Abstract: China's pediatric otolaryngology and head and neck surgery has experienced rapid development, achieving significant progress in standardized disease diagnosis and treatment, minimally invasive surgical techniques, artificial intelligence clinical applications, genetic intervention for inherited disorders, and multidisciplinary collaborative care. It has now established core development directions such as otology, rhinology, laryngology, head and neck surgery, pediatric sleep disorders, and clinical audiology. Children exhibit distinct growth and developmental characteristics compared with adults, with significantly different disease profiles that are also evolving due to environmental and lifestyle changes. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach in pediatric laryngology has fundamentally shifted—from empirical and symptomatic treatment to comprehensive assessment, with therapeutic methods transitioning to minimally invasive, precise, and personalized treatment plans, better safeguarding children's functional development and physical and mental health. However, the field still faces challenges, such as imbalanced medical resource allocation, clinical diagnostic deviations, difficulties in advancing cutting-edge technologies, and an incomplete postoperative rehabilitation system for children. Against the backdrop of advancing children's health initiatives in the new era, pediatric otolaryngology and head and neck surgery has adapted to the times, prioritizing children, function, and development as core principles. It continues to promote the clinical translation of advanced medical technologies, improving the full-service model from disease prevention and early screening to clinical diagnosis, postoperative rehabilitation, and long-term health follow-up. This effort aims to comprehensively protect children's ear, nose, throat, and head and neck physiological health, fostering their physical and mental development.

Key words: Children, Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, Development status, Prospect