What is adenoid hypertrophy?
In most children, the adenoid enlarges normally during early childhood, when infections of the nose and throat are most common. They usually shrink as the child gets older and disappear by puberty. However, in some children, the adenoid continues to become larger and block the passage behind the nose. This can result in snoring, breathing through the mouth, and/or a HYPONASAL sound to the speech (sounds like talking with a stuffed nose). Additionally, this can result in OTITIS MEDIA (middle ear infections) because of blockage of the eustachian tube (the tube that connects the ear to the throat).
