Home            Past Issues            About IP            About IAP           Author Information            Subscription            Advertisement              Search  

   
Correspondence

Indian Pediatr 2019;56: 76-77

A New Interface for Better Throat Examination

 

Adhisivam B1 and Venkatesh C2

Departments of 1Neonatology and 2Pediatrics, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.

Email: [email protected]

    


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.

 

Copyright © 1999-2019 Indian Pediatrics