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 enlarged adenoids. She needs procedures, but considering she is young, can medication be considered instead of surgery? Or is surgery absolutely necessary?Doctor's answer:
Adenoid hypertrophy is usually caused by a child's cold or cough not healing completely. Long-term nasal congestion can lead to facial deformation, affect intelligence, and cause middle ear infections. It is important to have surgery promptly. Plasma treatment can also be used for adenoid hypertrophy. If a child contracts this condition after the age of four or five and the situation is not too severe, it may be better to wait. By the time they are around 10 years old, it may shrink on its own.