What are the symptoms of adenoid hypertrophy in children?

Written by Lian Wen Xi
Pediatrics
Updated on May 10, 2025
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Children's adenoid hypertrophy has a variety of symptoms, mainly including the following aspects. First: It may lead to nasal congestion, accompanied by runny nose and nasal speech due to obstructive nasal sounds and other clinical manifestations. Second: It may cause the child to develop secretory otitis media or purulent otitis media, resulting in ear pain and hearing loss among other clinical manifestations. Third: Due to the long-term hypertrophy of adenoid tissue affecting ventilation, it may cause children to breathe through the mouth. Prolonged mouth breathing may result in a condition known as adenoid facies. Fourth: Some systemic symptoms may occur, such as slowed growth and development, cognitive impairments, irritability, drowsiness, teeth grinding, easy awakening, lack of concentration, and bedwetting among other symptoms.

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Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
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Adenoid hypertrophy is caused by what?

Adenoid hypertrophy can be divided into physiological and pathological hypertrophy. Physiological hypertrophy is a normal part of everyone's development. It begins at the age of three, peaks at about seven, and gradually shrinks around the age of ten. Pathological hypertrophy, on the other hand, often occurs on the basis of physiological hypertrophy, followed by inflammatory stimuli. Factors such as viral infections, colds, and allergic reactions are the main causes of pathological adenoid hypertrophy. This type of hypertrophy can lead to poor respiratory function, symptoms such as snoring during sleep, nasal congestion, and a runny nose. If the enlarged adenoids block the Eustachian tube, it can also lead to secretory otitis media.

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Written by Huang Kun Mei
Pediatrics
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What are the symptoms of adenoid hypertrophy in children?

Children with adenoid hypertrophy mainly have the following symptoms: The first is that children are prone to nasal congestion, and they may snore and breathe through their mouths while sleeping at night. The second is that their facial appearance might change. The third is that children may experience a decrease in memory and lack of concentration. It is recommended to visit the otolaryngology department for diagnosis. If diagnosed with adenoid hypertrophy in children, treatment should be targeted, based on the specific condition and severity of the child.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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The difference between adenoid hypertrophy and rhinitis.

Adenoid hypertrophy and rhinitis certainly have their differences. The adenoid is a lymphoepithelial tissue located in the nasopharynx, and its enlargement can block the posterior nasal aperture, leading to nasal congestion. Rhinitis refers to the inflammation of the nasal mucosa, where the mucosa becomes congested and swollen, leading to narrowing and obstruction of the nasal cavity. There are fundamental differences between them. The clinical treatment for rhinitis primarily involves medication, while the treatment for adenoid hypertrophy mainly involves surgical removal. In the early stages of adenoid hypertrophy, some medications can be used, but the effectiveness of medical treatment is often relatively poor and rarely controls the progression of the condition, so surgery is primarily used. Clinically, it is often seen that rhinitis and adenoid hypertrophy coexist, which requires doctors to differentiate and determine whether the nasal congestion is caused by adenoid hypertrophy or rhinitis.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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Can you eat eggs with enlarged adenoids?

Patients with adenoid hypertrophy can eat eggs. Adenoid hypertrophy is a common and frequent disease in otorhinolaryngology, primarily occurring in infants and young children, especially those aged 5-7 years. Due to the significant proliferation of lymphatic tissue, it can cause an enlargement of the lymphatic tissue on the posterior wall of the nasopharynx, thereby blocking the posterior nasal passages. This leads to symptoms such as snoring, breath-holding, sleep apnea, and hypoxia during nighttime in patients. Therefore, for patients with adenoid hypertrophy, after confirmation through exams such as electronic nasopharyngoscopy and lateral nasopharyngeal radiography, surgery is usually required to remove the enlarged adenoid tissue. In some cases, the removal of the tonsils is also necessary in order to restore ventilation in the nasopharynx and oral cavity, improving symptoms like nighttime snoring and breath-holding in patients.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Can adenoid hypertrophy cause a fever?

Adenoid hypertrophy is a common condition in children and is an overgrowth of normally occurring tissue. It does not cause fever on its own. However, diseases secondary to adenoid hypertrophy, such as sinusitis and otitis media, might lead to fever. During the acute infection phase of hypertrophied adenoids, referred to as acute adenoiditis, fever can occur. Therefore, clinically, it is essential to distinguish between different stages and conditions of adenoid hypertrophy to manage it correctly. Simply put, adenoid hypertrophy does not cause fever by itself.