Ear, nose, and throat care for children.
Same-week appointments · 3 Denver-area offices
We offer child-safe diagnostics, treatments, and procedures.
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Tonsils and adenoids are lymph tissue at the back of the throat and behind the nose, and they're part of the immune system. When they become enlarged or infected repeatedly, they can block your child's airway, especially during sleep, or lead to frequent throat infections. Removing them can relieve those problems.
You may want to talk with your child's provider about this if your child has frequent, severe throat infections, or shows signs of blocked breathing during sleep, like loud snoring, pauses in breathing, or restless sleep. This is often considered when infections keep coming back despite treatment, or when sleep-related breathing problems are affecting your child's rest. This usually isn't the first step for occasional snoring or a single throat infection. Your child's provider will look at how often and how severe the symptoms are before recommending surgery.
This procedure is done under general anesthesia, meaning your child is fully asleep, at a surgery center or hospital, not in the office. Your child's surgeon removes the tonsils, adenoids, or both through the mouth, so there are no external cuts. Afterward, your child spends time in a recovery area as the anesthesia wears off, and most children go home the same day, though some may need to stay overnight depending on their age or health history.
Recovery typically takes one to two weeks, with throat pain, trouble swallowing, and low energy being common during that time. Your child's provider will give you guidance on pain management, food and drink, and activity restrictions while your child heals. Improvement in symptoms, like fewer infections or better sleep, is usually noticeable once healing is complete.
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Ear tubes are small cylinders placed through a tiny opening in the eardrum. They let air in and fluid out of the middle ear, which relieves pressure and helps prevent fluid from building back up. This is often recommended when infections or fluid keep coming back and are affecting your child's hearing.
You may want to talk with your child's provider about this if your child has had repeated ear infections, fluid behind the eardrum that hasn't cleared after several weeks, or hearing loss caused by that fluid. This is often considered after other treatments, like antibiotics or a period of watchful waiting, haven't solved the problem.
This procedure is usually done under general anesthesia, meaning your child is fully asleep, at a surgery center, since children need to stay completely still. A small opening is made in the eardrum and the tube is set into place. Your child recovers from anesthesia in a recovery area before going home, usually the same day.
Most children recover quickly and return to normal activities within a day. Your child may have mild ear discomfort or hear popping and crackling sounds as fluid drains in the days after. You'll get specific instructions about keeping water out of your child's ears while they heal. Hearing often improves once the fluid drains, though how quickly that happens can vary.
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Ear wax is normal, and it usually clears on its own. Sometimes it builds up and blocks the ear canal, which can cause muffled hearing, itching, fullness, or discomfort. Ear cleaning removes that blockage safely, using tools made for the job instead of cotton swabs, which tend to push wax further in.
You may want this if your child's ear feels full or blocked, their hearing seems muffled, or over-the-counter drops haven't cleared it up. This is also common before a hearing test, since wax buildup can affect the results. If your child has ear tubes or a history of ear surgery, mention it beforehand so your child's provider can choose the safest method.
This is done in the office, and your child stays awake the whole time. Your child's provider looks in the ear first to see how much wax is there and where. Depending on what they find, they may use gentle suction, a small instrument, or irrigation that flushes the ear with water. Most children feel mild pressure or a ticklish sensation, nothing more. The whole process usually takes just a few minutes per ear.
There's no downtime. Your child can go straight back to their normal day. Hearing usually feels clearer right away once the wax is cleared. Some children notice mild, temporary ear sensitivity afterward, which typically settles quickly.
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Nosebleeds usually come from a small blood vessel near the front of the nose. When your child's nosebleeds are frequent, heavy, or hard to stop, cauterization seals that vessel, using heat or a chemical solution, so bleeding stops and that spot is less likely to bleed again.
You may want this if your child gets frequent nosebleeds, a nosebleed that won't stop with pressure, or if your child's provider has identified a specific vessel that keeps bleeding. This is often considered after simpler steps, like applying pressure or using nasal moisturizer, haven't solved the problem.
This is done in the office, and your child stays awake the whole time. Your child's provider numbs the inside of the nose, then applies heat or a chemical solution directly to the bleeding vessel using a small instrument or cotton swab. Your child may feel a brief stinging or burning sensation during this part. The procedure itself usually takes just a few minutes.
Your child can typically return to their normal day right after. Your child's provider may recommend a nasal ointment or saline spray for a few days to help the area heal and prevent dryness. Some mild crusting inside the nose is common while it heals. Treating that vessel is intended to stop bleeding from that specific spot, though nosebleeds can still happen from other areas of the nose.
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Sublingual immunotherapy uses small, increasing doses of the allergens your child is sensitive to, placed under the tongue, to gradually change how their immune system responds to them. It's an alternative to allergy shots that doesn't require regular office injections.
You may want this if your child has ongoing allergy symptoms - like congestion, sneezing, or itchy eyes - that haven't been well controlled with medication alone, and allergy testing has identified specific triggers. This is often considered when you're looking for a longer-term approach instead of relying on daily allergy medication. This isn't the right fit for every child. If your child has certain uncontrolled health conditions, or a history of severe allergic reactions, your child's provider will review their health history to see if this approach is safe.
This starts with allergy testing, if your child hasn't already had it, to identify what they're reacting to. Your child's provider then creates a custom drop formula based on those results. The first dose is usually given in the office so your child's provider can watch for any reaction. After that, your child takes drops at home, under the tongue, on a schedule your provider sets. This is an ongoing, at-home treatment rather than a one-time procedure, and it continues over an extended period.
There's no downtime, and your child can go about their normal day after each dose. Some children notice mild itching or tingling under the tongue afterward, which is usually brief. Improvement in allergy symptoms is typically gradual, and your child's provider can talk with you about what timeline and treatment length makes sense for their situation.
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If your child hasn't reached expected speech milestones, doesn't seem to respond to sounds or their name, or a teacher has mentioned trouble following directions in class, this test checks whether hearing might be part of the picture. It measures how well your child's ears pick up different pitches and volumes, and can also check how clearly they understand words, not just sound. This gives you and your child's provider a clear answer instead of guessing whether hearing is a factor.
Testing looks a little different depending on your child's age. Younger children often sit in a sound-treated room and respond to a toy or a light that appears whenever a sound is played, while older children can usually respond to tones more like an adult would, by pressing a button or raising a hand. The appointment typically takes thirty to sixty minutes, though it can run longer if breaks are needed. Nothing about the test is painful, and there are no needles involved beyond headphones or small ear inserts. You'll be with your child for the entire test.
Results are usually reviewed with you the same day. If the test finds hearing loss, your child's provider will explain what type it is and talk through options, which may include hearing aids, ongoing monitoring, or a referral for further evaluation. If your child's hearing tests are normal, your child's provider will help you look at other possible explanations for the concerns that brought you in.
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If your child has ongoing congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes, or symptoms that flare up during certain seasons and never fully clear, this testing helps pinpoint exactly what's setting them off. That could mean tree and grass pollen in spring and summer, ragweed in late summer, or year round triggers like dust mites and pet dander. Testing gives you a specific answer instead of guessing what to avoid at home.
To prioritize your child’s comfort, we use blood testing to pinpoint their allergies. This is in contrast to traditional skin prick testing. Your provider may ask to stop certain allergy medications beforehand, since they can affect the results, so follow their specific instructions.
Once results are in, your child's provider will go over exactly which allergens triggered a reaction. From there, options may include changes at home to reduce exposure, medication, or allergy immunotherapy if avoiding the trigger isn't realistic.
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"Dr. Manan Shah has a unique combination of exceptional skill and genuine kindness. He performed my septoplasty to fix a deviated septum, and he also performed balloon dilation of my eustachian tubes. I can breathe and sleep much better, and I can finally pop my left ear after decades of pressure and inability to do so."
"I was very impressed with Dr. Fairmont who treated my sinus symptoms. She was genuinely interested in my care & she recommended new medications and therapies which are covered by my insurance. Also, she was very kind and empathetic."
"This was my first visit. Dr. Sohal has a terrific bedside manner, is very knowledgeable and the care he has for his patients is obvious. He took time to discuss my condition and treatment. And spent time answering my questions. I highly recommend Dr. Sohal!"
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