Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in children

Nasal congestion, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea tend to be caused by enlarged adenoids. The adenoids are a pad of lymphoid tissue that sits at the back of the nose. Children naturally have large adenoids which shrink as they grow. Sometimes the large adenoid can significantly block off the back of the nose leading to nasal blockage, mouth breathing, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA); this is when children stop breathing for a few seconds when in deep sleep. It is important to treat OSA.

Medical treatment in the form of nasal drops and antihistamines is not always effective. Surgical treatment such as adenoidectomy may be performed. This can sometimes be done as a day case. The surgery is performed under general anaesthetic and heat is used to shrink back the adenoids to create more breathing space at the back of the nose

Recurrent tonsillitis

The tonsils are lymphoid tissue found at the back of your mouth. There is one on each side of the moth. Their function is to help fight infection that enters through the mouth and nose. Unfortunately, they can become repeatedly infected during acute tonsillitis. This can be quite painful and unpleasant such that a tonsillectomy is recommended.

Treatment involves a removing the tonsils surgically (tonsillectomy) and can be done as a day case. Heat is used to remove the tonsil from the muscle layer that it lies in or coblation may be used to debulk the tonsil. This has benefits of reduced post-operative bleeding and is less painful.