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Air Purifiers: Swollen Tonsils

Swollen tonsils are a rite of passage for many school children. So common is tonsillitis among elementary school-aged kids that most parents expect at least one trip to the doctors office to get the puffy lymph nodes looked at more closely. In many cases, doctors will order up a tonsillectomy, but often a course of antibiotics is sufficient to restore things back to normal.

A lot of parents are leery of giving their children antibiotics unless its absolutely necessary. Granted, they would undoubtedly okay their use instead of rushing their children into the operating room, but less radical alternatives tend to win out. There are pharmaceutical products that are effective at treating symptoms–namely pain and swelling–but a permanent remedy may in fact require surgery.

Reasons for Swollen Tonsils
Bacterial infections are the most common reason for swollen tonsils, but acute traumas can also play a role. Persistent coughing or hacking can place undue stress on these sensitive organs and cause them to swell in response. Viral infections may have a hand in producing swollen tonsils in children as well, so its difficult to pin down one specific cause.

The only real preventive solution for children is to steer clear of those kids who are infected with tonsillitis. It can be next to impossible to know for sure whether a child has been infected since the symptoms are identical to those of most child allergies. The schoolyard and the classroom are ideal places for kids to transmit infections to one another, so even vigilance in this matter may not be enough to prevent a case of tonsillitis.