Recognizing tonsillitis in children

The tonsils are a system of lymphoid tissue located in the throat, which plays a role in the body's immune system to fight diseases in the first years of life. However, as children grow older, this tissue often becomes inflamed or overgrown, causing the tonsils to become too large, making it difficult for children to breathe, and can even cause sleep apnea.

Recognizing tonsillitis in children

Common diseases in children

Tonsillitis is a common disease in school-age children. Tonsils are considered to be the source of inflammation, greatly affecting children's health, especially causing respiratory diseases. Some authors also consider tonsils to be the cause of various systemic disorders in children such as: anorexia, mental retardation, bedwetting... Therefore, in most cases of repeated tonsillitis, people recommend surgical removal of this tissue.

Remember that tonsils are the general name for a number of tissues located at the junction between the respiratory and digestive tracts at the end of the pharynx. The type of tonsil that is most often inflamed is the palatine tonsil. The palatine tonsils are the largest accumulation of lymphoid tissue located on both sides of the throat and can be seen when the mouth is wide open. A second system of tonsils called the lingual tonsils is located at the very back (base) of the tongue. The third system of tonsils is the pharyngeal tonsils, which when inflamed is often called adenoiditis (abbreviation of the French word Végetation adenoidide). The adenoids are located at the back wall, at the highest point of the throat. Together with the lingual tonsils, adenoids, tubal tonsils, and palatine tonsils form a ring called the Waldeyer ring, which has the same origin and function.

Tonsils and adenoids are located at the junction of the digestive tract and respiratory tract, and are the first place to come into contact with bacteria and antigens present in food and air when inhaled, so they are susceptible to many types of bacteria. When a child is born, the tonsils are very small. From 1 to 6 years old, the tonsils gradually enlarge as a result of immune activity. Normally, there is a balance between the bacterial flora of the tonsil tissue and their local immune response. When this balance is disrupted by bacterial or viral infection, it leads to hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue and accumulation of necrotic debris, which then leads to chronic tonsillitis and hypertrophy due to an increase in the number of lymphoid follicles.

Signs of tonsillitis

Signs of enlarged tonsils can be recognized very early because they affect the child's breathing function. If you see your child snoring, you need to take him to see a tonsillologist, because if left untreated, there is a risk of sleep apnea. Special attention should be paid if your child snores loudly, breathes through his mouth chronically, wakes up frequently at night, is tired, wets the bed, has poor academic performance, etc. Enlarged tonsils also affect the child's voice formation or pronunciation. If your child speaks with a nasal voice or has difficulty pronouncing, you need to have your tonsils examined immediately. Enlarged tonsils can cause difficulty swallowing, difficulty eating, and slow eating for hours before finishing a meal. Tonsillitis can even affect the hearing function of the ear, leading to deafness. Children with enlarged tonsils often have bad breath, cough at night, and prolonged dry cough.

Children always feel uncomfortable, have a sore throat or feel stuck like there is a foreign object in the throat or have a sharp pain when swallowing. Children often have recurrent episodes of acute tonsillitis many times a year. At that time, it is necessary to take the child to the hospital for a physical examination and necessary tests. Doctors will have the necessary indications for treatment or surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids for the child. Tonsillectomy must be performed at medical facilities with professional authority and full emergency equipment, because it can easily cause danger to the patient such as: bleeding, infection...

According to suckhoedoisong.vn - NT