Adenoid Hyperplasia

       Adenoid Hyperplasia is the over enlarge­ment of the lymph glands located above the back of the mouth. Located at the back of the mouth above and below the soft pal­ate are two pairs of lymph glands. The tonsils below are clearly visible behind the back teeth; the adenoids he just above them and are hidden from view by the palate. Together these four arsenals of immune defense guard the major entrance to the body from foreign invaders—the germs we breathe and eat. In contrast to the rest of the body’s tisso.es, lymphoid tissue reaches its greatest size in mid-childhood and recedes thereafter. In this way children are best able to develop the immunities they need to survive in a world full of infectious diseases. Beyond its normal growth pattern, lymphoid tissue grows excessively (hypertrophies) during an acute infection as it suddenly increases its immune activity to fight off the invaders.Often it does not completely return to its former size. Each subsequent infection leaves behind a larger set of tonsils and adenoids.To make matters worse, the sponge-like struc­ture of these hypertrophied glands can produce safe havens for germs where the body cannot reach and eliminate them. Before antibiotics and the reduction in infectious childhood diseases over the past few generations, tonsils and adenoids caused greater health problems.