Question
How Long Does It Take for a Child’s Tonsillitis to Heal?
Answer
After the age of 1, the tonsils begin to develop, reaching their peak during the pre-school years. As a gateway to the respiratory tract and an important immune organ responsible for eliminating pathogens, they are prone to inflammation when invaded by bacteria. Purulent tonsillitis caused by bacteria is a common and frequent disease in young children and pre-school children. Acute tonsillitis often presents with high fever, sore throat, visibly swollen tonsils, or yellowish discharge. Chronic tonsillitis usually does not have obvious symptoms or may manifest as persistent low-grade fever, loss of appetite, and enlarged cervical lymph nodes with non-specific symptoms. Recurrent tonsillitis can affect a child’s physical health and normal development. Chronic tonsillitis is the most harmful, with the potential to lead to serious diseases such as rheumatism, nephritis, and myocarditis. Children with long-term tonsillitis may also experience frequent mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing, which can lead to conditions such as pigeon chest, funnel chest, and even pulmonary heart disease. Therefore, one should not take this condition lightly. Acute tonsillitis should be treated with penicillin and other antibiotics. There are many treatment methods for chronic tonsillitis, including traditional Chinese and Western medicine, physical therapy, tonsil closure therapy, and surgery. Tonsillectomy in children should be done with great caution and strict adherence to surgical indications. During the age of 3 to 5, it should not be rushed into lightly. Generally, if a child exhibits the following conditions, it may be considered for elective surgery: 1. Recurrent acute purulent tonsillitis or peritonsillar abscess.