What is a uvula? A small extension of the soft palate that hangs from the roof of the mouth.

What is wry neck? Torticollis, or a turning of the head to one side caused by spasm or injury of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

Why does my child snore? Snoring is caused by vibration of the soft palate while sleeping. It is usually caused by obstruction of the nasal passages or airway by the tonsils or adenoids.

What are PE tubes? Pneumatic Equalization Tubes. They are placed in the eardrum so that fluid does not accumulate in the middle ear.

What causes hearing loss? Conductive hearing loss results from something interfering with sound waves traveling through the outer or middle ear. It can be caused by blockage of the ear canal with wax, fluid, or infection in the middle ear, or damage to the bones in the middle ear. Sensorineural hearing loss results from problems in the inner ear or auditory nerve. Causes for this condition include abnormal development of the inner ear or damage to this area from injury, tumor, or infection.

What are adenoids? Adenoids are a collection of lymphoid tissue located in between the nose and throat in a child's airway. They serve as a defense against infection. They cannot be seen when looking down an opened mouth without using special equipment.

What are tonsils? Tonsils are lymphoid tissue located in the back of the mouth that serve as a defense against infection. They trap germs entering the throat and produce antibodies to fight infection.

What is tonsillitis? Tonsillitis occurs when tonsils become large and infected. They may appear swollen and red and have a white, pustular coating on them. Other symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Fever
• Pain with swallowing
• Raspy voice
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

How do I know whether my child’s tonsils or adenoids need to come out? To be removed, tonsils need to be more than just large or swollen. For many children, this is a normal state. Common reasons a child may need their adenoids and/or tonsils removed include:

• Recurrent infections
• Recurrent fluid in the ears
• Snoring associated with sleep apnea (a period of time spent without breathing)
• Speech problems
• Chronic nasal congestion

Why do we have earwax? Earwax, or cerumen, serves as a protection against infection and foreign bodies in our ears. Earwax will slowly work its way out of the ear canal on its own and removal at home is usually not necessary.

What is epiglottitis?

Epiglottitis is a rare infection of the epiglottis--a structure located in the back a child's airway. It can cause a sore throat, fever and difficulty breathing due to the swelling of the epiglottis. It can be life threatening.

This infection is becoming rare due to the use of the Haemophilus influenzae B (HIB) vaccine.

What is a geographic tongue? Geographic tongue is a benign inflammation of the tongue that may look like blisters or irregular discoloration on the tongue’s surface. Children with this condition usually have no symptoms and do not require treatment.

What is tracheo-malacia? Tracheomalacia is a softening of the cartilage in the airway or windpipe, usually found in infants. It can cause a wheeze-like noise and most often will resolve without treatment as the infant's airway grows and develops.

What is laryngo-malacia? Laryngomalacia is a problem with the larynx or voice box that causes noisy breathing in an infant, especially when he is crying or is agitated. The noise usually happens when the child is breathing in. In a child with laryngomalacia, symptoms would be heard within the first two weeks of life and usually start to resolve around six months to one year of age.

What are lymph nodes? Lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system serves to filter out germs that enter the body. When the body fights off an infection, germ-fighting cells called lymphocytes gather in the nodes to fight off the infection. The lymph nodes soon swell, causing a child to develop swollen glands.

Common areas where one could feel lymph nodes are:

• Groin
• Armpit
• Neck
•Under the jaw and chin
• Behind the ears
• On the back of the head

What is mastoiditis? Mastoiditis is an infection of the mastoid bone of the skull. The mastoid bone consists of a honeycomb of air pockets within the bone. When a child has a severe middle ear infection, bacteria can spread into these air cells, causing mastoiditis. It is very uncommon.

What is otitis media? Otitis media is a fancy name for a middle ear infection. The middle ear cavity is located just on the other side of the eardrum. Next to the common cold, it is the most common cause for visits to the doctor’s office.

Otitis media is thought to occur due to eustachian tube malfunction. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of throat, allowing the air pressure to be equal on either side of the eardrum. This is necessary so that the eardrum may vibrate freely in response to noise. When a child has a cold, the congestion may cause the Eustachian tube to malfunction, allowing fluid to build up in the middle ear cavity where there once was air. When germs reach this fluid, a child develops an ear infection.

What is otitis externa? Otitis externa is an inflammation or infection of the ear canal. It is also known as swimmers ear. Because the canal is warm, it can be easily infected with germs.

Many things can lead to otitis externa including:

• Swimming or showering a lot (too much water can get into your ears, which removes the protective earwax)
• Cleaning your ears too much (this can remove the protective wax layer and lead to infection)
• Injuring the skin in the ear canal by putting your finger or some object in your ear (this can make it easier for germs to grow)

What is serous otitis media? Serous otitis media is a collection of fluid in the middle ear. It may happen acutely or chronically. It is secondary to blockage of the eustachian tube from a cold or allergies. Negative pressure builds in the middle ear, drawing in fluid from surrounding tissue. If germs find their way into this fluid, an infection occurs. When infection does not occur, the fluid remains until the eustachian tube again begins to clear, at which time the fluid is reabsorbed.

Chronic serous otitis media happens with long standing eustachian tube blockage or when the fluid is so thick, it cannot be reabsorbed. Long standing serous otitis media can be a reason for the placement of ear tubes into the middle ear.

What is paronychia? A paronychia is an infection of the skin that surrounds a toenail or fingernail. The most common type of paronychia is an ingrown toenail. Paronychia causes pain, redness, warmth and swelling in the skin around a nail. In some cases, a small collection of pus forms under the skin next to the nail, or underneath the nail itself. Often, only one nail is affected.

What is an ingrown toenail? An ingrown toenail has nothing to do with a nail growing into the tissue of the toe. In fact, an ingrown nail occurs when the skin on one or both sides of a nail grows over the edges of the nail secondary to irritation, infection or trauma. Redness, pain and swelling at the corner of the nail results. Sometimes a small amount of pus can be seen draining from the area.

This condition is usually treated with warm soaks and antibiotics. Rarely, local surgery will be needed to cure the problem.

What is parotitis? Parotitis is inflammation or infection of the parotid gland. The parotid gland is the main salivary gland located between the ear lobe and the angle of the jaw. At one time the most common cause of parotitis was mumps. Now, bacterial infection is the most common cause.

What is sinusitis? Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses. It is usually caused by infection. Our sinuses are air pockets within the bones of the face around the nose. They are made up of:

• Maxillary sinuses (under the cheekbones)
• Ethmoid sinuses (between the eyes)
• Sphenoid sinuses (behind the ethmoid sinuses)
• Frontal sinuses (in the area of the forehead, by the eyebrows)

When a person gets a cold, germs can make their way into the sinuses causing infection. Symptoms of sinusitis are:

• Congested, runny nose with a daytime cough that lasts for more than two weeks without getting better
• Mucus discharge from the nose
• Headache or tenderness around or behind the eyes
• Tenderness or pain in or around the cheekbones
• Pressure in the face
• Bad breath
• Fever

What is teething? Teething is the eruption of the baby’s primary teeth, usually starting about six to seven months of age.

What does teething cause? Studies have shown that teething can be associated with restlessness, rubbing gums, drooling, sucking fingers and loss of appetite.

What doesn’t teething cause? There have been no studies proving that teething cause sleep disturbance, diarrhea, pain, high fever or rash. R. S. Illingworth said it best in 1975 when he stated “teething causes nothing but teeth.”

Should I start supplemental fluoride for my child? Fluoride supplements are only needed in homes with well water, and only after your infant is six months old. Well water should be tested for fluoride since some wells have naturally occurring fluoride in the water.

Breast fed infants should also have fluoride supplements after six months. If you are using formula and mixing the formula with store-bought water, check with the manufacturer to determine fluoride content. Most bottled water has very little fluoride in it.

When should I start brushing my boy’s teeth? As soon as your infant starts to cut his or her teeth, you can start wiping the new teeth and gum line, either with a washcloth or a small infant toothbrush and water. Do not use fluoridated toothpaste until the child is at least two years old.

When should my child start seeing a dentist? Three years old is generally the first time a child should see the dentist.

What if my child chips a tooth? If the tooth is a primary tooth (first set of teeth), check to see if the tooth is loose. If a tooth is badly chipped, take your child your dentist.

Check for other injuries to your child’s head or face. Apply a cold washcloth to your child’s mouth.

Even if the chip is fine, you'll want to schedule an appointment with a dentist. Your dentist can evaluate whether there are underlying cracks or other damage you can't see. The dentist can also repair the tooth, if necessary.

If the tooth is very loose the dentist may have to remove the tooth.

What should I do if my child knocks out one of his teeth? If he knocks out a baby tooth, a permanent tooth will eventually grow in its place. Baby teeth are important because they hold a spot in your child's mouth for his permanent teeth to come in properly. See the dentist to make sure that no underlying damage occurred.

If your child loses a permanent tooth, find the tooth if you can and rinse it gently in water. Don't clean it vigorously or you risk doing further damage to the tooth’s tissue fragments and roots. If possible, insert it back in your child's tooth socket and hold it there. Then go to the dentist's office. If you can't get the tooth back in your child's mouth, put it in milk and take it with you.

Should I encourage my child to quit sucking her thumb? This all depends on how old your child is. Thumb sucking is a common way for infants to comfort themselves. The American Dental Association advises that a child may suck their thumb until four of five years old without damage to their teeth or jaw line.

When can I let my daughter brush her teeth by herself? By the age of seven your child should be able to brush her teeth alone. By the age of eight, children should be able to floss their teeth alone.

What does being tongue-tied mean? The medical term for being tongue-tied is ankyloglossia. This occurs when the band of tissue under the tongue is abnormally tight. The tip of the tongue can’t protrude past the teeth or gum line, and the tongue becomes notched if it protrudes.

What is ankyloglossia? This is commonly known as being tongue-tied. The band of tissue under the tongue is abnormally tight. The tip of the tongue can’t protrude past the teeth or gum line, and the tongue becomes notched if it protrudes.

What is a uvula? The uvula is a small extension of the soft palate (roof of the mouth) that hangs from the roof of the mouth.

What is wryneck? Wry neck is called torticollis, or a turning of the head to one side, caused by spasm or injury of the muscles on the side of the neck (sternocleidomastoid) muscle.

Why does my child snore? Snoring is caused by vibration of the soft palate while sleeping. It is usually caused by obstruction of the nasal passages or airway by the tonsils or adenoids.

What are PE tubes? PE tubes are Pneumatic Equalization Tubes. They are placed in the eardrum so that fluid does not accumulate in the middle ear.

What causes hearing loss? Conductive hearing loss results from something interfering with sound waves traveling through the outer or middle ear. It can be caused by blockage of the ear canal with wax, fluid, or infection in the middle ear, or damage to the bones in the middle ear. Sensorineural hearing loss results from problems in the inner ear or auditory nerve. Causes for this condition include abnormal development of the inner ear or damage to this area from injury, tumor, or infection.