It is not the same as a burst eardrum, and it does not always indicate an active infection. However, it can be a sign that the middle ear is not ventilating normally. In children, this is often linked to the Eustachian tube — the small tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the nose. When this tube does not open and equalise pressure well, negative pressure can build up behind the eardrum. Over time, this may pull the eardrum inwards. Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon, assesses children with ear infections, glue ear, hearing concerns and paediatric ENT ...

  Why is fluid, pus, or Blood Coming from My Child’s Ear? A Parent’s Guide to Ear Discharge Seeing fluid coming from your child’s ear can be worrying. The discharge may be clear, yellow, creamy, green, smelly or slightly blood-stained. Some children have significant ear pain before the discharge appears. Others seem surprisingly comfortable once the ear starts to drain. Parents often ask the same urgent question: “Has my child’s eardrum burst?” Sometimes the answer is yes. A middle-ear infection can cause pressure to build behind the eardrum until a small perforation develops, allowing infected fluid to drain out. However, this is not the only cause of ear discharge. The fluid may instead be coming from the ear canal, through a grommet, from irritated skin, or from another ear condition. The appearance of the discharge alone cannot always identify the cause. Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon, assesses children with ear, hearing and other paediatric ENT concerns from London, E...