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Adenoids are lymphoid tissues at the back of the throat in the passage that connects the nasal cavity and the throat. Tonsils, which are also lymphoid tissues, can be seen. Adenoids, which are also called nasopharyngeal tonsils, are located further back and higher up in the throat and cannot be seen.
Both tonsils and adenoids help the body fight against infection by trapping airborne bacteria and viruses that enter through the nose and produce antibodies to fight them. Enlarged adenoids in children are known to cause several problems because of the obstruction of breathing. These could include breathing through the mouth and difficulty in breathing through the nose, cracked lips and dry mouth, noisy breathing and snoring, sleep apnea, or reduction or cessation of breathing for a short while during sleep. Swollen adenoids in children and the consequent mouth breathing are blamed for the mismatched alignment of teeth by some orthodentists. Moreover, pediatricians warn that with time, the sense of smell and the sense of taste get affected by the constant mouth breathing. Snoring in children is also said to be a result of swollen adenoids and tonsils.
Frequent sinus infection resulting from enlarged adenoids in children can be a major cause for worry, warranting adenoidectomy in children for quick recovery. Acute mononucleiosis is a severe throat infection that results in swollen adenoids and tonsils. This infection can lead to extreme tiredness, sore throat, and swelling in the glands for weeks, and the condition does not respond to antibiotics. Treating throat infection early prevents adenoids from getting enlarged because of the inflammation in response to the infection. Infection in the adenoids may also spread to the Eustachian tube of the ear, leading to chronic infection in the ear. Untreated, the condition may result in considerable loss of hearing. Bacterial infections may be treated with antibiotics and the full course of the treatment must be completed to prevent a relapse of the infection. Adenoid removal in children could have some side effects and is considered only when the adenoids and tonsils do not regain their normal size even after the infection is treated. Enlarged adenoids in children are also known to affect the quality of the voice, giving it a pronounced nasal tone. In rare cases, causes of adenoids could be a tumor or cancer.
Swollen adenoids in children sometimes lead to difficulty in swallowing, which might ultimately result in malnutrition and lack of adequate weight gain. Doctors often have to use special mirrors or an endoscope to see the extent of the enlargement of adenoids. Diagnosis of enlarged adenoids is made with an X-ray of the neck region. The X-ray can indicate the degree of enlargement of the adenoids and extent to which they block the nasal passage, allowing the healthcare professional to decide whether or not surgery is required. With early adenoidectomy in children, recovery from sinus infections and ear infections may be faster. Normally, adenoids and tonsils shrink in size in the second decade of a child’s life. Adenoid removal in children side effects are minimal and could be limited to just bad breath over the first week after the surgery.
In general, children tend to outgrow the problem of enlarged adenoids or tonsils, if they do not cause any major problems. However, when the enlarged adenoids are the cause of obstruction in breathing or sleep apnea, the disturbed sleep over years may have an adverse effect on the child’s overall growth and development. Decisions for or against surgical removal of enlarged adenoids would mainly be based upon the individual patient’s physical condition, tolerance of antibiotics, history of allergies, school or other academic considerations.
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