The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-10-02
The Growing Child
Ia series Of articles prepared es-
pecially for The Palladium. by the
United States Public Health
Service. Washington, D. CT
ADENOlDS.

Nature intends that we should
! breathe through the nose and has sc
| arranged matters that the air is
strained, warmed, and moistened, as
| it passes through the nose. This is
! very important.
Unfortunately, 10 per cent or more
! of all children have adenoids, which
interfere with free breathing through
| the nose. So many serious results
follow this condition that parents
should learn something about ade-
noids and their treatment.
| What Adenoids Do
; One Of the first results Of the growth
of adenoids is mouth breathing. When
this condition develops, the air breath
| ed in reaches the throat and lungs in
an unpurified condition. Moreover, it
| is not sufficiently warmed or moisten-
ed. In short time, therefore, such
children begin to suffer from repeated
colds, and show the signs Of begin
ming of nasal catarrh. Unless proper
! treatment is now undertaken the coli
! dition soon gets worse, and the child's
nasal breathing becomes more AMI
more obstructed.
Children who suffer from adenoids
are usually pale, often narrow-chested,
| anu dllOSetISl oil Z 1lot 81 Oho anu
robust as are normal children.
| But this is by no means all of the
harm done by adenoids. They affect
the voice. disfigure the facial express
sion, interfere with hearing, give rise
to night terrors, open the way for
serious invasions by disease germs.
and through the development OF
chronic nasal catarrh, may lead to the
| loss of the sense of smell
| The alteration of the facial expires.
sion is often so great that the child
looks stupid and sometimes half-iln
beetle Quite frequently a child with
adenoids is internationally deaf, con-
| dition responsible for a number of
street accidents to children.
One of the chief Disbursements
caused by adenoids is that of the jaws
and teeth.
1t will be noticed that the teeth OF
the upper jaw stick out and are not
covered by the lip as they should be
In these cases the roof of the mouth
that is the palate, is narrow and
highly arched and the two jaws dc
not come together as they do in nor
NAL position. This condition is called
"malocculusion". Usually, too, the
teeth of the upper jay are irregular
and crowded.
The malformation of the teeth thus
produced by adenoids may lead in
turn to other serious conditions
among them the chronic disease
known as pyofrhea, various forms OF
root Infection, and chronic indigestion
How to Recognize the Condition.
The presence of adenoids should bt
suspected if the child habitually
sleeps with mouth open, snores e
great deal, or has frequent stranglinG
coughing spells. Sleeping with the
mouth open is one of the first signs
and therefore should lead at once to a
careful examination by physician
Sometimes difficulty in hearing is one
/ of the symptoms. Therefore, in al
cases of ear trouble an examination
should be made for adenoids.
What To Do.
Whenever adenoids are large
enough to give rise to any of the
symptoms already described, they
should be removed. This is especially
the case in children under 10 years
of age. for it is probable that the con
dition will grow worse. The operation
is a simple one and not dangerous. II
| should be performed under aneStneSid
Relief is immediate and the healtf
and strength of the child usually Ina
proves rapidly afterwards. 1t is wrong
to delay having the operation done
for the presence of adenoids not only
endangers the health, but few
months delay may cause cons1derab' {
malformation of the jaws, palate, nose
and face.
ouestfou. relating to Child Health
and to related problems will be an
swered by experts of the United states
, Public Health Service. Address: Child
Health Editor, L. s. Public Health
Service, Washington, ID. G. (Pleas'
mention this newspaperD