Adenoids, also called pharyngeal tonsils or proliferators, are located at the top of the nasopharynx and the back wall of the pharynx and are lymphatic tissue with an orange flap-like surface. The adenoids, like the tonsils, grow gradually with age after birth, with the most proliferative period occurring between the ages of 4 and 6, and gradually shrinking after puberty. During the normal physiological growth period, most children do not have symptoms of respiratory obstruction, but when the adenoids are abnormally enlarged and hypertrophied, they cause the following symptoms: 1.
2. Nasal symptoms: Blockage of the posterior nostril by hypertrophic adenoids and mucopurulent secretions, complicating rhinitis and sinusitis, resulting in nasal congestion and runny nose. As the nasopharynx of children is relatively small, when the adenoids are enlarged, it will be affected by nasal congestion and open-mouth breathing, especially at night when the tongue and pharynx muscles relax, resulting in the tongue root to the back of the mild droop, so that the exhalation of exhaust is affected, which will aggravate symptoms. Long-term open-mouth breathing, airflow will impact the hard palate, making it deformed, high arch, over time the facial development will also be deformed, the upper lip is short and thick, the lower jaw sagging, nasolabial fissure disappeared, hard palate high arch, teeth alignment is not neat, upper incisors protrude, poor bite, nasal septum deviation, facial muscles are not easy to move, lack of expression, called “adenoid face This is called “adenoid face”.
3. Pharyngeal and lower respiratory tract symptoms: the affected children’s nasal discharge flows backward to the pharynx, stimulating the mucous membrane of the lower respiratory tract, resulting in coughing and susceptible to bronchitis.
4. Systemic symptoms: Nasopharyngeal secretions swallowed into the stomach lead to anorexia, vomiting, indigestion, and subsequent malnutrition in children. Due to poor breathing, the lungs are not sufficiently expanded resulting in chicken chest. At the same time, because of the narrow airway, the oxygen saturation in the blood is insufficient, the brain is in a long-term chronic and continuous hypoxic state, so that the child is drowsy during the day, poor mental health, inattention, memory loss, and a decline in academic performance.
Long-term nasal congestion and poor breathing can also affect heart and lung function.
Some children with nasal blockage can also affect the pronunciation, the formation of occlusive nasal voice, commonly known as “mumbling” sound.
Therefore, adenoid hypertrophy should not be taken lightly. If the adenoids are not treated in time and the above-mentioned diseases, such as maxillofacial deformities and cardiopulmonary diseases, are formed, even if the adenoids are removed and the breathing is clear, it is still necessary to continue long-term treatment of other diseases.