Almost all adults today can clearly remember if they still have their tonsils and adenoids, or if they were removed during their childhood. There was a time when these two organs were removed at the first sign of an infection, but over the years, thankfully, this practice has dwindled to almost non-existence. Now, unless there is a valid reason to remove the adenoids and tonsils, most children today will grow into adulthood with them intact. They serve a purpose, and must be left intact for a number of reasons, and it is helpful for parents to know as much as they can about these two important organs, so that their children can enjoy the best possible health, with or without them. .

The importance of adenoids and tonsils

Tonsils and adenoids, although often grouped together when talking about childhood illnesses, are actually separate organs that play an important role in your child’s health. Both are considered to be lymph nodes, made up of the same tissues that often swell when the body has some type of infection. Both are very important to your child’s immune system, and both work hard to fight the upper respiratory infections that affect most children before they reach their teens.

Most children often have enlarged tonsils, which can be easily seen hanging on either side of the back of the throat. Having enlarged tonsils isn’t necessarily a sign of an infection, and if your child has this condition without a fever, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have tonsillitis, and more tests should be done before removing them. Adenoids cannot be seen with the naked eye without help, such as an endoscope. They are located higher up, between the nose and throat, and are not easily seen. Both organs are capable of collecting food and other waste that enters the body through the mouth and nose, and both are often where sinus infections and other respiratory problems begin, often due to the debris they collect, such as pollen, spores, and food crumbs.

When problems arise

Most childhood infections are viral, meaning they are caused by a virus that is passed from one child to another. The rest are bacteria, such as strep throat and mononucleosis. Most of them will affect the tonsils first and eventually the adenoids, if left untreated. Antibiotics can cure most of these infections, if caught early, without removing the tonsils or adenoids. However, frequent infections can cause one or both to be eliminated for the health of the child.

Infected adenoids can cause fluid to collect in the Eustachian tubes, leading to an ear infection. Tubes will probably be placed in your child’s ears to help with drainage, but if infections persist, the adenoids may need to be removed. Ear pain, a nasal tone to the voice, and mouth breathing are symptoms of a possible infection of the adenoids. The tonsils become infected more often than the adenoids, mainly because they are the first line of defense in the throat. If they look bright red and swollen, your child’s throat is sore and if he has difficulty swallowing, it may mean he has tonsillitis and will need to have them removed.

Sometimes the troublemakers

As we said, some children will have enlarged tonsils for most of their lives. While they are not life-threatening, they can still cause problems within the airways. Chronic conditions, such as sleep apnea, have symptoms such as snoring, restricted breathing that lasts about 10 seconds, and daytime sleepiness are the first signs of possible sleep apnea in your child. Check with your doctor to determine if having your tonsils removed will relieve your apnea.

Another condition related to the tonsils and adenoids that appears even in adulthood is tonsillar stones. Food particles that get trapped in the crevices of the tonsils do not always break off during subsequent swallowing and can harden over time. Bad halitosis is the first sign of this, and gargling with warm salt water after a meal can help. If not, the tonsils will have to go.