What Are Adenoids: Symptoms Of Enlarged Adenoids In Children

Adenoids are glandular lymphoid tissue located behind the nose where the nose and the mouth meet. They are soft lump at the back of nasopharynx just behind the uvula.

What Are Adenoids

As they are lymphoid tissue, they have a role to play in immune mechanism of the body. They defend the body against the bacteria and viruses which we breathe in through the nose by trapping them.  Antibodies produced by the adenoids help to prevent lung and throat infection.

Symptoms Of Enlarged Adenoids In Children

  • The adenoids grow in size after birth, but it stops its growth after 3 to 7 years in children.
    Adenoids are not visible as tonsils by opening your mouth; they are visible to the doctor with the help of a mirror held at the back of the mouth. X-ray helps to visualize the size of adenoids.
  • We often come across adenoid and tonsil swelling in children. This occurs as a result of bacteria and virus infection, allergies, etc. Sometimes even after the infection subsides the adenoids remain enlarged.
  • Usually swollen adenoids do not cause any problem, however, in some individuals the enlarged adenoids can exhibit some unwanted symptoms. The child may find difficult to breathe through the nose and then he tends to breathe through the mouth, his mouth becomes dry and bad breath emits from his mouth.
    He has constant runny nose. Snoring is often the cause of enlarged adenoids. Change of voice or nasal voice is often seen due to enlarged adenoids. In some cases hearing is impaired by enlarged adenoids due to obstruction of the Eustachian tube.