Background: India is home to more than 400 million children forming about 35% of its total population. Upper respiratory tract infections predispose a child to complications such as otitis media, tonsillitis, and sinusitis that further contribute to morbidity leading to hearing impairment and learning disability & even RHD. Unfortunately these morbidities are either not detected or remain untreated making situation worse.
Aims and objectives:1. To assess the prevalence of common Ear Nose and Throat symptoms among children aged 5-14 years and to study its relationship with socio-demographic factors 2. To know regarding health seeking behavior in relations to Ear Nose and Throat morbidities.
Materials and method: A cross-sectional study was done over a period of 2 months among 300 school children aged 5-14 years of six government schools of Jamnagar district. Assessment was done through clinical examination and oral questioners.
Results: Prevalence of Ear Nose and Throat morbidity was 46.66%; Ear (14.33%), Nose(28.66%) and Throat(10%).Common Ear Nose and Throat problems were– common cold(23%), cough(9.67%), sore throat(8.34%) and ear ache(8.67%). Associations of Ear Nose and Throat morbidity with age and religion were statistically significant. Only 31.40% of children had taken treatment for the problems. Mother’s education had statistically significant association on health seeking behavior of school children.
Conclusion: Prevalence of Ear Nose and Throat morbidity was very high among school children, only 1/3 children had taken treatment, indicating negligence towards problems on the part of parents as well as teachers suggesting strong need for sensitization of parents and teachers
