Question
My son is six years old and often has a stuffy nose and difficulty breathing. An X-ray shows that he has adenoid hypertrophy, blocking 1/4 of the airway, and his growth and development are significantly behind other children. Do children with adenoid hypertrophy always need to undergo surgery?
Answer
Hello! If adenoid hypertrophy leads to airway narrowing exceeding 50% or more, surgical treatment is usually recommended. As for the tonsils, if they reach a third-degree hypertrophy with fibrosis, surgery can also be considered. However, if the situation is not severe, the tonsils can be preserved first, as they are the body’s first line of defense. Typically, the frequency of tonsillitis attacks decreases after the age of ten, as the child’s immune system becomes basically mature.