Signs of inflammation of adenoids in the nose in children

Adenoids are a chronic inflammation in the nasopharynx, which subsequently leads to hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue of the pharyngeal tonsil.

Normally, adenoids are a kind of barrier at the entrance of air filled with microorganisms, among which there may be pathogens of various diseases. A large number of immune cells are produced here - lymphocytes, which neutralize pathogenic flora. Consequently, when the pharyngeal tonsils are inflamed, the body's defenses sharply decrease and it is more susceptible to diseases.

The maximum number of cases of adenoid enlargement occurs between the ages of 1 year and 13-14 years.

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The first signs of adenoids in children

One of the first signs of adenoid development is impaired nasal breathing, which only occurs at night; during the day, at the initial stages of the pathological process, the child breathes normally. A lingering runny nose, discharge of serous fluid from the nasal passages, which has a light yellow transparent color, may also bother. A child with adenoids has a stuffy nose. As a result of complicated breathing through the mouth, the child breathes through the mouth at night. Because of this, his sleep may become restless, with snoring or snoring. Changes in the child's appearance and behavior occur, which can be noticed with the naked eye, but most often parents do not think about the fact that this may be a reason to consult an otolaryngologist. The face becomes pale, slightly puffy, swollen, the lips often dry out, the nasolabial folds are smoothed out. Children may be less active, apathetic mood, frequent irritations and nervousness, restlessness prevail. As a rule, the temperature during inflammation of adenoids in children is determined to be elevated.

This disease is less common in infants, but such cases do occur. There are some characteristic symptoms of adenoids in children under 1 year: impaired sucking reflex, positive Geppert's sign - reddened clogged mucous glands are visible on the soft palate, pronounced wet cough, which can lead to attacks of suffocation, hyperemia of the posterior palate.

Stages of adenoids

Depending on the growth rate of the pharyngeal tonsil, it is customary to distinguish 3 stages of adenoids. Some specialists distinguish 4 stages, considering that stage 3 is the penultimate one, manifested by almost complete blockage of the nasopharynx, and the last one is complete. An accurate method for determining the degree of hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsil is radiography.

So, the stages of adenoids differ from each other in the complexity of symptoms:

Symptoms of grade 1 adenoids in children - the pharyngeal tonsil increases in size and blocks the nasopharyngeal opening by one third. These signs are present at the onset of the disease and do not require surgical intervention. The child may be bothered by a runny nose, difficulty breathing through the nose at night, which is why the little patient sleeps with his mouth slightly open. During the day, there are no symptoms of adenoids, since in the vertical position the influx of venous blood does not increase, contributing to difficulty breathing through the nose.

Symptoms of stage 2 adenoids in children – adenoids block from one third to half of the nasal passages. The child may snore or snore at night. Breathing through the nose becomes difficult not only at night, but also during the day.

Symptoms of grade 3 adenoids in children – the growth of lymphoid tissue contributes to the complete blockage of the nasopharynx, which makes nasal breathing impossible. Sometimes grades 2 and 3 adenoids can be confused. If a child can sometimes breathe through the nose, then it is too early to diagnose the last degree of adenoids. The cause of this may be stagnation of serous fluid in the choanae.

Symptoms of adenoid complications in children

If treatment is not carried out in time, the enlargement of the lymphoid tissue of the adenoids can have a number of complications:

• Deformation of the jaw bones: the lower part of the oral cavity sags due to the predominant breathing through the mouth throughout the day. The external shape of the face may change, although it takes a long time for such cardinal changes to occur in the skeletal system. There is a so-called "adenoid face" - a medical term that characterizes deformations of the facial skeleton: the lower jaw is elongated and slightly lowered, the mouth is half-open, the upper incisors protrude sharply forward, the palate becomes high and narrow.
• Pathology of the speech apparatus: due to the predominance of oral breathing and the inability to breathe through the nose, changes occur in the jaw bones, an incorrect bite also develops and the child may have a speech disorder, he begins to speak nasal and does not pronounce certain letters
• Inflammation of the adenoids - adenoiditis, can occur in acute or chronic form
• Due to the impairment of breathing - shallow breathing predominates - a deformation of the chest occurs - the so-called "chicken breast", in which the sternum, ribs and costal cartilages protrude forward, creating the shape of a boat keel.
• The growth of adenoids can provoke the development of hypertrophy of the palatine tonsils, which leads to impaired food intake, chewing and swallowing of the food bolus.
• Problems with the digestive system are directly related to serous secretion, which accumulates on the wall of the nasopharynx and is swallowed together with food into the gastrointestinal tract. This can also be accompanied by constipation, flatulence and lack of appetite.
• Hearing loss, even to the point of developing hearing loss, occurs due to the blockage of the Eustachian tube, which connects the nasopharynx and the ear, by enlarged pharyngeal tonsils.
• Otitis is an inflammation of the ear. The cause of frequent inflammatory processes is also the growth of adenoids, which are an excellent source of infection, and the reduction of the passage of the auditory tube for air.
• Frequently recurring cases of colds, as inflamed nasopharyngeal tonsils are a source of viral and bacterial infections. During normal functioning, mucus is produced in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, due to the release of which the body is cleansed of pathogenic agents. With adenoids, the outflow is disrupted and this fluid stagnates, while microorganisms are not removed to the outside and can cause frequent colds.
• Enlarged adenoids lead to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, which slows down the work of the central nervous system. The child becomes sleepy, apathetic, irritable and less active, he is bothered by headaches and dizziness.
• Reduced oxygen levels lead to a decrease in red blood cells and hemoglobin in the bloodstream, and as a result of inflammation, the number of white blood cells increases.
• The accumulation of mucus in the nasopharynx contributes to the development of pathogenic flora and the development of infection - tonsillitis, rhinitis, sinusitis. Going down in the composition of mucus, microorganisms can cause chronic pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis.

Symptoms of adenoid inflammation in children

Inflammation of the adenoids in children is manifested by a similar symptomatic picture. Due to swelling of the adenoids, children suffer from elevated body temperature. Mucus or pus may be secreted from the nose. Deterioration of nasal breathing leads to nasal congestion, snoring during sleep, and nasal speech. The function of the sense organs also suffers: hearing decreases, which is accompanied by congestion in the ears. The child may be bothered by a cough, most often dry, which is noticed in the morning, a burning sensation in the throat. Due to the accumulation of serous secretion in the nasopharynx and its flowing down, the feeling of a lump stuck in the throat does not go away, and a sore throat may bother. Regional lymph nodes enlarge and become painful upon palpation: submandibular, cervical, occipital. A clear symptom of enlarged adenoids in a child, which an experienced doctor can visually note is an "adenoid face". It is characterized by an open mouth, a drooping lower jaw and facial swelling.

Cough with adenoids in children

One of the symptoms of inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil is a dry cough. The reasons for its manifestation are considered to be a reflex to an irritant of the nerve endings in the nasopharynx due to the accumulation and movement of mucous secretion along the walls. Often, an adenoid cough can be confused with a cold. Here, it is worth paying attention to the child's ability to breathe through the nose, the presence of deformations of the jaw bones, swelling. Dry cough with adenoids in children, if it has a chronic, sluggish form, then it becomes permanent. The child's parents complain of a night cough, which is provoked by a decrease in breathing through the nose due to prolonged lying down, drying out of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. At the onset of the disease, a dry cough can turn into a wet cough in a child with adenoids - this happens during the day during the period of mucus flowing down the back of the nasopharyngeal membrane.

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Treatment of adenoids in children

To cure adenoids in a child, it is necessary to prescribe complex therapy, which will include:

• antibiotics to combat infectious inflammation and to relieve cough in a couple of days;
• To treat a cough caused by adenoids in a child, expectorants can be used, selected individually, depending on the type of cough;
• mucolytic drugs that thin mucus;
• to treat a runny nose due to adenoids in a child, instillation and rinsing of the nose, drops to constrict blood vessels will help;
• inhalations with mineral water, eucalyptus;
• Antihistamine medications, which reduce swelling of the nasopharynx, will help quickly relieve swelling of the adenoids;
• vitamin complexes to maintain immunity.

With adenoiditis, children have a high temperature. In order to bring it down, it is necessary to carry out complex treatment, which will help in the fight against the inflammatory process and the temperature, as one of the signs of inflammation, will also disappear.

Laser therapy, homeopathy, physiotherapy, respiratory physical training, and massage therapy are also effective treatment methods. There is a surgical method for combating inflamed adenoids - adenotomy, but this operation can only be prescribed when all medications have failed.