ENT conditions (Mr Gaurav Kumar)

  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...

"My Child Screams Every Time We Fly" — The East London, Brentwood and Essex Parent's Guide to Preventing Ear Pain (Otic Barotrauma) If you have ever watched your child clutch their ears and cry inconsolably on a flight—or seen them grow pale and distressed during the descent over the M25 or A127 corridor on the approach to the airport—you know exactly how heartbreaking and helpless that moment feels. Ear pain in children during air travel is one of the most common complaints raised in paediatric ENT clinics across East London, Brentwood and Essex. It is entirely natural for parents to feel anxious about booking family holidays when they dread the flight's final 30 minutes. The great news is that this distress is not something your family simply has to endure. The underlying issue is a highly manageable mechanical condition known clinically as otic barotrauma (pressure-induced ear injury), and it is entirely preventable in the vast majority of children with the righ...

Glue Ear in Children: What Parents Need to Know About Hearing, Speech and Grommets Glue ear is one of the most common childhood ENT conditions and can sometimes affect hearing, speech development and school performance. Many parents first notice subtle signs such as turning the television volume up, saying “what?” more often or seeming less attentive than usual. In younger children, speech clarity or language development may also be affected. In many cases, glue ear improves naturally. However, persistent hearing problems or recurrent ear infections may require specialist ENT assessment and, in some children, treatment with grommets. This guide explains the symptoms of glue ear, why it happens and when treatment may be considered. What is glue ear? Glue ear occurs when fluid collects behind the eardrum in the middle ear. The fluid is usually not infected, but it can prevent the eardrum and hearing bones from moving normally, leading to reduced hearing. The medical term for glue ...

  Recurrent Tonsillitis in Children: A Parent’s Guide to Symptoms, Treatment and Tonsil Surgery Most children will experience sore throats during childhood, especially during the winter months. However, some children develop recurrent tonsillitis , in which repeated throat infections begin to affect school attendance, sleep, eating, and overall quality of life. Frequent infections can be exhausting for both children and parents, particularly when symptoms keep returning despite multiple courses of antibiotics. This article explains the symptoms of recurrent tonsillitis, when specialist ENT assessment may help and when tonsil surgery (tonsillectomy) may be considered. What are the tonsils? The tonsils are two pads of tissue at the back of the throat that form part of the immune system. In young children, the tonsils help recognise germs entering through the mouth and nose. However, some children experience repeated inflammation or enlargement of the tonsils, leading to ongoin...