Much more than a European Society
Much more than a European Society
The European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (ESPO) aims to promote the quality of care of children with otorhinolaryngologic disorders within Europe.
ESPO was founded in 1994 and succeeded the European Working Group in Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (EWGPO). ESPO is a non-profit organisation, exclusively involved in scientific, educational and charitable activities.
Welcome from your President
A warm welcome to the website of the European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology – ESPO.
Pediatric otolaryngologists are specialist doctors who look after children with disorders of the ear, nose and throat and the head and neck. We work closely with other professionals involved in the care of children – including audiologists, pediatricians, anaesthetists, and specialist nurses and therapists.
ESPO is our professional society in Europe but we have members from every continent, all of whom are enthusiastic about ensuring the best possible medical care for children with conditions such as hearing loss, throat infections, breathing difficulties and neck lumps.
We are proud of the role we have played in promoting excellence in the care of children, in supporting young otolaryngologists in training and beyond and in facilitating high quality research and education in our specialty. We are especially keen to encourage and enhance communications between professionals across national and political boundaries and we have important links and friendships with our sister organizations across the globe.
I hope you will find much of interest on our website, and if you are a professional involved in the care of children with ORL disorders that you will consider joining us, ideally as a member but if not as a guest at one of our congresses, webinars or educational events.
All good wishes and let’s see you in Prague 2027!
Upcoming Events & Webinars
Join ESPO
Keep in contact with leading professionals in the field of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology across Europe by joining ESPO
What our members say about ESPO
I am the chairman of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children’s Hospital of Colorado and a Professor at the University of Colorado in the US. In the earlier part of my career I spent much of my time with American organisations, and it wasn’t until I attended my first ESPO meeting that I finally understood how pediatric otolaryngology is a GLOBAL field. In the years since, I have seen how so much of my ongoing learning and knowledge base comes from my peers, mentors and friends around the world. ESPO represents the largest group of Pediatric Otolaryngology specialists across the globe, and literally every continent is now represented. The exchange of ideas, knowledge and collective experience knows no geographic boundaries. I will continue to think of ESPO as my “European Mother Ship” and it will always be a priority in my heart and my mind. Cheers to the history of ESPO and more so to its future as the global leaders in Pediatric Otolaryngology expertise, teaching and scholarship!
I’m a tenure-track researcher and consultant in otolaryngology at Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. My work is focused on adult and pediatric rhinology. Working in a large general otolaryngology service, I understand the pre-eminent role pediatric patients occupy in our daily practice. I’ve learned about ESPO from social media and I’ve been a member of the Young ESPO board since 2021, helping shape the Liverpool congress with other excellent colleagues. Currently on my second mandate, I help manage ESPO social media and I’m currently working with our group to organize the 2025 congress in Stuttgart. I found ESPO a very dynamic society and a great opportunity to network with colleagues all over the world.
I have been a consultant pediatric otolaryngologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London for coming up to 20 years now. My main interest is airway surgery and I have the honour of being the ENT surgeon to the craniofacial team at GOSH. I am passionate about equality and diversity in our specialty and have led on this for the British Association for Pediatric Otolaryngology. My first ESPO meeting was as a trainee when it was held in Oxford in 2002. ESPO provides a wonderful example of how involving colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds makes things better for everyone. I am proud to be part of such an organisation.
I am consultant pediatric otolaryngologist at Necker-Enfants Malades hospital in Paris, France, and a professor at Université Paris Cité. I have been a keen member of the Young ESPO group from 2018 to 2023 and President of Young ESPO from 2021 to 2023. During those challenging COVID years, I was very happy to promote new educational tools such as online webinars and the popular educational surgical video contests during the online meetings and finally in the long-awaited physical meeting in Liverpool in 2023. This has been a great opportunity to create bridges between the generations. Currently as a member of the Education & Training Committee of ESPO, I hope to help develop new educational tools such as WikiESPO, to further reinforce the pediatric ENT community!
I am an associate Professor at the University of Cape Town and head the Division of Otolaryngology at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. ESPO has afforded me the privilege of engaging with the global pediatric ENT platform, as a leading voice and advocate for ENT-related conditions affecting African children. Furthermore, as the program director of the first pediatric ENT fellowship in sub-Saharan Africa, interest in pediatric ENT locoregionally has grown significantly, through exposure to ESPO’s ever expanding educational network.
In conjunction with 2 colleagues I decided to set up an International Ped ORL Society with an emphasis on Latin American countries, and in 1995 IAPO was created. We decided to expand our ties with other Ped ORL Societies. I have been to many of these meetings starting with the European Working Group in Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (EWGPO) in 1990 in Ghent (Belgium), in 1992 in Sirmione, in 1993 in Jerusalem and in 1994 in Rotterdam. Since ESPO was formed I have not missed a single edition of this Congress. I became fascinated by the myriad of geographic cultures devoted to our field as well as the camaraderie and the network I was able to establish. The deep scientific quality of Ped ORL information broadened my horizons. I am a strong believer in connecting bridges. ESPO will continue for sure to pave the way to offer stronger Ped ORL knowledge around the globe.
ESPO has been a special place for me over the years where I have been able to join a global community of pediatric otolaryngologists who have kindly shared their knowledge and friendship with me. I look forward to more in-person and virtual meetings where ESPO continues to influence and accelerate the care of pediatric otolaryngology around the world.
ESPO is the future for our children from all over the world. An interdisciplinary and innovative approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment for ENT diseases in childhood is part of the power of knowledge. ESPO prompted me to create the Bulgarian Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (www.bgspo.com). We are now a leading society with annual conferences and participants from all continents, including specialists working in child health. All these activities are a symbol of friendship, transfer of cognition and bridges between doctors. We are strong when we are together! Let it be ESPO!
My path in ESPO started in 2018 when I applied for ESPO’s Junior Member Bursary. My Residency took place in a tertiary hospital that had a Pediatric ENT department, so I was always very keen on this subject. After Lisbon’s 2016 ESPO Congress I started to follow the Juniors’ activities and applied for the Bursary and won. After that I was very happy to be the President of Young ESPO from 2018 to 2020. It was an amazing experience to be a part of such a diverse group of young doctors so keen on learning and making Pediatric ENT evolve. And it was amazing to meet many older doctors that were so keen on giving young Pediatric ENTs as much help as they could. Helping organize congresses, information on fellowships, webinars and other activities was really rewarding! Young ESPO is just born and is growing fast, so I will be very happy to be a part of it as long as I can!
I am privileged to have served as ASPO president 2022-2023, and had the incredible opportunity to meet Ray Clark and Michelle Wyatt and attend my first ESPO in Liverpool UK in 2023.
Currently I am a faculty with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital ENT department, serve as Division Director for Pediatric ORL at Akron Children’s Hospital, a two hospital collaborative. In the past 21 years I have been honored to care for children and their families in Kansas City for a decade, then in Orlando/Central Florida for the next decade, and now in Northeast Ohio. Meeting incredible members of ESPO and learning various perspectives and immense experiences from peds ORL from around the world has been inspiring and energizing. I look forward to opportunities to contribute and make new friends through ESPO.
Ever since my inaugural experience at ESPO in Pamplona during my fellowship, I’ve been eagerly attending these regular meetings. Not only have I had the pleasure of exploring charming European cities, but I’ve also forged invaluable connections with fellow paediatric otolaryngologists from around the world. As a mid-career consultant at Queensland Children’s Hospital in Australia, my ESPO affiliations and ongoing educational opportunities have significantly enhanced the care I provide to my young patients. The ESPO community epitomizes world-class, cutting-edge paediatric otolaryngology, offering a truly global perspective that continually enriches my practice.
