Recurring Colds
One mother says, “My son has too many colds. He must be deficient in something.”
Another asks, “What am I doing wrong? Sharon always has a cold.”
Nearly always in these situations the diet and general health are adequate and there is no reason to think that the “too many colds” type has a low resistance. The explanation is simply that either the individual happens to come in contact with more virulent organisms or his resistance against some of the germs that are always around happens to be diminished for some reason physicians can’t track down.
Sometimes the answer is that allergy imitates many of the symptoms of a common cold. Allergic rhinitis or hay fever may persist, or recur frequently, until the allergy-causing substances are discovered and removed from the environment or the patient is desensitized to them by proper treatment.
Tonsil Surgery
“Perry has so many colds. Take his tonsils out.” This is what some parents say. The trouble with such a solution is that large controlled studies have shown that the presence or absence of tonsils has no effect on the number of colds caught by a person. Most people do not need to be subjected to the surgical procedure known as tonsilloadenoidec-tomy. Those who benefit from such a procedure, whether in childhood, adolescence or adulthood, are the few who have special kinds of trouble. Usually these problems come from oversized tonsils and adenoids causing partial blockage of the swallowing or breathing passages.
This may bring about mouth breathing and poor speech habits or even loud snoring. Obstruction by the adenoids to the usual drainage path of the Eustachian canal may cause repeated middle-ear infections. Peritonsillar abscess or quinsy (a boil at the side of the tonsil) may be another reason for removing tonsils. If the tonsils or adenoids harbor infection that won’t respond to the usual medical treatment, surgery may be indicated.
The teen-ager should realize that nowadays removal of tonsils and adenoids is not a very involved or dangerous operation. But he should understand that after the operation he will have a very sore throat for a few days. It is my experience and others’ that not more than one person out of twenty has found that his tonsils and adenoids are better out than in.
Hoarseness
Croup, with its harsh, barking cough and marked hoarseness and occasional sensation of strangling, is the result of infection of the voice box (larynx) and the windpipe (trachea).
Severe croup is not frequent in adolescence, but milder forms of laryngitis or laryngotracheitis often lead to hoarseness at this age. This is most usually seen as an after effect of a cold or other infection.
“I have no voice left,” whispers Jo after a football game. This kind of hoarseness is from overuse of the vocal cords while cheering for the team or debating in a “friendly” discussion.
If the hoarseness persists or keeps coming back, a physician should be consulted. There may be some irregularity of the edge of one or both vocal cords, or one or more growths on them. On the other hand, it may be that worry or frustration or some hidden fear has caused the hoarseness.
The severe croup from diphtheria is hardly ever seen in the United States now. The wide use of preventive shots of diphtheria toxoid has all but eliminated this formerly dreaded ailment.
