Chronic Tonsils & Adenoid Infections

When your child has a recurring sore throat, difficulty swallowing, or noisy breathing, they may have infected tonsils and adenoids.

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Tonsillectomy & Adenoidectomy Specialists

The physicians at Southern ENT Associates have lots of experience working with children who need to have a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, which is surgery to remove enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Call one of the six offices in South Louisiana, or book an appointment online if you have questions about whether your child should receive an evaluation.

What are Tonsils and Adenoids?

Tonsils and adenoids are lymph tissue that traps germs and viruses. Although they may help fight disease in children, they stop serving a protective role around puberty and begin to shrink as you get older.

Tonsils are found on each side of the tongue, while adenoids are in the roof of the mouth, near the back of your throat.

What are the Symptoms of Tonsillitis and Adenoiditis?

Children’s tonsils and adenoids are open to a lot of microorganisms. As a result, they may collect too much bacteria to fight and end up becoming infected.

The following are the typical symptoms of tonsillitis:

Red, swollen tonsils
White or yellow patches on tonsils
A sore throat
Fever
Pain or difficulty swallowing
Swollen neck glands
Ear pain

Tonsillitis seldom develops before the age of two. At this age, children are more susceptible to viral tonsillitis. When children aged 5-15 contract tonsillitis, it’s usually due to bacteria.
Symptoms of swollen adenoids include the following:

Breathing through the mouth
Nose sounds blocked when your child speaks
Noisy breathing
Recurrent ear infections
Snoring or obstructive sleep apnea (breathing briefly stops while asleep)

Everyone with obstructive sleep apnea snores, but snoring doesn’t always mean your child has sleep apnea. Look for symptoms like the following:

Restless sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Behavior problems because they’re tired

When Does Your Child Need a Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy?

Your doctor at Southern ENT Associates may recommend surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids (tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy) when your child has persistent or recurring tonsillitis or when the tonsils are so large they block the throat.

Recurring tonsillitis is known as having more than seven infections in one year or more than three infections a year for three years. By comparison, most children only have one or two infections a year.

What Happens During a Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy?

Tonsils and adenoids are taken out as an outpatient procedure, but general anesthesia is part of the surgery, so you’ll be at the hospital for several hours following. Children with severe obstructive sleep apnea and very young children may stay in the hospital overnight so their breathing can be monitored.

After the procedure, it takes one to two weeks to recover. Although your child may not feel like eating due to pain, they heal faster if they start chewing and eating soft foods. It’s hard to watch your child suffer from swollen tonsils, but we can help. Call Southern ENT Associates or book an appointment online.