09-11, 09:30–09:45 (Europe/Istanbul), Rhinology 6 (ICC - 3B/37)
Description: Paediatric olfactory dysfunction affects quality of life, nutrition, and safety, yet standardised assessment remains uncommon in clinical practice. This hands-on instructional course equips ENT surgeons with an evidence-based, time-efficient approach to paediatric smell and taste evaluation that implementable across diverse settings. Through structured demonstration and interactive exercises, participants will learn a stepwise assessment protocol, practical application of validated child-friendly tests, and principles of olfactory rehabilitation. Emphasis is placed on creating AI-ready data capture systems and adapting protocols for resource-constrained environments.
Outcome Objectives: After this session, attendees will be able to:
Take a focused chemosensory history for children and caregivers
Examine children using age-appropriate bedside smell screening techniques
Implement a validated paediatric odour identification test with correct scoring and interpretation
Consider adapting olfactory test panels in cultural context while maintaining psychometric validity
Design age-appropriate olfactory training protocols
Apply a minimal data capture template suitable for local audit and future multicentre AI-enabled research
Structure of the Session:
Learning Objectives and Context (2 minutes) –Clarify session goals, emphasise clinical applicability, and discuss evidence for chemosensory assessment improving diagnosis of underlying systemic and neurological conditions.
Module 1: Focused History and Examination (2 minutes) – demonstration of focused history and brief nasal examination incorporating simple bedside smell screening. Red-flag identification for concerning pathology requiring further investigation.
Module 2: Practical Psychophysical Testing (20 minutes) – Hands-on demonstration of the U-Sniff paediatric odour identification test with normative interpretation by age group. Discussion of cultural adaptation principles. Paired exercise: participants interpret two sample profiles using provided scoring guides. Troubleshooting for short attention spans, cognitive differences, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Module 3: Management, Rehabilitation, and Data Systems (5 minutes) – Evidence-based overview of paediatric olfactory training protocols, safety counselling checklist covering fire/gas detection, food storage, and school communication. Introduction to minimal dataset template capturing essential variables for AI-ready analysis enabling future multicentre predictive modelling.
Wrap-Up, Q&A, and Resources (2 minutes) – Faculty summarise the "30-minute clinic pathway": focused history → brief exam → simple test → rehabilitation plan → structured data capture. Rapid Q&A addressing common implementation barriers. Distribution of downloadable resources via QR code. Invitation to SMEL (Sheffield cheMosensory Exploration Laboratory) for collaborative research opportunities.
Background References:
Whitcroft KL et al. Position paper on olfactory dysfunction: 2023. Rhinology. 2023 Oct 1;61(33):1-108. doi: 10.4193/Rhin22.483.
2. Whitcroft KL et al. International clinical assessment of smell: An international, cross-sectional survey of current practice in the assessment of olfaction. Clin Otolaryngol. 2024 Mar;49(2):220-234. doi: 10.1111/coa.14123.
Fahmy M, Whitcroft K. Psychophysical Testing in Chemosensory Disorders. Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep. 2022;10(4):393-404. doi: 10.1007/s40136-022-00429-y.
Spencer GM, Karim K, Coyle P, Bhargava EK, Whitcroft KL. Olfactory dysfunction in CHARGE syndrome: a systematic review of prevalence, assessment methods, and clinical correlates. Rhinology. 2025 Nov 28. doi: 10.4193/Rhin25.391.
This hands-on session equips ENT surgeons with a time-efficient, evidence-based protocol for evaluating paediatric smell dysfunction. Participants will gain experience in age-appropriate assessment techniques—including bedside screening and the validated U-Sniff test—and learn to design olfactory rehabilitation programs.
The course emphasizes cultural adaptation, practical management strategies for safety and nutrition, and the implementation of AI-ready data capture systems. Ultimately, it provides clinicians with the tools to standardize paediatric chemosensory care across diverse clinical environments.
Eishaan (he/him) is a Consultant Paediatric ENT Surgeon with a clinical interest in airway and nose disorders in children, including problems with smell and taste, as well as management of obstructive sleep apnoea and sleep disordered breathing.