Patient's question:
My baby is 18 months old. After a month of having a cold, the nasal congestion became severe when the cold subsided. The duration of nasal congestion was 15 days. In the early stages, there was nasal congestion, and later, snoring during sleep. At its worst, there were episodes of apnea lasting around 10 seconds, waking up with difficulty breathing and crying loudly, making it hard to fall back asleep. The appetite was poor.Doctor's answer:
Hello parents! Adenoid hypertrophy is a condition specific to childhood, typically beginning to grow around age 3 and reaching its peak of proliferation between 6 and 10 years old. After age 6, the growth slows down, and around age 10, the adenoids gradually begin to shrink. It primarily causes snoring during sleep, mouth breathing, and symptoms may worsen after a cold. If snoring persists and conservative medication is ineffective, it is recommended to have a fiberoptic examination to assess the size of the adenoids. If possible, a sleep study should be conducted to check for hypoxia. If the adenoid hypertrophy is severe (generally exceeding 2/3) and accompanied by hypoxia symptoms, and conservative treatment fails after 2-3 months, surgery may be necessary. The surgery is usually performed under nasal endoscopy to remove the adenoids. The cost of the surgery is generally around 10,000 yuan. Since the child is young, the surgery should be approached with caution. If nasal congestion is severe, you can use oxymetazoline spray for 5 days. If there is excessive mucus, use saline nasal irrigation. You can also take Erlangma.