What to do if your child's tonsils are always inflamed

It is particularly torturous for children to suffer from tonsils. They often cry and make a fuss, which also affects their parents. I don’t know what to do. Tonsils are generally infected by viruses or bacteria, which can easily cause symptoms such as swollen tonsils, redness, pain, fever, cough, etc. Severe cases may also cause other complications. Therefore, as parents, we must take measures to help children heal better to avoid pain. They should also eat a light diet, drink plenty of hot water, and eliminate toxins from the body, which can also be helpful.

[Function of tonsils] The human pharynx is like an arched door, which is composed of two arched tissues. One is called the palatoglossal arch, and the other is called the palatoglossal arch, which span the two sides to form two pits. Under normal circumstances, a small amount of mucus is secreted, which contains white blood cells and macrophages. Once bacteria or viruses pass through here, they are adsorbed on the mucus and then swallowed and digested. Tonsils are now a recognized immune organ.

Why does my baby’s tonsils always get inflamed?

[Tonsils block germs] Tonsils serve as the "gateway" to the respiratory and digestive tracts. When bacteria and viruses come, the tonsils are the first to be affected. Once a person's resistance is reduced, bacteria and viruses will multiply here in large numbers, and the tonsils will become inflamed. Inflamed tonsils become congested, swollen, and festering. Many small pus plugs appear in the crypts of the tonsils, and in severe cases they are covered with pus.

[4-6 years old is the peak period of tonsillitis] Generally speaking, children under the age of two will not develop tonsillitis, because the tonsils of children under the age of two have not fully matured and do not react strongly to external pathogenic microorganisms. As the tonsils, an immune organ, develop and mature, they begin to become inflamed after the age of two, with the peak period of tonsillitis being 4 to 6 years old. Therefore, parents should pay attention to their children's tonsillitis and avoid missing the opportunity for treatment, which may lead to chronic tonsillitis or even nephritis.

How do you know if your baby’s tonsils are inflamed?

[Acute tonsillitis] When children's tonsils are inflamed, the systemic infection symptoms are very obvious. The baby will show: high fever can reach 39℃~40℃, accompanied by chills, general fatigue, headache and body pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. When the doctor examined the pharynx, he found pus on the tonsils. This is the strongest evidence because systemic symptoms alone cannot distinguish it from other colds.

[Chronic tonsillitis] Enlarged tonsils caused by chronic tonsillitis can cause breathing difficulties, especially during sleep, because the tongue relaxes and falls back, causing snoring like thunder. Over time, chronic hypoxia will affect growth and development. Chronic hypoxia will also affect the baby's intellectual development. If you encounter the above situation, parents should take your baby to see a doctor.

The harm of tonsillitis to babies

Both acute and chronic tonsillitis can cause a variety of complications and endanger children's health. Local complications include acute otitis media, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, cervical lymphadenitis, peritonsillar abscess, etc. Common systemic complications include rheumatism, acute glomerulonephritis, sepsis, arthritis, skin diseases (such as psoriasis), myocarditis, bronchial asthma, etc. It can also cause severe acute nephritis.

How to treat baby’s tonsillitis?

【Conservative treatment】Effective antibiotics, such as penicillin and cephalosporins, should be used for bacterial infections. Each attack should be treated with effective antibiotics for more than one week. Antiviral agents such as ribavirin and interferon are used in case of viral infection.

[Surgical treatment] If the tonsils are severely enlarged, affecting the child's breathing, swallowing and pronunciation, causing snoring during sleep, affecting growth and development, and are severely inflamed 4-5 times a year, becoming lesions and causing damage to the heart and kidney functions, then surgical removal is necessary. (Generally speaking, it is best not to have your tonsils removed before the age of four.)