Adenoids, also known as pharyngeal tonsils, are located at the junction of the parietal and posterior walls of the nasopharynx and are shaped like half of a peeled orange with an uneven surface. The adenoids are present from birth and are largest by the age of 6-7 years, and generally begin to atrophy and degenerate in adolescence after the age of 10.
Under normal physiological conditions, adenoids are largest at 6-7 years of age, but do not cause symptoms such as nasal congestion. Adenoid hypertrophy is called adenoid hypertrophy when the adenoids are enlarged and cause the corresponding symptoms. Adenoid hypertrophy occurs mostly in preschool children between the ages of 3 and 5. The adenoids are located in the nasopharynx, and when they are enlarged, they can cause symptoms in the ear, nose, throat, and other areas. Children may have nasal symptoms such as nasal congestion, snoring during sleep, and runny nose. Ear symptoms such as secretory otitis media and purulent otitis media may also occur. They may also suffer from coughing and recurrent lower respiratory infections due to nasal reflux and “adenoid face” due to prolonged mouth breathing, as well as systemic symptoms such as mental and growth retardation due to sleep breath-holding and oxygen deprivation caused by adenoidal hypertrophy.
If a child has adenoid hypertrophy, which causes nasal congestion, snoring and open-mouth breathing during sleep, and if the adenoids are enlarged beyond two-thirds of the posterior nostril, adenoidectomy is required.