Patient's question:
After the previous fever, the cough has persisted far longer, and the nasal discharge has been excessive. After a thorough examination and X-ray, it was said to be due to adenoid hypertrophy. The doctor said it would be fine if it was no more than 60%, but ours was 70%. So, the doctor suggested either surgery or waiting until the child is ten years old. Since we hadn’t previously experienced any breathing issues, we chose to take anti-inflammatory medication. It later improved.However, about half a month ago, during a cold and fever, the child has had a runny nose with clear mucus at times and yellow mucus at other times, occasionally accompanied by hiccups. At night, they often wake up struggling to breathe due to nasal mucus, which is quite distressing for the parents.
Previous Treatment and Effects: Anti-inflammatory medication, nasal drops.
Help Needed:
1. Is the current intermittent clear and yellow nasal discharge caused by adenoid hypertrophy? If not, could it be sinusitis?
2. The previous X-ray showed 70%, but could it have been larger due to inflammation from the fever at the time? Would it shrink if the inflammation subsides?
3. The doctor advised preventing fever, but we experience one fever approximately every month. What should we do?
Doctor's answer:
1. A child with a clear runny nose and hiccups is a symptom of an upper respiratory infection, not caused by adenoid hypertrophy. Acute sinusitis is often caused by an upper respiratory infection, where bacteria and viruses can affect the second cranial nerve, leading to purulent nasal discharge. It is recommended to take a sinus X-ray.2. When there is inflammation, the adenoids may become enlarged. After the inflammation subsides, the adenoids should shrink slightly. X-rays taken in the absence of infection are meaningful. If adenoid hypertrophy causes a child to snore, surgery should be considered, as otherwise it may interfere with the child's jaw and intellectual development.