Top Recovery Tips for Adenoid Surgery

Your adenoids are small tissue lumps at the back of your nose, above the roof of your mouth. If you look into a person’s mouth, you will not be able to see their adenoids. This is part of the immune system, and so it is important in terms of protecting the body from viruses and bacteria, as well as fighting infection. However, only children have adenoids. They tend to be at their largest when a child is 3, 4 or 5 years old. Adenoids will then start to shrink, and they will disappear once a child reaches adulthood.

In some cases, adenoids need to be removed. This can be because of a viral or bacterial infection. This could also occur if your child has had an allergic reaction. As they are not essential, surgery is often the obvious solution. If your child needs to have adenoid surgery, you will want to make sure that they are as comfortable as possible. This is why we have put together some advice regarding some of the symptoms your child may feel once their ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor has carried out this surgery.

What are some of the symptoms your child may experience after adenoid surgery?

There are a lot of different symptoms that a child could potentially experience after they have had this type of surgery. This includes the following:

• Scabs in the mouth: Your child may develop scabs, which are thick and white in nature, where the adenoids or tonsils have been removed. Most scabs will fall off within 10 days after the surgery, and this is completely normal, so do not worry. Do not let your child pick at the scabs.
• Pain: It is normal to experience pain in the ear and throat. Your doctor will give you medication to give to your child in order to help control the pain.
• Snoring and mouth breathing: This can be the norm after surgery because of the swelling in the throat. Once the swelling goes down, breathing should be back to normal. This will typically happen 10 to 14 days after surgery. If there is difficulty breathing, you should seek medical attention.
• Fever: Your child may suffer from a low fever a few days after they have had surgery. Call the doctor if their fever is above 102 F. Get medical attention if other symptoms are accompanied by the fever, a stiff neck, headaches, vomiting, nausea and lethargy.
• Sore throat: Finally, eating can be uncomfortable, and your child may have a sore throat for seven to ten days once the procedure has been carried out.

What are some tips to ease your child’s recovery after an adenoidectomy?

There are a number of different things you can do to make your child more comfortable after the surgery they have experienced. This includes:

• Make sure your child gets as much rest as they can for the first few days after having the surgery. Your child should return to school once he or she is able to eat regular food again.
• Make sure your child avoids dehydration by drinking a lot of fluids.
• Feed your child soft foods. However, make sure your child stays away from milk products for the first 24 hours after their surgery.