Patient's question:
Your friend's child developed adenoid hypertrophy at the age of 4. After a long period of treatment, the results were not very effective. Could you please explain what adenoid hypertrophy is?Doctor's answer:
Adenoid hypertrophy refers to the enlargement of the pharyngeal tonsils. Adenoid hypertrophy in children is often physiological. Lymphoid tissue is present in the nasopharynx at birth, and it gradually proliferates with age, reaching its maximum size around 6 years old before gradually regressing. It is only considered adenoid hypertrophy if it affects overall health or neighboring organs.Children with adenoid hypertrophy may experience ear, nose, and throat symptoms due to blockage of the posterior nasal and the pharyngotympanic tube opening. This can manifest as mouth breathing during sleep, uvular prolapse often accompanied by snoring, restless sleep, excessive nasal secretions, and nasal obstruction during speech, leading to unclear pronunciation. Long-term mouth breathing can hinder facial bone development, resulting in a long maxilla, high-arched hard palate, malocclusion, protruding upper incisors, thick lips, a lack of facial expression, and a dull appearance, forming what is known as the "adenoid face."