Almost all adults today can clearly remember if they still have their tonsils and adenoids, or if they were removed during childhood. There was a time when both of these organs were removed at the first sign of an infection, but over the years, thankfully, this practice has dwindled to near non-existence. Now, unless there is a valid reason to remove the adenoids and tonsils, most children today will grow to adulthood with them intact. They serve a purpose, and should be left intact for a number of reasons, and it helps for parents to know as much as they can about these two important organs, so that their children can enjoy the best possible health, with or without them. .
The importance of adenoids and tonsils
The tonsils and adenoids, although often grouped together when discussing childhood illnesses, are actually separate organs that play an important role in your child’s health. Both are considered to be lymph nodes, made up of the same tissues that often swell when the body has some kind of infection. Both are very important to your child’s immune system, and both work hard to fight the upper respiratory infections that affect most children before they reach their teens.
Most children usually have enlarged tonsils, which can easily be seen hanging on either side of the back of the throat. Having enlarged tonsils isn’t necessarily a sign of an infection, and if your child has this condition without a fever, it doesn’t necessarily mean he has tonsillitis, and more tests should be done before removing them. Adenoids cannot be seen with the naked eye without help, such as an endoscope. They are located higher up, between the nose and throat, and are not easily seen. Both organs are capable of collecting food and other debris that enters the body through the mouth and nose, and both are often where sinus infections and other respiratory problems start, often due to the debris they collect, such as pollen, spores and food crumbs.
when problems arise
Most childhood infections are viral, meaning they are caused by a virus that is passed from one child to another. The rest are bacteria, like strep throat and mononucleosis. Most of them will affect the tonsils first and eventually the adenoids if left untreated. Antibiotics can cure most of these infections, if caught early, without removing the tonsils and adenoids. However, frequent infections may cause one or both to be eliminated for the health of the child.
Infected adenoids can cause fluid to build up in the Eustachian tubes, leading to an ear infection. Tubes will probably be placed in your child’s ears to help with drainage, but if infections persist, the adenoids may need to be removed. Ear pain, a nasal tone in the voice, and mouth breathing are symptoms of a possible infection of the adenoids. Tonsils are infected more often than adenoids, mainly because they are the first line of defense in the throat. If they look bright red and swollen, your child’s throat hurts, and they have trouble swallowing, it may mean they have tonsillitis and will need to be removed.
Sometimes the troublemakers
As we said, some children will have enlarged tonsils for most of their lives. While they are not life-threatening, they can still cause problems within the airways. Chronic conditions, such as sleep apnea, with symptoms such as snoring, breathing restrictions that last about 10 seconds, and daytime sleepiness are early signs of possible sleep apnea in your child. Check with your doctor to determine if removing your tonsils will relieve your apnea.
Another condition related to the tonsils and adenoids that appears even in adulthood is tonsil stones. Food particles that get trapped in the crevices of the tonsils do not always dislodge during subsequent swallowing and can harden over time. Bad breath is the first sign of this, and it can help to gargle with warm salt water after a meal. If not, the tonsils will have to go.