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Many parents, despite the doctor’s recommendations, do not decide to remove their child’s tonsils for fear of more frequent bronchitis. – It’s a myth. We do not remove them completely, so they continue to work – say ENT specialists.
Tonsil hypertrophy is a common ailment in toddlers and usually occurs in the preschool period. In recent years, more and more children get sick from the age of 1. The reason is an increase in allergies among the youngest.
Guardians of the body
A child’s throat looks different than that of an adult because there are tonsils in it that disappear with time – around 8-9. years of age of the so-called the third, and in teenagers palatally and trumpet. Until then, they play an important role in the child’s body. His immune system is underdeveloped and the tonsils act as “guards” to protect the baby from attack by germs. The tonsils are the body’s first contact point with a virus or bacteria, and sometimes an allergen. There, immune memory cells are formed, which then go to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract to fight dangerous intruders. The germ-struggling tonsil is enlarged. After fighting the infection, it should return to its normal size. Sometimes, however, it does not, especially if it has increased due to constant contact with the allergen.
Not the size, but the symptoms
As emphasized Dr. Lidia Zawadzka-Głos, a specialist in pediatric ENT, for surgery does not qualify the size of the tonsils, but the symptoms. Many parents choose not to have their tonsils removed for fear of more frequent bronchitis because they believe the upper barrier to infection is removed. – This is a myth because we only remove a fragment of the tonsils, so the rest of them continue to work – explains Dr. Zawadzka-Głos.
Parents should be concerned about chronic pharyngitis and sinusitis, five strep throat treated with antibiotics a year, and recurrent otitis media. – Angina licks joints, bites the heart, which means that its consequences are dangerous for other organs – reminds prof. Wiesław Konopka, pediatric ENT specialist.
Noodle speech
A child with enlarged palatine tonsils sleeps with his head tilted back and neck stretched. He may snore and have restless sleep, even apnea. His speech is dummy, as if he has something in his mouth all the time. He has difficulty swallowing and therefore has a poor appetite. – The consequence of tonsil hypertrophy is hearing loss caused by otitis, oxygenation drops during sleep, and in extreme situations, brain hypoxia may even occur. There are also increasing hyperactivity among children, lack of concentration, poorer academic performance, frustration, as well as speech impediments and malocclusions. The mandibular muscular apparatus becomes flaccid due to the constantly open mouth, the jaw and the palate grows badly, which may result in the installation of an orthodontic appliance – says Dr. Lidia Zawadzka-Głos.
Partial removal
One of the methods of fighting tonsil hypertrophy is, of course, pharmacology, provided that apnea or hearing loss is not a permanent symptom. Administration of drugs is necessary if there are contraindications to surgery, e.g. cleft palate. The operation consists in reducing the palatine tonsils. Total excision is performed in exceptional cases, usually in adults when they are no longer needed. Unfortunately, despite the partial removal of the tonsils, it should be remembered that there is a possibility of their regrowth if the irritating factor from the environment does not disappear. Therefore, it is important to treat children comprehensively, in cooperation with an allergist.
Source: radioklinika.pl
Prevention
ENT specialists emphasize that prevention is as important as treatment. – If there is such a possibility, it is better not to send a child to a nursery, because contact with germs at such a young age weakens his immune system – they emphasize. It is also forbidden to smoke cigarettes in the presence of a child. It is also worth controlling your allergy with an elimination diet. To prevent complications of throat diseases, children should be vaccinated against pneumococci.
Third Almond
The pharyngeal tonsil, called the third tonsil, is located at the top of the throat. It decays with age, although its remnants are sometimes present in adults. It is made of lymph tissue containing cells that destroy microorganisms and produces, among others, antibodies. Along with the palatine tonsils, the third almond is the body’s natural protective barrier. It also increases in size during the course of the disease, but should return to its normal size after its termination.
It changes the appearance of the face
If this is not the case, the baby begins to breathe through the mouth. Meanwhile, it is the air in the nose that is cleansed, warmed and moisturized before it reaches the lungs. So the baby has more frequent infections. Dry throat becomes ill more often, and the nose blocked by the enlarged tonsil is constantly runny. There is also the problem of recurrent ear inflammation, because there is no ventilation of the Eustachian tube. This can lead to hearing loss. The notoriously open mouth distorts the bite and the shape of the face. Difficulty breathing can cause apnea, which can impair your baby’s development.
Removal of the tonsil
— The removal of the third tonsil is performed using an endoscopic view. The procedure is very little invasive for the patient and almost bloodless, and painless in the postoperative period – emphasizes Dr. Michał Michalik, specialist in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. The third almond is completely removed because its absence has no consequences for the immune system.
Tekst: Halina of Pilon