Newswise — Have you ever been "tongue-tied?" Most everyone believes at some point in their life they have been tongue-tied, when they were unable to speak because of awe, shyness, or embarrassment
But to physicians and some concerned parents there is another meaning to being tongue-tied. "Ankyloglossia" is a condition when the frenlum, the strong cord of tissue under the tongue, is especially tight or fails to recede with age. The result could be tongue mobility problems and failure for proper development of mouth structures. Ankyloglossia is also known as "tongue-tie."
This condition can easily be treated by an otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeon, more commonly known as an ear, nose, and throat specialist. These specialists also diagnose and treat a number of pediatric medical disorders, which include infected or enlarged tonsils, allergies and sinusitis, middle ear infections, head and neck cancer, and acid reflux. Pediatric ear, nose, and throat disorders remain among the primary reasons children and adolescents visit a physician. Accordingly, the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), the national medical society for 12,000 ear, nose, and throat specialists is, for the third consecutive year, sponsoring "Kids E.N.T. Health," a national public information campaign to inform the public about pediatric ear, nose, and throat disorders. With the support of a grant from Pfizer, Inc., and UCB Pharma, this educational initiative will offer new health information to pediatricians, family practice physicians, and the public.
New additions to the library this year include a new leaflet and five fact sheets. The patient leaflet, "Doctor, please explain ear tubes," http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/ears/Ear-Tubes.cfm, provides an important supplement to existing Academy information regarding the treatment options for acute and chronic otitis media. Almost daily, the public is deluged with conflicting information about the appropriate treatment options for middle ear infection " antibiotics vs. surgery vs. "do nothing" " this leaflet offers an easily understood explanation of when tubes are necessary, the procedure itself, and post-operative care.
Fact sheets address specific clinical issues, expanding on information offered in other Academy patient information leaflets. Joining the pediatric otolaryngology library during this year's campaign are downloadable, formatted fact sheets, addressing:
Pediatric head and neck tumors http://www.entnet.org/KidsENT/Pediatric-Head-and-Neck-Tumors.cfmEar infections and vaccines http://www.entnet.org/KidsENT/vaccinesEar.cfm, Cleft palates http://www.entnet.org/KidsENT/Cleft.cfmFood allergies http://www.entnet.org/KidsENT/Pediatric-Food-Allergies.cfmAnkyloglossia http://www.entnet.org/KidsENT/tongue_tie.cfm
At the same time, the public will be informed of the specialty's ongoing efforts in new research regarding tympanostomy tubes. Special note will be made of the articles, "The Cooperative Outcomes Group for ENT: A Multi-Center Prospective Cohort Study on the Outcomes of Tympanostomy Tubes for Children with Otitis Media" and "Opening Plugged Tympanostomy Tubes: Effect of Inner Diameter and Shaft Length," both appearing in the February 2005 edition of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery.
All this information is available online at http://www.entnet.org/kidsent/.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology " Head and Neck Surgery http://www.entnet.org, one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's mission is: "Working for the Best Ear, Nose, and Throat Care."
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