ENT conditions (Mr Gaurav Kumar)

  Why Is My Child’s Voice Always Hoarse or Croaky? A Parent’s Guide Some children seem to have a naturally husky voice. Others sound perfectly normal in the morning but become increasingly croaky by the end of the school day. Parents may notice that their child: sounds permanently hoarse, loses their voice after parties or football, struggles to be heard in class, or has sounded raspy for months even though they are otherwise completely well. A short-lived hoarse voice during a cold is extremely common. But persistent or repeatedly recurring hoarseness deserves a little more thought. The medical term for an abnormal voice is dysphonia . In children, the cause is frequently benign and related to how the voice is being used. Current NELFT child voice information states that hoarseness in children is commonly related to voice use rather than serious disease, with shouting, prolonged loud talking, crying and infections among the recognised contributors. However, persisten...

  Auto-Inflation for Glue Ear in Children: A Parent’s Evidence Guide for London & Essex If your child has glue ear, you may have been told to wait and see whether it improves before considering treatments such as hearing aids or grommets. Understandably, many parents then search for another question: “Can we do anything at home to help the fluid clear?” One option you may come across is auto-inflation , sometimes using a purpose-designed nasal balloon. Parents across London, East London, Brentwood and Essex frequently want to know whether it really works, whether it is safe and whether it might help their child avoid an operation. Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon , advises that auto-inflation can be a useful option for selected children with otitis media with effusion, but it should be viewed as part of an overall hearing-management plan rather than as a guaranteed cure. What is glue ear? Glue ear is the everyday name for otitis media with effusion , or OME. It means fl...

  My Child Has Ear Discharge After Grommets — Is This Normal? A Parent’s Guide Your child had grommets inserted to help with glue ear or recurrent middle-ear problems. Their hearing may have improved. They returned to nursery or school. Everything seemed settled. Then one morning you notice: fluid coming from the ear. Perhaps there is a small mark on the pillow. Perhaps the ear looks wet. Sometimes the discharge is yellow or sticky; occasionally parents notice an unpleasant smell. The immediate question is usually: “Has something gone wrong with the grommet?” The reassuring answer is that ear discharge in a child with grommets is a recognised problem and is often treatable. A small amount of clear or lightly blood-stained fluid shortly after the operation can occur. University Hospitals Sussex's children's grommet guidance , reviewed 18 June 2026 , describes slight clear discharge during the first day or so as something that can happen after surgery. Discharge that persists, de...