Has anyone's dc ever been to an ENT for an airway evaluation?

[brigmaman]

Just curious as to what this entails.
TIA

[jamsmu]

Not for airway but for ear. We go back next week. Everything okay?

[papal]

Is everything okay with Cadie?

We did have to go to the ENT when Leela was about 3 weeks (and several follow ups later). She has what is called Laryngomalacia..a fairly common condition that is caused because the opening (i forget the medical terminology) is not fully matured. So on every inhalation she used to make a duck like noise. Anyway, the ENT doc put the scope down her throat to see if there was any inflammation. they are not sure exactly why, but reflux is sometimes related to this condition.. so they watch for inflammation due to acid reflux. anyway, a year later, it is better. When she get REALLY hyper excited, she starts making those noises again... but it has improved much more.
Let me know if you need any more info girlie.

[brigmaman]

Hmmm...the ped mentioned something about the possiblility that Cadie has a "floppy epiglottis." She just looks like she's always breathing pretty heavy. When I'm holding her, her whole body moves. It's not always, but a lot of the time.
How did he put a scope down her throat? Now I'm getting scared.

[papal]

I think that is the same thing Leela had. Yep, leela looked like she was breathing heavily, especially when bfing (but this was part due to too much milk also). Her heavy breathing was accompanied by a noise which is referred to as Stridor.

Honestly, the scope thing was much scarier for me than her. It was easier when she was infant because she couldn't move as much. It is a VERY thin tube with a camera at the end... they have a really thin one for infants.. they just slide it into the mouth and then the baby swallows and it goes in. The ENT doc takes a few seconds to see what is inside and out it comes. She did cry but fell right asleep afterwards. Don't worry girlie, the ENT docs are very experienced with infants usually.
Our ENT doc was the one who suggested Zantac for the reflux too.

[brigmaman]

Ok, thanks, Rashmi. I feel better about it now. We couldn't get an appointment until Jan. 6th. Is there a treatment for this?

[papal]

There is no treatment really.. as they grow older, the epiglottis will mature and not flop as much. You will see a steady improvement over the next few weeks and months. Just the other day we were seeing video of Leela when she was 2 months old and were like 'Remember when she made those duck noises!!".
What my ENT said was they do like to see you every couple of months or so because they want to monitor if there is any inflammation caused by reflux, if she has reflux. She very well may not have it though. Reflux, if not monitored in babies can lead to worse problems and in the worst case, surgery, i believe. I don't think you need to worry about that.

Keep those boobies handy to stop the crying after the laryngoscopy. Nothing like boob-juice to calm the baby down. :D

Here are some links to read about it:
http://www.emedicine.com/PED/topic1280.htm
http://www.pedisurg.com/PtEducENT/Stridor&laryngomalacia.htm
http://sids-network.org/experts/laryngomalacia.htm