Question
An 8-year-old child has been infected with the flu for nearly a month, suffering from recurrent colds. Over the past two weeks, he has been snoring during his afternoon naps, with drooling from his lips. A medical institution has diagnosed him with adenoid hypertrophy, but no imaging examination has been conducted to confirm the specific condition. It is also unknown whether he has allergic rhinitis, as this situation has never occurred before. I would like to inquire whether adenoid hypertrophy in an 8-year-old child is suitable for surgical treatment? If surgery is required, does it necessarily involve general anesthesia? If surgery is not an option, are there any drug treatment methods that can alleviate the condition?
Answer
The adenoids are located in the nasopharynx and are commonly observed in children during infancy, leading to snoring during deep sleep and affecting nasal ventilation. In severe cases, it may even cause apnea during deep sleep. If the current nasal congestion is severe, nasal spray can be considered to shrink the nasal mucosa and observe if there is any improvement in ventilation. Generally, it is recommended to perform adenoidectomy on children over three years of age.