So a certain number of mild respiratory diseases are expected during a child's early years. Children are healthier without them. It's not true that a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy makes a child less susceptible to colds, sore throats and other respiratory ailments. Nor do the operations relieve an allergy or a chronic problem such as asthma. What you perceive as swelling may be the tonsils' normal size.
Tonsils are very small at birth, enlarge gradually, and reach maximum size at age six or seven.
After that, they usually shrink to walnut size. An adenoid grows between the ages of three and five and then shrinks, eventually disappearing altogether during puberty. Unless a medical problem is diagnosed, enlargement alone is no basis for surgery. We welcome your comments . The publisher disclaims any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of Health Pages and advises users to exercise their own informed judgment in the selection of medical care.