ADENOIDS WHAT THEY ARE HOW TO RECOGNIZE THEM WHAT TO DO FOR THEM KEEP WELL SERIES No. 2 TREASURY DEPARTMENT UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 1919 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE For other instructive Health Leaflets write to the-- UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE WASHINGTON, D. C. ADENOIDS Nature intends that we should breathe through the nose and has soarranged matters that the air is strained, warmed, and moistened as itpasses through the nose. This is very important. Unfortunately about 10 per cent of all children have adenoids whichinterfere with free breathing through the nose. So many serious resultsfollow this condition that parents should learn something aboutadenoids and their treatment. WHAT ARE ADENOIDS? [Illustration] Inasmuch as adenoids are tucked away up behind the palate, and aretherefore out of sight, it may be well to study the picture shown above. The air passes into the lungs as shown by the arrows. At the placemarked "A T" nature has provided a kind of moist cushion which helps tofilter impurities out of the air. This cushion is formed of what doctorscall "adenoid tissue" and is similar to that which makes up thetonsils. When this adenoid tissue grows abnormally large it forms whatare known as "adenoids. " From the position of these adenoids as shown onthe diagram it will readily be seen how easily they interfere withproper nasal breathing. [Illustration] WHAT ADENOIDS DO. One of the first results of the growth of adenoids is mouth breathing. When this condition develops, the air breathed in reaches the throat andlungs in an unpurified condition. Moreover, it is not sufficientlywarmed or moistened. In a short time, therefore, such children begin tosuffer from repeated colds, and show the signs of a beginning of nasalcatarrh. Unless proper treatment is now undertaken the condition soongets worse, and the child's nasal breathing becomes more and moreobstructed. Children who suffer from adenoids are usually pale, oftennarrow-chested, and altogether are not as strong and robust as arenormal children. But this is by no means all of the harm done by adenoids. They affectthe voice, disfigure the facial expression, interfere with hearing, giverise to night terrors, open the way for serious invasions by diseasegerms, and, through the development of chronic nasal catarrh, may leadto loss of the sense of smell. The alteration of the facial expression is often so great that the childlooks stupid and sometimes even half-imbecile. One of the chief disfigurements caused by adenoids is that of the jawsand teeth. This is well shown in the picture. [Illustration: Stupid Expression Associated with Adenoids] It will be noticed that the teeth of the upper jaw stick out and are notcovered by the lip as they should be. In these cases the roof of themouth, that is, the palate, is narrow and highly arched, and the twojaws do not come together as they do in normal persons. This conditionis called "malocclusion. " Usually, too, the teeth of the upper jaw areirregular and crowded. (See pictures, p. 6. ) The malformation of the teeth thus produced by adenoids may lead in turnto other serious conditions, among them the chronic disease known aspyorrhea, various forms of root infection, and chronic indigestion. [Illustration] HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE CONDITION. The presence of adenoids should be suspected if the child habituallysleeps with open mouth, snores a great deal, or has frequent stranglingcoughing spells. Sleeping with open mouth is one of the first signs andshould therefore lead at once to a careful examination by a physician. Sometimes difficulty in hearing is one of the early symptoms. Therefore, in all cases of ear trouble an examination should be made for adenoids. [Illustration] WHAT TO DO. Whenever adenoids are large enough to give rise to any of the symptomsalready described, they should be removed. This is especially the casein children under 10 years of age, for it is probable that the conditionwill grow worse. The operation is a simple one and not dangerous. Itshould be performed under anesthesia. Relief is immediate and the healthand strength of the child usually improves rapidly afterwards. It iswrong to delay having the operation done, for the presence of adenoidsnot only endangers the child's health, but a few months' delay may causeconsiderable malformation of the jaws, palate, nose, and face. [Illustration] Study the above photographs of the same patient before and aftertreatment for adenoids. They show what can be done by propertreatment. [Illustration]