- Office Laryngoscopy
- Office Videostroboscopy
Office Laryngoscopy
An office laryngoscopy is a visual examination of the area at the back of your child’s throat or the area where the voice box is located. ENT for Children might recommend a laryngoscopy for a child who exhibits the following symptoms:
- Breathing problems/noisy breathing
- Voice problems
- Narrowing of the nose/throat
- Difficulty swallowing
The primary goal of an office laryngoscopy is to discover the cause of the symptoms your child is experiencing. Performed in one of our ENT for Children offices, your pediatric ENT will conduct the procedure by inserting a flexible fiberoptic laryngoscope, which is a thin tube with a camera at the end, into your child’s nose and then to the back of the throat. The live video image is displayed on monitors for you and your child to see. The procedure is usually very short lasting only a couple minutes. ENT for Children will make the experience interactive for you and your child. We will also apply a flavored topical medication to decongest and numb the nasal passages, as this can be the most irritating part of the endoscopy.
Office Videostroboscopy
A child / teenager may have problems with their voice or vocal cords. In this case your ENT for Children specialist will recommend a videostroboscopy in order to analyze the function of your child/teen’s vocal cords and voice. This office procedure used to be only performed in adults; however, our state of the art technology now allows us to evaluate the vocal cords of children with this advanced technique in the office.
The procedure is performed using a similar, but more advanced thin, flexible laryngoscope. A flavored topical anesthetic and decongestant are sprayed into the nasal passages. Your child is seated in the caregiver’s lap or by him/herself if they are older. Voice analysis and recording microphones are then attached to the patient’s shirt. The thin, flexible scope is then passed into the nose and to the throat to view the vocal cords. We will then have the child talk and say certain phrases/tones. A special strobe light is then activated to view the motion of the vocal cords in slow motion. The audio and video are recorded for later review or playback. This procedure is still short and usually lasts less than 5 minutes. How your child’s voice box moves during the procedure will help us determine how it is working, detect any anomalies that might be causing it to move abnormally and recommend a treatment plan that may correct the condition. The video can be easily sent via email to other various professionals that are involved in your child’s voice care (i.e. speech therapist, voice or singing coach).