Treatment and Prevention of Adenoid Hypertrophy in a 3-Year-Old Baby

Question

My 3-year-old has been running a fever for four consecutive days. During this period, there has been severe nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, and he often sleeps with his mouth open, breathing heavily. He has trouble sleeping at night and has been taking symptomatic anti-inflammatory medication, but there is no improvement. What should I do about my 3-year-old’s adenoid hypertrophy?

Answer

Based on the symptoms you’ve described, your child’s nighttime mouth breathing, heavy breathing, and restless sleep are likely due to adenoid hypertrophy blocking the posterior nares, especially when lying flat to sleep at night. This can lead to the symptoms you’ve mentioned. Adenoid hypertrophy not only causes sleep problems in children but also increases the risk of developing rhinitis, sinusitis, and secretory otitis media due to the obstruction of the posterior nares, and these conditions are prone to recurrence. Guidance: The primary method of treating adenoid hypertrophy is conservative treatment. Children over 3 years old can use NasalCrom spray along with symptomatic anti-inflammatory medication. The anti-inflammatory medication can generally be stopped once the inflammation subsides, while the NasalCrom spray can be used for a longer period, such as about a month, to observe if the child’s symptoms improve. If there is improvement, surgical treatment can be temporarily avoided; if conservative treatment is ineffective, surgical treatment may be necessary, which is usually more thorough. Additionally, children with adenoid hypertrophy often have enlarged tonsils, which can also affect nighttime ventilation. It is recommended to check and exclude whether there is hypertrophy of the adenoids. I hope my answer is helpful.