Tonsils and adenoids are often removed when they become large and inflamed and begin to cause frequent infections. The procedure to remove tonsils is known as a tonsillectomy, and removal of the adenoids is called an adenoidectom.

What are the benefits of surgery?

Your child should get relief from a blocked or runny nose, and may get a better quality of sleep. An enlarged adenoid can obstruct breathing. If your child's adenoids are large, removing them will allow air to pass through your child's nose while they are talking and eating.

Is it better to remove tonsils or not?

In cases where children are severely affected, tonsillectomy can reduce the number of infections — but when this has been studied, children who don't get tonsillectomies have fewer infections over time too. That's the thing: either way, children get better. "Tincture of time," or just waiting it out, can work too.