Many children have open mouth breathing and snoring during sleep, and there are some misconceptions that it is not a big problem. Many of them are caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Let’s talk about tonsils and adenoids.
What are tonsils?
The tonsils are “members” of the internal and external lymphatic rings of the head and neck. They can be divided into palatine tonsils, pharyngeal tonsils and lingual tonsils according to their location. The palatine tonsils are the largest, commonly referred to as the tonsils. There is a pair of palatine tonsils, located between the linguopalatine and pharyngopalatine arches, which are oval in shape and covered by a complex layer of squamous epithelium. The epithelium sinks into the inner tonsils to form 10-20 crypt foci, which contain shed epithelial cells, lymphocytes and bacteria.
The tonsils can produce lymphocytes and antibodies, so they have anti-bacterial and anti-viral defense functions. Because the tonsils are located in the pathway of food and respiratory airflow, they are normally healthy because the epithelial surface of the tonsils is intact and the mucus glands are constantly secreting, so that bacteria can be discharged from the crypt with the shed epithelial cells. When the body’s resistance decreases due to overexertion, cold, etc., the epithelial defense function is weakened and the glandular secretion function is reduced, the tonsils become infected with bacteria and become inflamed. If tonsillitis is recurrent and has a negative effect on the whole body, removal of the tonsils may be considered.
What are adenoids?
Adenoids, also known as pharyngeal tonsils, are a type of lymphatic tissue hidden at the junction of the parietal and posterior walls of the nasopharynx. They are shaped like half of a peeled orange, with an uneven surface and 5-6 longitudinal grooves that are prone to harbor viruses and bacteria. The adenoids generally grow to their maximum size around the age of 6 and begin to shrink after the age of 10. If infections occur during childhood, the adenoids become enlarged and inflamed, which may also cause permanent enlargement. Adenoid hypertrophy can prevent the nose from breathing and affect the drainage of the sinuses, making them susceptible to sinusitis, as well as blocking the eustachian tube (the passage from the nasopharynx to the middle ear), which can lead to middle ear infections. Children with enlarged adenoids are usually removed surgically along with the tonsils.