Welcome to the Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology

The Pediatric Division of the Department of Otolaryngology/ Head and Neck Surgery was established in 1990 under the dedicated leadership of Dr. Joseph Haddad Jr.. Through the 1990's the division has continued to grow and there are now three full-time attending physicians in Pediatric Otolaryngology/ Head and Neck Surgery: Dr. Haddad, Dr. Jeffrey Keller, and Dr. Lianne de Serres. Dr. Sezelle Gereau joined the faculty part-time in September 2001. Our physicians love the joys and challenges that come with working with children and each of our physicians has completed fellowship training in Pediatric Otolaryngology. Drs. Haddad, Keller, and de Serres pride themselves in establishing a warm rapport with their young patients. The office setting with our warm staff, cheerful artwork, and plentiful toys, creates a kid-friendly environment where children enjoy coming in for their care.

Our physicians are experts in the general Otolaryngologic care of infants, children, adolescents and young adults with special needs. In addition, each of our physicians has special areas of expertise that enable our division to provide the highest level of care for infants and children in the region. Dr. Haddad performs cleft lip and palate surgery and is a member of the Children's Hospital of New York (CHONY) craniofacial team. Dr. Keller has done pioneering work in the development of pediatric functional endoscopic laryngeal sensory testing. Dr. de Serres is also a member of the Columbia Craniofacial team and is Co-Director of the Craniofacial Speech Disorders Center, which specializes in the evaluation and treatment of children with hypernasal speech. Dr. Gereau specializes in the use of alternative medicine and therapies for pediatric otolaryngologic disorders.

The division has many ongoing research projects including free radical formation in acute otitis media (Dr. Haddad), and quality of life issues in pediatric otolaryngology (Dr. de Serres). In an effort to determine the efficiency of alternative therapies for treatment of acute otitis media (OM), Dr. de Serres has applied for NIH funding to study the efficacy of homeopathic medication in the treatment of otitis media.

From our Physicians:

"There is nothing more rewarding than working with children; they possess an energy and positive outlook which makes any medical dealings much more likely to have a favorable outcome. I especially enjoy the challenge of getting a child to feel comfortable with me so that I can cajole them into allowing an examination of the ears, nose and throat. I am always delighted when a child gets to know me by name, and trusts me on follow-up examinations to climb into the exam chair and let me look in their ears and throat. Also, I have been in practice long enough to see many children grow into young adulthood, which is a great thrill when I have helped them in some small way."

Joseph Haddad Jr., MD

"I genuinely feel honored to be able to work with the parent-child team to restore a child's health, or to intervene in a capacity that can enhance a child's quality of life. Each time I enter an examining room with a new or already known patient and family, I get a special charge from the personality of the child and our interaction during the visit. As a mother of two young children I understand the concern parents have for their precious ones' health and well-being. I also understand the fears a child may have in a medical setting, and I work hard to allay the fears or concerns of both child and parent. Together we try to make the child's visit and course of treatment as fun and pleasant an experience as possible."

Lianne M. de Serres, MS, MD