Zaeem has had endless problems with his sinuses. We removed all the carpets, made sure dust was eliminated as much as possible and we had him on daily meds to manage the sneezing and sniffing for the longest time.
I myself suffer from sinus and I hate seeing my little boy struggle like this.
After Covid, I knew it was time to see our ENT surgeon. I had my older boy’s adenoids and tonsils removed when he was little due to snoring and recurrent ear infections. So I knew it was time and I assumed Zaeem would be having the same procedure done.
Zaeem had different symptoms, no sore throat or recurring ear infections and the ENT surgeon indicated that he would only need his adenoids removed and his sinuses flushed.
So what are adenoids?
Adenoids form part of the immune system, it’s the glands high up in the throat behind the nose and roof of the mouth. Basically the adenoids stops the germs in the nose before they can cause illness and they do become swollen as they fight off bacteria or viruses.
When this happens, the adenoids may enlarge and interfere with breathing and sleeping and may feel sore.
Symptoms of enlarged adenoids
Here are a few signs to look out for in babies and children:
breathing through the mouth frequently
the nose being stuffy or runny without illness
a dry mouth and cracked lips
a nasal-sounding voice
frequent or persistent ear infections
poor quality sleep or pauses in breathing during sleep
These signs do not always mean a child has swollen adenoids, it is important to contact a doctor to determine their cause.
What happens during adenoid removal?
The doctor who performed the adenoidectomy is an ENT specialist. Zaeem was put under general anesthesia during adenoid removal, which means that he was asleep and unable to feel any pain. He had to stop eating at midnight the night before surgery to prevent vomiting during the procedure.
For the adenoidectomy, the surgeon used an instrument to see inside the throat and nasal cavity. They can access the adenoids through the back of the throat, so they do not need to make any external incisions.
The surgeon removes the adenoid tissue. The surgical procedure was about 20 minutes and Zaeem was discharged the same day.
Recovery after adenoid removal
Soft food and iced drinks are recommended after surgery.
Recovery is 10 days.
Zaeem complained about pain and discomfort, but we left with some strong medication to get him through the recovery process.
A follow up appointment is scheduled with the ENT surgeon 2 weeks after the procedure.
A mild fever is typical on the day of surgery and some noisy breathing and snoring for up to 2 weeks after surgery is common, but should stop once the swelling subsides.
What else you need to know:
Adenoids can sometimes grow back after surgery
Removing a child’s adenoids or tonsils may increase their risk of developing respiratory, infectious, and allergic conditions later in life.
xxxZ
For medical assistance contact your mecial professional, these are my views and experience and not a professional medical opinon.
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