Every single day countless hospitals have surgeries take place dealing with plenty of different issues. Some of these surgeries are done for the repair of facial and neck injuries, hypernasal speech treatment, laryngopharyngeal reflux and even breathing difficulties. One very common form of surgery is vocal cord surgery for vocal cord paralysis. Here are all of the reasons why you should have a family surgeon, a family doctor, and how to look out for things like vocal cord surgery.

By the age of two, more than 90% of all children will have developed at least one ear infection. By the age of three, most children will have had at least one ear infection, and 30% have had three or more episodes involving their ear. These infections and other types of issues can strike anyone at any age. It is important to make sure that you have a family doctor that can help you in your time of need.

According to the recent government numbers available, 300-400,000 tonsillectomies are performed every year in children and adolescents. Snoring is common with children and can be prevalent in about 12% of children in the general population. Also, 1-3% of all children will exhibit not only snoring but some form of a sleep disordered breathing pattern as well.

About thirty years ago, 90% of all tonsillectomies in children were done for a recurring infection. Now, the process of tonsillectomies is done for infection (20%), and obstructive sleep problems (80%). The rate of adenoidectomy is about 1.5 times as high in boys as in girls, while the rate of tonsillectomy is almost twice as high in girls than in boys.

According to the CDC, an estimated 2,650 babies are born with a cleft palate each year in the United States. Also according to the CDC, about 4,440 babies are born with a cleft lip or without a cleft palate. The surgery to repair a cleft lip usually occurs in the first few months of life and is recommended within the 12 months of life. This type of surgery and vocal cord surgery are going to be important to go through with at a young age.

10% of all children snore very regularly and about 2-4% of the pediatric population has Obstructive Sleep Apnea, also called OSA. The surgery to repair a cleft palate is recommended to within the first 18 months of life or earlier if possible.
Children with enlarged tonsils were 3.7 times as likely to experience symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing.

Have a family doctor or family surgeon will help you get the jump on any of these surgeries that your child may need in the future. Make sure you have the right help to know when you do and do not a surgery and when your child may need vocal cord surgery. Protect yourself and protect your children.