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Straightforward answers to help you better understand your child’s care, treatment and next steps.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Professor Iain Bruce has specialist expertise in childhood hearing loss and implantable hearing devices, including cochlear implants and Bone Anchored Hearing Aids. The most appropriate hearing solution will depend on the type and severity of hearing loss and the results of specialist hearing assessments.

  • Occasional snoring is common, but regular or loud snoring can sometimes indicate an obstruction to the airway during sleep. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids are common causes. If your child snores frequently, has disturbed sleep or appears to pause their breathing, an ENT assessment may be recommended.

  • Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition where a child’s airway repeatedly becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep. Symptoms can include loud snoring, restless sleep, pauses in breathing and daytime tiredness or behavioural changes. A paediatric ENT assessment can help identify the cause and determine the appropriate treatment.

  • A tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy may be considered for children with frequent or severe tonsillitis or where enlarged tonsils and adenoids are contributing to snoring, sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnoea. The decision will depend on your child’s individual symptoms and clinical assessment.

  • Professor Iain Bruce will discuss your child’s symptoms, medical history and any concerns you have before carrying out an appropriate ENT examination. Hearing or audiology testing may also be recommended. The consultation is designed to help establish the cause of your child’s symptoms and explain the available treatment options clearly.

  • Professor Iain Bruce is a Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon and Professor of Paediatric ENT, with particular expertise in children’s ENT conditions, hearing loss, glue ear, ear infections, implantable hearing devices, snoring, tonsillitis and airway problems. He also sees adult patients with ear and hearing conditions.

  • It may be helpful to see a paediatric ENT specialist if your child experiences persistent or recurrent problems affecting their ears, nose, throat, hearing or breathing. This can include frequent ear infections, hearing difficulties, glue ear, recurrent tonsillitis, snoring, nasal blockage, neck lumps, tongue tie or noisy breathing.

  • Glue ear is a common childhood condition where fluid collects behind the eardrum, which can cause temporary hearing loss. Many cases improve naturally, but persistent glue ear may require monitoring, hearing support or treatment such as grommet insertion, depending on how it is affecting your child.

  • Not every child with glue ear will need grommets. The decision depends on how long the condition has been present, the degree of hearing loss and how much it is affecting your child’s communication, development or everyday life. Professor Iain Bruce can assess your child and discuss the most appropriate treatment options.

  • Hearing loss in children can have many causes, including glue ear, recurrent ear infections, problems affecting the eardrum or middle ear and conditions affecting the inner ear. A specialist ENT and hearing assessment can help establish the type and severity of hearing loss and identify the most appropriate treatment.

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