Children Benefit from Brookings Health System ENTs

Children who get frequent sinus and ear infections can suffer from high fevers, painful headaches, earaches, and sleepless nights. Continued

suffering often leads to parents seeking help from an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist. 

Drs. Thomas Tamura with Midwest Ear, Nose and Throat, and Jonathan Mellema of Avera Medical Group are both ENT specialists. When necessary, they can provide relief through procedures like ear tube insertion and adenoid removal at Brookings Health System.

Ear tubes can help

According to Dr. Tamura, there is a correlation between children who have nasal congestion and sinus infections to middle ear infections. That’s because children who are prone to ear infections tend to have eustachian tubes that are shorter and more horizontal so their middle ears can’t ventilate properly. A cold or allergy can cause inflammation that blocks or infects that tube. 

Dr. Tamura says it makes sense for children to get ear tubes when they have frequent discomfort in the ears, fevers and sleep troubles. 

“It’s a simple procedure,” says Dr. Tamura. “We put the child under general anesthesia. Then we make a small incision in the eardrum and place the tube inside. Recovery is usually very quick. The child is in the hospital a half an hour to an hour after surgery, and they may be tired for a day. But eight out of 10 children outgrow their ear troubles in the six months to a year that their tubes are in.”

Benefits of removing adenoids at Brookings Health System

Adenoids are glands in the very back of the nose, at the upper part of the throat. When children have frequent throat infections, adenoids can become enlarged, obstructing breathing and blocking eustachian tubes, which can cause ear infections. Dr. Tamura says 50%-75% of children with sinus issues benefit greatly from adenoid removal.

“Here at Brookings Health System, kids meet the entire operating room team before they get a quick mask anesthesia, followed by an IV,” he says. “The surgery is done through the mouth. During recovery, children usually have a mild sore throat for two to three days, and then about a week of increased nasal congestion and bad breath.”

Families find Brookings Health System a convenient and comfortable place for these procedures.

“We provide excellent care in a local setting,” says Dr. Tamura. “We’ve handled many pediatric cases. Families can avoid an early morning drive, waiting for the surgery and then driving back to Brookings. Our patients have been very happy with their care.”

Learn more from Dr. Tamura about ENT services at brookingshealth.org/tubes.