William J. Parkes, MD

Otolaryngology

Primary Office

Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware 1600 Rockland Road Wilmington, DE 19803 Appointment: (800) 416-4441

Other Offices

Get to Know Me

Dr. William J. Parkes, IV, is a pediatric otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat surgeon). His medical interests include hearing loss, cochlear implantation, chronic ear disease and cholesteatoma, tympanoplasty, endoscopic skull base surgery, thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

Dr. Parkes first became involved with Nemours as a medical student and resident. After his fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, he made the choice to come back to Nemours to continue his career, where his practice focuses on the care of children with complex ear and hearing problems. 

Why I Treat Children

I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with children, while also having the trust of parents to care for their children surgically. When I can care for a child and provide an answer to medical problems it is incredibly rewarding. 

What I'm Passionate About

I’m most passionate about participating in the multidisciplinary care of children with complex head and neck problems. Examples include my work as the medical director of the Cochlear Implant Team, co-director of the Minimally Invasive Skull Base Surgery program (a partnership with Thomas Jefferson University physicians) and co-lead surgeon for the surgical care of children with thyroid and parathyroid problems at Nemours.

How I Try to Make A Difference

I find every interaction with children and their families, big or small, a chance to make a difference. Whether in clinic or the operating room, there are multiple opportunities to be impactful every single day. 

Education & Training

Fellowship

  • Pediatric Otolaryngology - The Hospital for Sick Children, 2016

Internship Residency

  • Otolaryngology/Head/Neck Surge - Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson, 2014

Medical/Dental School

  • MD - Thomas Jefferson University - Medical College, 2009

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Otolaryngology

Awards & Recognition

  • 2022–2024Top Doctors (Pediatric Otolaryngology), Philadelphia Magazine
  • 2023Sidney Kimmel Medical College Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education
  • 2023Thomas Jefferson University Department of Otolaryngology-HNS Research Innovation Award for “Gait analysis in children following cochlear implantation”

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna Better Health PA Kids HMO
  • Aetna HMO
  • Aetna PPO/EPO/POS
  • Aetna PPO/POS/EPO
  • Amerihealth Caritas DE - PENNSYLVANIA SPECIALISTS ONLY
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware NJ
  • Carefirst MD Community Health Plan Mcaid
  • Cigna & Great West HMO/POS/EPO
  • Cigna & Great West PPO
  • Cigna/Great West HMO EPO POS
  • Cigna/Great West PPO
  • Delaware First Health
  • Delaware Medicaid/Diamond State
  • Devon Health Services
  • Fidelis Care NJ Medicaid HMO
  • First Health/Affordable PPO
  • Geisinger Health Plan Commercial
  • Global Medical Managment DE/PA
  • Global Medical Mangment NJ
  • Health Partners Medicaid/Kidz Partner HMO
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware *PA Loc Contiguous to DE*
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware *PA Loc NONContiguous to DE*
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Pennsylvania
  • Highmark Medicaid Health Options
  • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
  • Independance Blue Cross/Amerihealth/Keystone Health Plan
  • Insurance Administrators of America
  • INTEGRA Administrative Group (ClaimsBridge)
  • Keystone First Medicaid HMO
  • Lifetrac Transplant
  • Maryland Medicaid
  • Multiplan PPO
  • National Transplant (Humana)
  • New Jersey Medicaid
  • Olympus Managed Healthcare PPO DE/PA
  • Olympus Managed Healthcare PPO NJ
  • Pennsylvania Medicaid
  • Plan Vista/NPPN PPO
  • Preferred Healthcare PPO
  • Private Health Care Systems (PHCS)
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • Qualcare HMO/POS/PPO
  • Star Healthcare Network
  • Star Healthcare Network
  • Three Rivers Provider Network
  • Tricare/Humana Military Health Services/CHAMPVA
  • United Healthcare of the Mid-Atlantic
  • UPMC MCAID/CHIP PA DE
  • UPMC Medicaid
  • US Family Health Plan
  • Wellpoint Maryland Medcaid

  • Balance Disorders
  • Congenital Neck Masses
  • Hearing Loss
  • Otitis Media

Research Activities

My research interests include:

  • Congenital hearing loss
  • Congenital Cytomegalovirus infection
  • Vestibular problems in children with hearing loss
  • Pediatric cochlear implantation
  • Treatment of thyroid disease in children

Medical Interests

My areas of expertise include:

  • Complex ear and hearing problems
  • Minimally invasive, endoscopic tympanoplasty (eardrum repair) and cholesteatoma surgery
  • Cochlear implants
  • Minimally invasive treatment of rare tumors and congenital lesions involving the anterior skull base and sinuses
  • Thyroid Surgery
  • Parathyroid Surgery

  • Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential Testing in Children With Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder; American Journal of Audiology; (2024).

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  • Cognitive and language outcomes for pediatric hearing loss with otologic surgery; International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology; (2024).

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  • Integrating Psychology Into Pediatric Audiology/Otolaryngology Clinics: Gaps and a Model of Care; Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology; (2023).

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  • A 15-Year Review of 260 Children With Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder: I. Demographic and Diagnostic Characteristics.; Ear and hearing; (2023).

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  • A 15-year Review of 260 Children With Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder: II. Management and Outcomes.; Ear and hearing; (2023).

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  • Hearing outcomes in children with Congenital Cytomegalovirus: A multi-center, single-enterprise experience.; International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology; (2022).

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  • Minimally invasive endoscopic approaches to pediatric skull base pathologies.; International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology; (2022).

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  • MON-920 Pediatric Parathyroid Carcinoma Presenting With Acute Progressive Genu Valgum; Journal of the Endocrine Society; (2020).

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  • Auditory Rehabilitation in Children with Cerebral Palsy; Cerebral Palsy: Second Edition; (2020).

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  • The endoscopic endonasal approach for pediatric craniopharyngiomas; Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery; (2019).

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  • Cochlear implantation in a patient with mucopolysaccharidosis IVA.; SAGE open medical case reports; (2019).

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  • Transmastoid access in branchio-oto-renal syndrome: A reappraisal of computed tomography imaging; International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology; (2018).

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  • Natural history of tympanic membrane retraction in children with cleft palate; Journal of International Advanced Otology; (2018).

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  • Vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing as an objective measure of vestibular stimulation with cochlear implants; Laryngoscope; (2017).

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  • Monopoly Airplane Lands in Esophagus Leading to Difficult Extraction: A Case Report on Anesthesia and Surgical Considerations; A & A case reports; (2017).

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  • Preliminary experience using a cochlear implant with a novel linear pedestal design; International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology; (2017).

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  • Assessment of mastoid function with magnetic resonance imaging after canal wall up cholesteatoma surgery; Journal of International Advanced Otology; (2016).

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  • Stimulation from cochlear implant electrodes assists with recovery from asymmetric perceptual tilt: Evidence from the subjective visual vertical test; Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience; (2016).

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  • Advances in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of neonates with laryngeal disorders; Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine; (2016).

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  • Application of 3-dimensional modeling to plan totally endoscopic per-meatal drainage of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma; Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (United States); (2015).

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  • Resource analysis of tonsillectomy in children; Laryngoscope; (2014).

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  • Incidence and management of rhinosinusitis after complex orbitofacial reconstruction; Laryngoscope; (2014).

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  • A preliminary report of percutaneous craniofacial osteoplasty in a rat calvarium; Laryngoscope; (2014).

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  • Microvascular free flap reconstruction of orbitocraniofacial defects; Orbit; (2013).

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  • Development of a test to evaluate olfactory function in a pediatric population; Laryngoscope; (2011).

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  • Use of the anterolateral thigh in cranio-orbitofacial reconstruction.; Plastic surgery international; (2011).

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  • The use of a covered stent in carotid blowout syndrome; Ear, Nose and Throat Journal; (2011).

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  • English