Question
My child, who is 11 years old, has been diagnosed with adenoid hypertrophy and has not yet had an imaging test. The child has been suffering from a long-term hoarse voice that resembles a pigeon’s cooing, without symptoms of snoring, mouth breathing, or runny nose. The doctor suggests surgery. How should we handle this?
Answer
Adenoid hypertrophy often occurs due to incomplete recovery from a child’s cold, which may lead to facial deformation due to prolonged nasal congestion, affect intelligence, and potentially cause otitis media. Surgery should be performed promptly. For adenoid hypertrophy, there is also the option of ion therapy. If the child’s condition is not severe between the ages of 5 and 10, it can be considered to observe and wait until adolescence when the adenoids may naturally shrink.