Point-of-Care Ultrasound of the Head and Neck in Children

Purpose of Review To critically review applications of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for children with neck, airway, voice, and salivary gland disorders. Recent Findings POCUS in the lateral neck can aid in the diagnosis of lateral neck abscesses. Laryngeal ultrasound can identify vocal fold immobility by qualitative and quantitative analysis. Ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin injections can treat drooling and associated sequelae. Increasingly various training curricula and modules have been developed for POCUS of the head and neck in children. Summary POCUS in the head and neck can be used to characterize neck masses, diagnose vocal fold immobility and vocal fold lesions, and distinguish salivary duct from salivary parenchymal disorders. When indicated, interventional procedures such as needle biopsy or botulinum toxin injections to the salivary glands may be performed.