Home care
Treat tonsillitis the same way as a common cold, a sore throat, or hay fever. A throat culture will usually be required to help your doctor identify the illness. Give aspirin or paracetamol and plenty of fluids. A peritonsillar abscess requires treatment by a doctor.
Precautions
• If drooling occurs with a sore throat, the child should be seen by a doctor immediately.
• Enlarged adenoids and tonsils are common in healthy children three to nine years of age.
• Tonsils often contain a white, cheesy material. This is normal and does not indicate infection.
• Tonsils and adenoids may be infected without becoming enlarged.
• Enlarged tonsils do not cause poor eating habits.
Medical treatment
The decision to remove tonsils and adenoids surgically requires careful evaluation. Some doctors insist that they should never be removed; others recommend routine removal. Both groups are mistaken.
The tonsils can be removed as part of the treatment of: a quinsy sore throat; frequent infections (for more than a year) of the tonsils; a tonsillar tumour; or a diphtheria bacilli-infected tonsil.
Upper airway obstruction resulting in sleep apnea (temporary halt in breathing) is an indication for removing the adenoids (adenoidectomy). The adenoids can also be removed to correct: a nasal obstruction that has led to facial peculiarities such as a pinched face, narrow nostrils, or constantly open mouth; snoring; or a nasal voice. In some cases, it also may be wise to have adenoids removed if their enlargement is causing a hearing loss or frequent middle ear infections. Alternatives to adenoidectomy include prolonged use of decongestants and antibiotics.
Your doctor will treat a peritonsillar abscess with antibiotics; occasionally surgical drainage is necessary.
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