Evaluation of ear, nose and throat is an integral part of physical
examination of children, both in office practice and inpatient setting.
A meticulous screening of these areas can give vital clues, or sometimes
the diagnosis per se, especially in the context of a child with
fever. Congested throat, follicles on the tonsils, petechiae on the
palate, mucosal ulcers and quinsy are some of the common findings picked
up on throat examination of a child in a tropical country where
infections are common. Usually older children open their mouth on
request and a good flashlight would be enough for throat examination.
However, when the child is younger, he or she needs to be restrained by
the caregiver and sometimes a tongue depressor may be needed in addition
to the flashlight for examining the throat. The visual acuity and skill
of the examining physician are also important as the examination has to
be quick with minimal discomfort to the child. When it becomes a
difficult task for the child as well as the pediatrician, the throat
examination is conveniently forgotten.
When examining children, when a conventional
flashlight is not available, it is a common practice to use this
facility in the mobile phone. We have been using a mobile phone where
the flashlight option comes with the Optical Reader application. This
application (app) captures visual information and translates the image
into digital information the mobile phone is capable of understanding
and displaying. Though we initially used the light source alone for
throat examination, we became comfortable using the optical reader as an
interface as it served like a flashlight cum magnifying glass. The auto
adjustment facility with the app helps in visualizing the throat with
more clarity and in quick time. Older physicians with lesser visual
acuity may find this method more useful. The image can also be captured
and used for teaching. As mobile phones are commonly used, a mobile
phone with an optical reader can serve as a useful interface for better
throat examination in children.
