Pathophysiology of adenoidal hypertrophy: :clipboard: In many children, adenoids grow to be quite large, and start reacting more than necessary to the stimulus of viruses, allergens, irritants, or bacteria. As such, when the frequent adenoidal immune response attempts to fight off these substances, the adenoids can become swollen or enlarged. Furthermore, often the adenoidal crypts become colonised with bacteria such as streptococcus, which can serve as a reservoir for recurrent infections.
Risks: , adenoid hypertrophy tends to be more problematic for children as they have a narrower posterior oropharynx than adults. As such, having swollen adenoids combined with the relatively narrow posterior oropharynx puts young children at risk of having the swollen tissue block their airway, causing breathing problems or sleep apnoea
Signs and symptoms: snoring, runny nose, chronic wheeze, recurring chest and ear infections, increased respiratory effort, difficulties breathing especially whilst asleep (concern for obstructive sleep apnoea)