Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia

Expert ENT care for children

Your child’s ability to hear clearly is vital. Good hearing helps our little ones develop their speech and communication skills. At Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia, we diagnose and treat all ear disorders, including repeat ear infections that can lead to hearing loss.

Our pediatric ENT specialists also provide comprehensive care for other complex conditions that involve your child’s ears, nose and throat, such as sinus problems and sleep disorders. We work collaboratively to make the proper diagnosis and help your child feel better.

World-class ENT team

Our pediatric ENT doctors have special training to solve complex medical problems and care for your child’s needs in a family-friendly environment. If your child needs a procedure, our pediatric ENT surgeons use the latest minimally invasive techniques. Our operating suites are specifically designed for children. We also have anesthesiologists who specialize in helping children feel comfortable. We work together with pediatric audiologists, speech pathologists, pulmonologists and respiratory therapists. With your input, we create customized care plans that help your child feel better.

Research and clinical trials advance patient care

Thanks to our exclusive partnership with Medical College of Georgia, Wellstar Children’s is the only academic medical center in the region. This means we offer the latest, state-of-the-art ENT treatments that are results of our strong research focus. Our patients also have access to clinical trials.

For example, the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center conducts airway research to improve care for patients with sleep apnea and respiratory conditions. In collaboration with Wellstar MCG Health, the team at Wellstar Children’s reaches beyond standard treatments to find innovative techniques that benefit patients of all ages.

Conditions we treat

Airway conditions
Balance disorders
Cleft lip/palate
Cystic fibrosis complications
Fluid in the ear
Head and neck conditions
Hearing disorders
Hearing loss
Nasal and sinus conditions (often blamed for allergies or routine colds)
Nasal obstructions (nose blockages)
Obstructive sleep apnea
Persistent nosebleeds
Repeat ear infections
Ruptured eardrums
Sinusitis or sinus infections
Sleep disorders
Throat disorders
Thyroid disorders
Vocal cord dysfunction
Voice and swallowing disorders

Services we offer

Time-critical newborn screenings

At Wellstar Children’s, we provide hearing tests for all newborns before they leave the hospital. We measure the response of the baby’s hearing nerve to certain sounds. Any hearing loss, no matter how slight, can impact a child’s ability to learn to speak. When we identify hearing loss early, we can start treatment and improve outcomes. If needed, pediatric audiologists will provide follow-up tests.

Advanced pediatric ENT surgical services

When performing ENT procedures, we use the most advanced technology, including image-guided surgery. We provide a wide range of surgical services:

Adenoidectomy is a surgery to remove the adenoid glands, which sit in the upper throat behind the nose. The adenoids contain lymphatic tissue that traps and destroys germs. When the adenoids become swollen, children may develop breathing problems, ear infections and other issues. Doctors often remove adenoids while removing the tonsils.
Cleft lip and palate surgery are procedures to correct a notch in the baby’s lip or an opening in the roof of the mouth (palate). Some babies are born with this issue because their lips and mouth do not properly form in the womb. Cleft lips and palates can lead to feeding issues, speech problems and ear infections.
Cochlear implant surgery is a procedure in which doctors implant an electronic device (cochlear implant) to provide a sense of sound for children who are deaf or severely hard of hearing. The implant stimulates the auditory (hearing) nerve, allowing many children to recognize sounds and understand speech.
Ear tube insertion is a surgery to place a tiny tube through the child’s eardrum, allowing trapped fluid to flow out the middle ear. Ear tubes can reduce the risk of frequent, long-lasting ear infections and prevent hearing loss.
Eardrum repair is a procedure to correct a tear or other damage to a child’s eardrum, a thin piece of skin that vibrates when sound hits. The eardrum transmits sound vibrations to other parts of the ear to help the child hear.
Endoscopic sinus surgery (or nasal sinus surgery) is a procedure that helps children with recurring sinus infections, blockages and other sinus issues. To see inside the nose, surgeons use a tube-like instrument with a camera. They may enlarge the sinus openings, remove blockages and drain the sinuses.
Laryngotracheal reconstruction is a surgery to widen or support a child’s windpipe and help make breathing easier.
Otolaryngeal cancer surgery treats ear, nose or throat cancers.
Plastics and reconstruction surgery are procedures to treat a wide variety of ENT issues, including cleft lips and palates, ear deformities, facial paralysis, broken noses and other facial fractures, and other traumatic injuries.
Rhinoplasty is a procedure to change the shape of the nose or improve the nose’s function. Surgeons may perform rhinoplasty to improve a child’s breathing, repair an injury or correct a deformity present at birth.
Salivary gland surgery treats the glands in the mouth that produce saliva. Problems with the salivary gland may include dry mouth, infections, blockages and cancer.
Thyroid and parathyroid surgery are procedures to correct problems with the thyroid and parathyroid glands. The thyroid is the gland in front of the neck that makes hormones and controls how fast or slow the body works. Reasons for thyroid surgery may include an overactive thyroid, a lump or cancer. The parathyroid glands are behind the thyroid and produce a hormone that controls calcium levels in the body. Your child’s doctor might suggest surgery if these glands make too much parathyroid hormone.
Tonsillectomy is a surgery to remove the tonsils, which are the lymph nodes that sit at the back of the mouth and top of the throat. Tonsils help to filter out germs and prevent infection. However, enlarged tonsils may cause breathing problems and painful sore throats. Doctors often remove the adenoids along with the tonsils.
Tracheostomy (or tracheotomy) is a procedure to create an opening through the neck into the trachea (windpipe). This new airway allows the child to breathe more easily and helps to remove lung secretions.

We also offer support services from other pediatric specialists, including:

Pediatric audiologists assist doctors and help treat your child through hearing loss and other conditions.
Respiratory therapists provide care for children who experience lung and breathing conditions.
Pediatric psychiatrists talk with children about their diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Speech-language pathologists evaluate and treat children with speech disorders or swallowing difficulties.
Child Life Specialists help children understand and cope with their diagnosis and treatment and talk with them about what to expect during a hospital stay.

Cochlear implants and pediatric audiology services

For children born deaf or who lose their hearing at a young age, we offer cochlear implants as a viable solution. Cochlear implants can help your child hear. After cochlear implant surgery, our rehabilitation team works with your child and family to help the implants function to their full potential. Our pediatric audiologists also provide other hearing loss treatments for tinnitus, cholesteatoma, balance disturbance and vertigo, and conductive, mixed and sensorineural hearing loss.

Cystic Fibrosis Center

Children with cystic fibrosis often develop complex sinus infections and sinus inflammation. That’s because this disease causes the body to make thick, sticky mucus that builds up in the lungs and other parts of the body. Our ENT specialists work with your child’s pulmonologist, respiratory therapist and other clinical specialists to relieve your child’s sinuses and provide the best long-term care.

Cleft and Craniofacial Center

Some children are born with a cleft lip and palate. There is an opening in their lip or at the top of their mouth because these features did not correctly form before birth. Wellstar Children’s performs surgery at our Cleft and Craniofacial Center—the only in the area—to correct cleft lips and palates. Pediatric ENT doctors collaborate with pediatric plastic surgeons and other specialists to help repair these facial differences.

Pediatric Sleep Center

Our ENT specialists assist pediatric pulmonologists and neurologists in evaluating and treating children with sleep disorders. These can include snoring and sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops and starts during sleep.