Patient's question:
My daughter is 4 years old. She has had allergic rhinitis for 1 year. In the past half year, she has been having difficulty breathing through her nose while sleeping, snoring, and has to breathe through her mouth. This is also the case during the day. She was checked at another hospital, and they said she has adenoid hypertrophy. She needs procedures, but considering she is young, can medication be considered as an alternative to surgery? Or is surgery absolutely necessary?Doctor's answer:
Adenoid hypertrophy is usually caused by a child's cold or cough not healing properly. Long-term nasal congestion can lead to facial deformation, affect intelligence, and cause middle ear infections. It should be treated with surgery in a timely manner. Plasma therapy can also be used for adenoid hypertrophy. If a child gets this condition after the age of four or five and the situation is not too severe, it can be managed by waiting. After the age of ten or older, it may shrink on its own.