Question
My child was born a few days ago, and recently, I don’t know why, they keep scratching their ears. How should I treat my child’s recurring tonsillitis?
Answer
Tonsillitis typically refers to the nonspecific inflammation of the palatine tonsils and can be categorized into acute and chronic tonsillitis. Acute tonsillitis is often caused by bacterial or viral infections when the body’s resistance is low, and it presents with sudden onset, mainly characterized by throat pain, accompanied by symptoms such as chills, fever, and headache. It is a common disease among children and adolescents. Chronic tonsillitis is caused by repeated attacks of acute tonsillitis and manifests as dry throat, a feeling of obstruction, thick mucus that is hard to cough up, and halitosis. Recurrent episodes may lead to other diseases such as chronic nephritis, arthritis, and rheumatic heart disease, hence requiring active treatment. Patients should exercise regularly to strengthen their constitution, maintain good oral hygiene, treat diseases of nearby tissues in a timely manner, eat a light diet, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and quit smoking and drinking. If tonsillitis becomes a focus for triggering other diseases or if there are other surgical indications, surgical treatment should be considered.