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Adenoids, otitis and prolonged cough in children: how to treat and when it is time to take tests

Constantly stuffy nose, snoring and coughing do not go away? Belarusian doctors told how to distinguish a common cold from adenoiditis and otitis in a child.

ОНТ

Published Nov 12, 2026

Adenoids, otitis and prolonged cough in children: how to treat and when it is time to take tests

Protracted cough, constant nasal congestion, snoring and repeated otitis in a child is often associated with “just a cold”. However, Belarusian doctors warn that adenoiditis may be behind these symptoms, and self-medication with antibiotics and drops can mask the problem, but not eliminate its cause.

When a stuffy nose is not just a cold

Adenoids are nasopharyngeal amygdala, which in children can enlarge and become inflamed. Typical signs of the problem are difficulty breathing, vulgarity, snoring in sleep and frequent viral infections; in such complaints, the pediatrician can refer the child to a rhinoscopy, and if necessary, to an otorhinolaryngologist.

“Difficulty of nasal breathing, snoring at night, frequent colds”, – so assistant professor of the Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology of Vitebsk State Medical University, Candidate of Medical Sciences Alexander Bizunkov describes the situations with which parents most often come to the doctor.

It is important not to confuse the adenoids themselves and their inflammation. As the specialists of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Otorhinolaryngology explain, not “adenoids in general” are treated, but adenoiditis – an exacerbation of the inflammatory process; at the same time, the degree of tissue increase does not itself determine the need for treatment.

Why the cough may not go away for weeks

Cough in adenoids is usually associated with the flow of mucus from the nasopharynx into the throat, especially at night and in the morning. Such a cough passes as the main problem is treated - inflammation and impaired nasal breathing.

The reason to contact a pediatrician or ENT - a cough that persists for longer than 3-4 weeks, intensifies at night, is accompanied by shortness of breath, wheezing, fever, deterioration of appetite or repeated episodes of the disease. Chronic cough, which does not go away, Belarusian ENT clinics also refer to the reasons for an in-person examination.

“Antibiotics should only be given for bacterial infection, for example, if the disease does not go away within 7-10 days, or if a second wave effect occurs after symptom relief.” This issue should be decided by a doctor, said Alexander Bizunkov.

Otitis: when ear pain can not be ignored

Adenoids and otitis are directly related: an enlarged nasopharyngeal amygdala can block the auditory tube, and in adenoiditis, the infection can spread to the middle ear.

Parents should be wary if the child complains of pain or ear congestion, hearing worse, he has a fever, discharge from the ear or pain increases. In such cases, the doctor may prescribe an otoscopy, tympanometry, endoscopy of the nose and nasopharynx, and if complications are suspected, additional studies.

“Increasing in volume, they close the auditory tube, the child begins to hear poorly, fluid may form in the drum cavity,” explains Alexander Bizunkov.

With pain, doctors recommend not to bury anything in the ear yourself before examination: with perforation of the eardrum, this can be unsafe. With severe pain, Belarusian experts mention antipyretic drugs based on paracetamol or ibuprofen, but emphasize that aspirin should not be given to children due to the risk of serious complications.

What tests and surveys may be needed

There is no adenoid test that will answer all the questions right away. Usually, the doctor starts with an examination, an assessment of nasal breathing and the condition of the ears, and then decides whether more research is needed.

1.Rhinoscopy or endoscopy of the nasopharynx - to assess the adenoids, mucus and condition of the nasal passages.
2.Othoscopy and tympanometry - if you suspect otitis, fluid in the middle ear or hearing loss.
3.General blood test – may be necessary for severe inflammation, prolonged temperature or to assess the general condition; by itself, it does not confirm either adenoiditis or otitis.
4.Sowing from the nasopharynx or determining the sensitivity of the pathogen - is considered if the doctor suspects a bacterial infection and decides on an antibiotic.
5.Radiography, CT or MRI are not routine studies, but methods for individual clinical situations, for example, if sinusitis, complication or other pathology is suspected.

When the operation is really needed

Removal of adenoids is not a mandatory stage of treatment. According to the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Otorhinolaryngology, the operation is considered with the ineffectiveness of conservative therapy, frequent and prolonged exacerbations, recurrent or chronic otitis, as well as with obstructive apnea syndrome - respiratory arrests in sleep.

“The operation should be carried out according to strict indications,” the specialists of the center emphasize; among them they call significant tissue growth, impaired nasal breathing, hearing impairment, speech disorders and frequent infections.

With mild adenoiditis, doctors usually begin with the restoration of nasal breathing: washing with isotonic saline solutions, sanitation of the focus of inflammation and, according to indications, treatment prescribed by a doctor. Antibiotics for viral infection are not indicated.

What parents should do now

1.Do not treat congestion and cough yourself with antibiotics: they do not help with a viral infection and may be required only in specific situations.
2.See a pediatrician if the nose does not breathe for more than 10-14 days, the child snores, sleeps poorly, often gets sick or complains about the ear.
3.Do not use vasoconstrictor drops for longer than recommended by the doctor: they may temporarily ease breathing, but do not eliminate the cause of the problem.
4.For ear pain, fever, discharge from the ear or hearing impairment, make an appointment with a pediatrician or pediatric ENT in the near future.
5.Do not delay help, if in a dream there are pauses in breathing, the child wakes up from lack of air or noticeably worse hearing.

Adenoids, otitis, and prolonged cough are often related, but should not be a cause for panic or self-medication. A timely examination, the exact cause of the symptoms, and the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor usually avoid complications and decide whether the child really needs surgery.