What is an Ideal Age for Adenoid Removal?
Located right behind the nose, adenoids are the pharyngeal tonsils that are not as clearly visible as tonsils. However, they can get swollen, inflamed, and infected. The inflammation of the adenoid glands is quite common in children. It can lead to a blocked nose, stiff neck, and, in some cases, difficulty breathing.
If the adenoids have enlarged due to an infection and are causing frequent sinus infections and breathing problems in your kid, consult an ENT surgeon in Navi Mumbai. They might recommend Adenoidectomy, a surgery to remove your adenoid glands.
Factors to Consider Before Undergoing Adenoid Removal
You must follow your surgeon’s instructions to prepare your child for adenoid removal. They will ask you to stop certain medications, such as ibuprofen and aspirin, a few days before the surgery. Ask your doctor about what your child can eat before the surgery. The procedure has to be delayed if your child catches an infection or falls sick right before the scheduled adenoidectomy.
Your child will be put under anesthesia throughout the surgery. The procedure lasts 30 minutes, and once it’s done, you can take your kid home on the same day. The surgery is commonly performed with tonsillectomy, a procedure to remove the infected and inflamed tonsils.
Benefits of Adenoid Removal
If left untreated for a long time, the enlarged and inflamed adenoid can lead to temporary hearing loss in kids. Here’s how it helps children.
- Prevent sleep apnea and other sleep problems
- Prevent snoring
- Improve their breathing
- Prevents sinus and ear infections
- Prevents bad breath in children
Adenoids do not affect your child’s immune health. If anything, these enlarged glands will only cause unnecessary infections and breathing and sleeping problems. It’s best to have them removed.
Risks and Complications of Adenoid Removal
Note that the surgery is generally considered safe. There will be no incision on your child’s skin. The surgeon will access the adenoid glands through the mouth. Depending on what you choose, the doctor might also remove the tonsils. Like any surgical procedure, it’s important to weigh the risks and benefits of adenoidectomy before considering it. Here are some common risks:
- Changes in your kid’s voice
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Side-effects of anesthesia
Because of their location in the nasal passage, it’s hard to remove all the tissues of your child’s adenoid glands. If the symptoms persist or if the glands grow back and get inflamed again, another surgery might be needed to remove the adenoid. However, that’s quite rare.
The Ideal Age for Adenoid Removal
Adenoids tend to disappear by the time your child reaches their teens. Adenoidectomy in Navi Mumbai is ideal for kids between 1 and 7 years. It’s a must for children who report ear infections because of the enlarged adenoid glands.
The surgery is recommended for non-obese kids with small tonsils. There’s no ideal age to get an adenoid removed, but kids above 3-4 years can undergo this surgery. Children above seven years do not need adenoidectomy, as these glands start to shrink by that time.
