Best Pediatric ENT Doctor in Dubai – Dr. Muhammad Jabbr

Earaches, a nose that never seems to clear, loud snoring at night: many parents in Dubai deal with these again and again, and it can be hard to know who to ask. A pediatric ENT doctor in Dubai looks after the ears, nose and throat of babies, children and teenagers. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, and he sees children as well as adults.

This guide for parents covers the common ENT problems in children, when to see a specialist rather than your paediatrician, and what a visit involves.

What does a pediatric ENT doctor in Dubai treat?

Children get ear, nose and throat infections more often than adults. The Eustachian tube, which lets air into the middle ear, is shorter and more level in young children. Their tonsils and adenoids are relatively large, and they share many colds at nursery and school. Most of these problems are mild and many settle on their own. Some keep coming back or start to affect sleep, hearing or learning. That is when an ENT doctor can help.

Ear problems

• Ear infections: ear pain, fever, crying at night and sometimes discharge. Toddlers may just pull at the ear.
• Glue ear: sticky fluid behind the eardrum that can muffle hearing for weeks, often with no pain. Read more about ear infections, glue ear and grommets in children.
• Hearing worries: a child who turns the TV up or often says "what?".
• Earwax and objects in the ear: beads, toy parts and cotton bud tips are common finds.

Nose problems

• A nose that is blocked most of the time, or constant mouth breathing.
• Allergic rhinitis, with sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes. House dust mites are a common trigger, and dusty weather can make it worse.
• Repeated nosebleeds, often from fragile vessels just inside the nostril.
• Sinus infections that do not clear.
• Objects pushed up the nose. A smelly discharge from one nostril only can be a clue.

Throat and neck problems

• Tonsillitis that keeps returning and causes missed school days.
• Enlarged adenoids, which can block the back of the nose and cause a "nasal" voice.
• Loud snoring or pauses in breathing at night. Our page on child snoring and sleep apnoea explains more.
• A hoarse voice that lingers, often linked to shouting or straining the voice.
• Neck lumps. Swollen glands are very common in children and are usually a harmless reaction to a cold. A few need a closer look.

Should you see a paediatrician or an ENT specialist?

Your paediatrician is the right first stop for most coughs, colds and single ear infections. An ENT doctor looks at the ear, nose and throat in more detail, including places that are hard to see in a general check, such as the back of the nose. An ENT opinion helps when a problem is frequent, long-lasting or not settling.

It is reasonable to ask for an ENT review if your child has:

• Three or more ear infections in six months, or four in a year, or ear discharge that keeps returning.
• Glue ear or muffled hearing for about three months.
• Possible hearing loss, or speech that seems behind other children of the same age.
• Throat infections many times a year, as explained on our page about recurrent tonsillitis in children.
• Heavy snoring on most nights, with gasps or pauses in breathing.
• A blocked nose for weeks, which may point to enlarged adenoids.
• Nosebleeds that happen often or are hard to stop.
• A neck lump that keeps growing, feels hard, or is still there after several weeks.

The two doctors often work as a team. The ENT doctor may suggest tests or treatment, and your paediatrician carries on with everyday care.

Why parents choose Dr. Muhammad Jabbr

Dr. Muhammad Jabbr works in the ENT Department at Medcare Hospital, Al Safa, as a Consultant ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) and Head & Neck Surgeon. His training includes an MD, an MS and the DOHNS (England), plus European Board and Arab Board qualifications in ORL-HNS.

His work over more than 20 years includes more than 3,000 ENT procedures, and his patients include both children and adults. That background makes him one of the best ENT doctors in Dubai to see when a child's problem keeps coming back.

In children, care usually starts with the simplest step, such as watchful waiting, a nasal spray or allergy treatment. Surgery is considered only when these are not enough, or when breathing, sleep or hearing is affected. See our pediatric ENT services and our guide to child ENT care in Dubai.

What happens at a child-friendly ENT visit?

Most first visits are calm and fairly short, and you stay with your child throughout.

1. A chat first. The doctor asks about the symptoms, how long they have lasted, sleep, school and any treatment so far.
2. A gentle look. A small light is used to look in the ears, nose and mouth, and the doctor feels the neck. Small children usually sit on a parent's lap. Wax that blocks the view may be gently removed.
3. Simple tests if needed. A hearing test (audiometry) is matched to your child's age, often as a listening game. A quick pressure test (tympanometry) checks for fluid behind the eardrum.
4. A closer look, only when useful. A thin flexible camera (nasal endoscopy) can show the adenoids and the back of the nose. A numbing spray can make it more comfortable. An X-ray, scan or sleep study is suggested only in selected cases.
5. A clear plan. You will hear what the problem most likely is and what the choices are, from watchful waiting, saline rinses or sprays to allergy care, medicines or, in some cases, a procedure.

How can parents prepare for the appointment?

A little planning helps your child feel safe and helps the doctor see the whole picture.

Getting your child ready

• Explain the visit in plain, honest words: "The doctor will look in your ears with a little torch."
• Skip phrases that plant a fear, such as "Don't be scared" or "There won't be any needles."
• At home, take turns looking in each other's ears with a torch, so the real check feels familiar.
• Pick a time when your child is usually rested, and pack a comfort item.

What to bring and note down

• How many ear or throat infections your child had in the past year, and which medicines were used.
• A short phone clip of your child asleep, if you are worried about snoring.
• Current medicines, allergies and any earlier hearing tests or reports.
• Any comments from nursery or school about hearing, attention or speech.

When does a child need urgent ENT care?

Some symptoms should not wait for a clinic appointment. Go to the nearest emergency department straight away, or call 998 for an ambulance, if your child:

• Struggles to breathe, has noisy breathing at rest, or is drooling and cannot swallow.
• Has a high fever with a swollen, painful neck, or cannot open the mouth fully.
• Has a red, swollen, painful area behind the ear that pushes the ear forward.
• Gets a puffy, red eyelid or a swollen eye while they have a cold or sinus infection.
• May have put a button battery or magnet in the nose or ear, or swallowed one.
• Has a nosebleed still going after 20 minutes of firm pressure on the soft part of the nose.

Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears also needs an ENT check within a day or two.

Book an appointment

Has an ear, nose or throat problem kept your child off school or kept the family up at night? Appointments can be made on Dr. Muhammad Jabbr's booking page or by calling +971 52 751 7811. The ENT Department is inside Medcare Hospital on Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai.

Frequently Asked Questions

A final word for parents

Ear, nose and throat problems are a normal part of childhood, and most settle with time and simple care. When they keep coming back or affect sleep, hearing or school, a careful ENT assessment can show you what is going on and what to do next. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr can guide you through each option.