What is Adenoids / Adenoiditis?
Adenoids / Adenoiditis are lymph tissue which lies in the upper respiratory tract between the nose and the back of the throat. They are part of the glandular tissue encircling the back of the throat. Unlike tonsils, they are not visible through the mouth and special instruments are needed to see them. Adenoiditis is the inflammation of the adenoid tissue that is caused by bacterial or viral infection.
Adenoids, along with the tonsils are first line of defense in the throat of children. Both adenoids and tonsils are located near the entrance of the respiratory tract, which allow them to catch incoming infections. It is stipulated that they play a major role in helping to form antibodies to the “germs” which help the child to resist and fight future infection.
Adenoids are usually found only in children. They grow from birth and are the biggest by the time the child is 3 to 5 years old. In the teenage years, adenoids progressively shrink and disappear completely by adulthood. Many children have their tonsils and adenoids removed when they are young, however they do not suffer any loss in their future immunity to respiratory tract infections.
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