Enlarged Adenoids

Enlarged Adenoids
Often, tonsils and adenoids are surgically removed at the same time. Although you can see the tonsils at the back of the throat, adenoids aren't directly visible. A doctor has to use a telescope to get a peek at them. As an alternative, an X-ray of the head can give the doctor an idea of the size of someone's adenoids.

So, what are adenoids anyway? They're a mass of tissue in the passage that connects the back of the nasal cavity to the throat. By producing antibodies to help the body fight infections, adenoids help to control bacteria and viruses that enter through the nose.
In kids, adenoids usually shrink after about 5 years of age and often practically disappear by the teen years.


Symptoms of Enlarged Adenoids
Because adenoids trap germs that enter the body, adenoid tissue can temporarily swell as it tries to fight off an infection. These symptoms are often associated with enlarged adenoids:
difficulty breathing through the nose
breathing through the mouth
talking as if the nostrils are pinched
noisy breathing
snoring
stopped breathing for a few seconds during sleep (sleep apnea)
frequent "sinus" symptoms
ongoing ear middle ear infections or middle ear fluid in a school-aged child
If enlarged adenoids are suspected, the doctor may ask about and then check your child's ears, nose, and throat, and feel the neck along the jaw. To get a really close look, the doctor might order one or more X-rays. For a suspected infection, the doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics.