A skin allergy test is an important diagnostic tool used to help determine which allergies or sensitivities some people may have. The tests themselves are conducted under the supervision of board-certified allergists who analyze a variety of key details throughout the testing process to ensure an accurate diagnosis and create an effective treatment plan.… Read More
If you’re struggling with allergies here in Houston, you likely know how frustrating the symptoms can be when you can’t find relief. Because allergies are an overreaction of your immune system to a certain antigen, they can cause you to have a runny nose, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, nasal congestion, wheezing and more.… Read More
A common problem that causes many patients to go to the doctors is a nasal obstruction. A frequent cause of nasal obstruction is a deviated nasal septum. Septoplasty is a surgical procedure that fixes septal deviation and improves the patient's quality of life. In the U.S., it's the third leading neck and head procedure.… Read More
Around 2.2 million Americans have a deviated nasal septum. That's one in 124 people. Actually, it’s fairly common to have an uneven septum. As much as 80 percent of all nasal septums have some degree of deviation, according to estimates by the American Academy of Otolaryngology. You most likely won't need medical attention with a deviated septum unless it’s causing you health complications or impacts your quality of life negatively.… Read More
Over the past 20 years, both parents and teachers in the U.S. have reported widespread levels of kids with impulsive behavior, trouble focusing and hyperactivity. Policymakers, scientists, and educators have all labeled attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a nationwide crisis that led to them investing billions of dollars to look into its cause. Some factors they've looked into are brain development, genetics, the push for early academics, exposure to lead, and more. But, what if it's not ADHD after all causing these behaviors in children? What if it's something more obvious such as sleep? As many researchers are now suggesting, it is possible that children these days are just not getting enough sleep — and this is leading to troubling behaviors that actually mimic ADHD. … Read More
Enuresis is the term giving to older children (over five years old) who wet their bed during the night while they are asleep. Bedwetting can happen several times a week or every night. For many children, bedwetting resolves on its own without any treatment intervention. However, when it doesn’t resolve, parents begin to worry about their child having an underlying medical condition. Many children think they're alone in wetting the bed every night. This can make them feel bad. However, kids with enuresis are far from alone. Around 15 percent of kids this age are affected. And, while kids will naturally gain control of their bladder at night, they all don't do it at the same age. There are many causes of enuresis in children and they can range from poor toilet habits in the daytime to emotional problems. However, up to 80 percent of children with enuresis have concurrent obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), making it one of the top signs and symptoms of sleep apnea in children.… Read More
As part of our series on pediatric sleep apnea, we’d like to explain more about one of the potential treatments for sleep apnea in children – the tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A). Sleep apnea is no small matter for children. In addition to the health risk it represents, it can also lead to social problems for children, underperforming in school, bedwetting, behavioral issues, and other problems. Most parents are highly concerned about the risks of sleep apnea and want to learn as much as possible about the condition and the tools available to treat it. This guide will help you make important decisions about whether a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) is the right choice for your child.… Read More
As parents, you want the best for your child. One of your biggest fears is that something would come along to compromise the health of your child or place that health at risk. Sleep apnea is a condition that affects nearly three percent of children, according to a scholarly article appearing in the Korean Journal of Pediatrics.… Read More
While children may not struggle with sleep apnea as much as adults (five percent children vs. 26 percent adults), this condition is still common enough in kids to cause concern for parents. Children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are usually tired during the day. They often display behavioral problems such as having trouble paying attention since they're not getting the quality sleep they need each night.… Read More
Many people think that sleep apnea is only a condition that affects adults, particularly overweight, middle-aged individuals. However, sleep apnea also occurs in children. According to the National Sleep Foundation, one sleep-related breathing condition that affects over 18 million people in the U.S., including two to three percent of children of all ages is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA runs in families and occurs more in children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids (lymph nodes behind the nose and in the throat). As a parent, you should known that doctors often diagnose children who have sleep apnea with a different disorder, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), since the children don't conform to the common patient profile. For example, a pediatric patient with sleep apnea may present with symptoms of hyperactivity, whereas an adult with the condition is overly tired.… Read More