The Pediatric Otolaryngologist/Plastic Surgeon - These specialists are responsible for the surgical closure of the cleft and related operations which your child may require. Any ear disease, speech disorder or hearing loss, will also be closely monitored and treated by these physicians. 

The Audiologist - Since children with cleft palate have an increased risk of ear problems, ongoing audiological surveillance is necessary. The audiologist provides appropriate assessments for monitoring hearing status so that diagnosis and treatment can be made for any cleft-related hearing problems. 

The Dental Specialists - The dental specialists include the pediatric dentist, orthodontist, oral surgeon, periodontist, and prosthodontist. These specialists keep track of your child's dental growth and development and provide information on oral hygiene and dental treatment that may be necessary due to the cleft. 

The Geneticist - The geneticist alongside his genetic counselor, is available to discuss how clefts of the lip and palate occur and to answer questions about the risk of recurrence with future pregnancies. Later, this specialist can help your teenager understand the cause of a cleft and advise him or her about individual circumstances.

The Neuropsychologist - The neuropsychologist is available to discuss you or your child's concerns.
 
The Speech Pathologist - The speech pathologist will provide you with information about typical speech development along with suggestions for stimulation speech when your child is very young. Speech and swallowing dysfunction will be closely monitored and appropriate treatments or therapies will be prescribed at Arkansas Children's or if appropriate, closer to home. 

The Social Worker - The clinical social worker is available to meet with the family to assist in the psychosocial and emotional aspects of cleft lip/palate. This specialist is aware of services available in the community to which the family can be referred for information on medical coverage, financial assistance, and support groups/services. 

The Clinical Nutritionist - The nutritionist assists with any early feeding difficulties and monitors the child¹s nutritional intake. This specialist also provides follow-up of weight gain and height/weight parameters and provides information and support with specific diets related to some of the surgeries. 

The Registered Nurse - The nurse is available as a contact person to provide information and ensure that parents understand their child's health needs, treatment plan and follow-up. This specialist assists with the child's presurgical readiness and post-surgical recovery and provides instructions for home care.

The Ear, Nose and Throat department at Arkansas Children's performs over 5,000 surgeries each year and provides care for children through more than 17,000 visits for ENT treatment.

ENT Patient Volumes

ENT Patient Volumes	Arkansas Children’s Hospital – Little Rock	Arkansas Children’s Northwest – Springdale	Totals
2018	17,056	440	17,496
2019	16,693	3,417	20,110

 

ENT Surgery Volumes

ENT Patient Volumes	Arkansas Children’s Hospital – Little Rock	Arkansas Children’s Northwest – Springdale	Totals
2018	5,014	0	5,014
2019	5,223	1,252	6,475

The otolaryngology doctors at Arkansas Children’s are recognized for their expertise and their work in training and educating other ENT professionals. Our doctors have published books and contributed to websites that create materials to share best practices among otolaryngology specialists. Right here at Arkansas Children’s, our doctors partner with each other, as well as with residents and fellows to further improve research capabilities.

Training Programs

At Arkansas Children’s we are dedicated to educating tomorrow’s ENT doctors. We provide intense training for residents and fellows:

Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship

• Fellowship Director: Larry Hartzell, M.D.
• Coordinator: Toni Sanders

Resident training in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery

• Director: Abby Nolder, M.D.

Undergraduate and Medical Student Research Programs. Undergraduate and medical students can participate in research efforts through UAMS and Arkansas Children’s.

• Director: Gresham Richter, M.D.

Our educational resources include:

• Common ENT Disorders in Pediatrics, a book by Charles M. Bower M.D. and Gresham T Richter M.D.
• CSurgeries - Our doctors contribute to this website, which is an online library of peer-reviewed surgical videos. The site is a centralized source for medical videos available to students and doctors.
• Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI). At ACRI, our doctors and researchers are studying new advancements in treatments, diagnosis and management for a wide variety of ENT conditions. The ACRI website includes information for doctors, researchers and families interested in taking part in a clinical trial.
• Meet the Team flyer