Following the example of ASPO (American Association of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology) and ESPO (European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology), three friends in the Americas decided to organize a group of physicians with common interest in Pediatric Otolaryngology, bringing together North, Central and South America, with emphasis on Latin America. The three ENT specialists – Roland Eavey, USA, Boston (Harvard University), Tania Sih, Brazil, Sao Paulo (University of Sao Paulo Medical College) and Alberto Chinski, Argentina, Buenos Aires, (Buenos Aires University) – implemented ASPO´s (American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology) by laws to create IAPO.
The 1st IAPO Conference took place in Buenos Aires, in 1995. An assembly of the 385 charter members was held to vote the charter for the new society. The president (Sylvan Stool – USA) and board members were elected during this meeting. IAPO has representatives in most Latin American countries and the board includes physicians (ENT specialists and Pediatricians) from most countries of the continent. At present 17 countries are represented: Tania Sih, Ricardo Godinho, Moacyr Saffer and Marcelo Silber (Brazil), Alberto Chinski, Andrés Sibbald and Hugo Rodriguez (Argentina), Liliana Palma (Uruguay), Ximena Fonseca (Chile), Cesar Franco Peña (Paraguay), Jorge Astocondor (Peru), Fernando Silva (Ecuador), Frida Sanabria and Augusto Peñaranda (Colombia), Cecilia Jové (Bolivia), Teolinda Morales (Venezuela), Ricardo de Hoyos (Mexico), Fred Kozak (Canada), Evians Gomez (Cuba), Oscar Terraza (Guatemala), Federico Murillo (Costa Rica), Amarilis Meléndez (Panama), Margaretha Casselbrant, Robin Cotton, Roland Eavey, Ellen Friedman, Jack Paradise, James Reilly and Robert Ruben (USA).
The 2nd IAPO Conference took place in Sao Paulo, in 1997, with 2000 participants and 50 international guests. This event was considered the largest Pediatric Otolaryngology Conference ever held, considering the number of registered participants. The new IAPO president, Alberto Chinski, from Argentina, was elected. Also, the 1st IAPO Otorhinopediatrics Manual (Spanish and Portuguese) was distributed to its members.
The 3rd IAPO Conference, together with ASPO, took place in California, USA, in 1999 in conjunction with the American Cosm Meetings. IAPO was the first international group to meet with Cosm (Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings). The newly elected IAPO president was Tania Sih (Brazil). The 2nd IAPO Otorhinopediatrics Manual (Portuguese, Spanish and English) was published.
In the same year, 1999 (May 7-8) the I IAPO´s International Symposium on Pediatric Infectious Diseases in ENT occurred in São Paulo, Brazil.
In 2001 (April 27-28) in São Paulo, Brazil was held the II IAPO´s International Symposium on Pediatric Infectious Diseases in ENT. It was also launched the III IAPO´s Manual on Pediatric ENT (Spanish, Portuguese and English).
In 2003 (March 29-30) in São Paulo, Brazil it was held the III IAPO´s International Symposium on Pediatric Infectious Diseases in ENT and in October same year it was held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, the IVth IAPO´s Congress in conjunction with the X Latinoamericano Congress of Rhinology & Facial Surgery and the II Rhinology Congress from Ecuador. It was also launched the IVth IAPO´s Manual on Pediatric ENT (Spanish, Portuguese and English).
In 2004 (August 12-14) it was held the IAPO´s Satellite Symposium from the Catholic University from Santiago, Chile.
In 2005 (April 23-24) in São Paulo, Brazil was held the IV IAPO´s International Symposium on Pediatric Infectious Diseases in ENT. It was also launched the V IAPO´s Manual on Pediatric ENT (Spanish, Portuguese and English).
V IAPO Congress was held in October 2006 in Cartagena, Colombia, and counted on the participation of many Latin American representatives.
In 2007 (October 19-21) in São Paulo, Brazil was held the V IAPO´s International Symposium on Pediatric Infectious Diseases in ENT. It was also launched the VI IAPO´s Manual on Pediatric ENT (Spanish, Portuguese and English).
VI IAPO Congress was held in May 2008 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The VII IAPO´s Manual on Pediatric ENT (Spanish, Portuguese and English) was launched in the ENT Brazilian Congress in December, 2008 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
In 2009 (November 13-15) it was held in São Paulo, Brazil the VI IAPO´s International Symposium on Pediatric Infectious Diseases in ENT. In the same occasion was launched the VIII IAPO´s Manual on Pediatric ENT (Spanish, Portuguese and English).
The VII IAPO Congress was held July 29-31, 2010 in Panama.The VIII IAPO´s Manual on Pediatric ENT (Spanish, Portuguese and English) was launched.
In 2016 (November 18-20) in São Paulo, Brazil was held the X IAPO´s International Symposium on Pediatric Infectious Diseases in ENT.
In 2020 (March) in São Paulo, Brazil was held the XI IAPO International Symposium on Pediatric ENT
Presently IAPO has over 8,800 members in 86 countries and continues to expand and link otorhinolaryngologists, pediatricians, professionals in the health care area and researchers from several countries who have one common interest: CHILDREN and their alterations related to otorhinolaryngology.