ENT conditions (Mr Gaurav Kumar)

  I Found a Lump in My Child’s Neck — Is It a Swollen Gland and When Should I Worry? You are washing your child’s hair or helping them get dressed when your fingers suddenly find something. A small lump. Just below the jaw. Or perhaps behind the ear. You check the other side. Then you check it again. And a very understandable thought appears: “Why does my child have a lump in their neck?” Neck lumps can cause enormous anxiety for parents. The reassuring starting point is that small lymph nodes are extremely common in children . Children encounter frequent infections as their immune systems develop. Lymph nodes form part of that immune system and often enlarge while responding to infections. Current NHS paediatric guidance estimates that around half of otherwise healthy children may have lymphadenopathy at any one time , and most cases are reactive rather than serious. However, you shouldn't ignore every neck lump. The useful questions are: Where is it? How big is it?...

  Why Is My Child’s Voice Always Hoarse or Croaky? When Should Their Voice Be Checked? Your child comes home from school sounding croaky. Perhaps they spent luncht ime shouting across the playground. Perhaps they were at football practice. Or perhaps you have started to realise something different: “Their voice seems hoarse almost all the time.” Parents describe this in different ways. “My child sounds husky.” “Her voice is always raspy.” “He loses his voice after football.” “She sounds as though she constantly has a cold.” Most episodes of childhood hoarseness are temporary and not a sign of serious disease. But when a child’s voice repeatedly becomes hoarse, tires easily, or simply never seems to return to normal, it is reasonable to ask why. How does a child’s voice work? The  larynx , commonly called the voice box, sits in the neck . Within it are two vocal folds. When your child breathes, the vocal folds remain open so air can pass towards the lungs. When your child talks...

  Swallowing Problems in Adults: Exercises and Dysphagia Care in London & Essex “Why does food feel as though it is sticking in my throat?” and “Are there exercises I can do to improve my swallowing?” are common questions from adults experiencing swallowing difficulties. For patients across London, East London, Brentwood and Essex, the important first step is understanding why swallowing has changed . Exercises can be helpful for some forms of dysphagia, but the right exercise depends on which part of the swallowing mechanism is affected. Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon , assesses adults with throat, voice and swallowing symptoms and works alongside speech and language therapy and other specialities where required. The NHS advises that dysphagia should be medically assessed because treatment depends on its cause and severity. What is dysphagia? Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. You might notice problems swallowing food, liquids, tablets or even s...

  Why Does My Child Hear Ringing or Buzzing in Their Ears? Tinnitus in Children Explained Your child suddenly says: “Mum, there is a ringing noise in my ear.” You listen. You cannot hear anything. They may describe a buzz, whistle, hum, hiss or perhaps something much more imaginative: “It sounds like bees.” “There is a fan inside my ear.” “I hear wind when the room is quiet.” For a parent, this can sound alarming. But children can experience tinnitus , just as adults can. Tinnitus means hearing a sound when there is no corresponding external sound producing it. The NHS describes tinnitus as hearing noises such as ringing, buzzing, whooshing, humming or hissing that do not come from an outside source. And importantly: Tinnitus does not automatically mean that something serious is wrong. Can children really get tinnitus? Yes. It is probably more common than many parents realise. Current NHS children's information from East Sussex reports research estimates suggest...