Is Removing Tonsils and Adenoids Right for Your Child?

You want your child to be healthy and happy, but they’re struggling with frequent throat infections or they’re having breathing or swallowing difficulties. In these cases, your child’s adenoids and/or tonsils may have become more of a liability than an asset, and removal may be a good option.

To help you understand the benefits of removing your child’s adenoids and/or tonsils, Dr. Timothy Queen, Nancy Gibson, FNP-BC, Kristi Pham, MSN, FNP-BC, and the rest of our team here at Advanced ENT & Allergy want to take a closer look at when this type of surgery might be the best course of action.

The role adenoids and tonsils play

Both your child’s adenoids and tonsils are considered part of their immune system as they’re designed to trap bacteria and viruses to prevent infection. Tonsils filter the air your child breathes in through their mouth, while the adenoids filter the air they breathe in through their nose.

When adenoids and tonsils become problematic

There are times when the very tissues that are supposed to prevent infection become the sources of infection instead, which can certainly be the case with tonsils and adenoids.

As an example, if your child develops frequent throat infections, these infections often set up in their tonsils and/or adenoids. While sore throats and throat infections aren’t all that uncommon with children, there are guidelines we use to determine whether we should consider removing a child’s tonsils and adenoids because of them. 

More specifically, a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may be prudent if your child develops:

• Seven sore throats in a year
• Five episodes each year over the course of two years 
• Three episodes per year over the course of three years

Beyond sore throats, there are other issues that may make a tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy a wise decision. At the top of this list is obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the soft tissues in the back of your child’s throat collapse while they sleep, blocking their airways.

Sleep apnea not only leads to snoring, but daytime fatigue, as well, as your child may not be getting the restful and restorative sleep they need during the night.

In addition to frequent sore throats and sleep apnea, other reasons we remove tonsils and adenoids include:

• Recurring ear infections
• Excessive mouth breathing
• Difficulty swallowing due to overly large tonsils
• Chronic sinusitis
• Hearing issues
• Chronic congestion or nasal drainage

Each child is different, and we take the time to explore other options before we recommend surgery. Should these conservative management efforts fail to remedy the issue, surgery may become the best option. 

The best way to determine whether removing your child’s tonsils and/or adenoids is to come see us so we can perform a full evaluation. To get started, contact our office in Newport News, Virginia, to set up a consultation.