When we think of possible ADHD natural treatments for children, tonsil removal is hardly the first thing that comes to mind. After all, ADHD is caused by the interaction between genetics and the environment. What does removing tonsils have to do with reducing hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention?  The answer is more surprising than you think.

Tonsils (two clumps of tissue on both sides of the throat) and adenoids (a single clump of tissue behind the nose) are made up of lymphoid tissue, the same kind of tissue found in the gastrointestinal tract and the tongue’s base. This lymphoid tissue is made up of lymphocytes, which works with the immune system to produce antibodies – a type of protein that fight against germs and bacteria.  Antibody production is normally considered a good thing, but tonsils and adenoids are not designed to handle the sheer amount of viral infections children are exposed to.    And kids get exposed to at least five kinds of germs once school starts.

Normally, tonsils and adenoids swell when they prepare to neutralize germs. Once they’ve done their job, the tissue should shrink back to their normal size. In many cases, however, tonsils and/or the adenoids fail to do so and become large enough to impede breathing. The tissue blockage can be especially problematic at bedtime, when they block the air passages during sleep and cause snoring and overall poor sleep as a result. This interruption of the air flow during sleep is called sleep apnea, which literally means “without breathing”.  This is because the trachea’s entrance is completely blocked, cutting off the air flow to the lungs.

Lack of restful sleep produces daytime sleepiness in adults, but not in children – they become more hyperactive and inattentive as a result.  A study of the sleep habits of 5- and 7-year olds discovered that children with mild ADHD are more likely to snore than the general population. They also discovered that children who snore have lower scores on tests of attention, overall intelligence, and language ability than children without.

Hyperactive and aggressive children with enlarged tonsils seemed to benefit from getting their tonsils and/or adenoids removed via surgery (also called an adenotonsillectomy). After the procedure, they became noticeably more calm and behaved, especially when other treatment options failed to achieve these results.  Researchers from the University of Michigan observed that children who had their tonsils and adenoids removed had behavioral problems and sleep problems before their surgery. When their behavioral test scores were compared to another group of children with unrelated surgery, the researchers noted very little difference between the two groups.  Of the twenty-two children with ADHD from the adenotonsillectomy group, 11 no longer met the diagnostic criteria of the disorder one year after surgery.

This is why a comprehensive physical exam is an important component of the ADHD evaluation process. Detecting enlarged tonsils and adenoids at this stage can immediately narrow down your treatment options and get to the root of your child’s hyperactive symptoms.  If you notice that your hyperactive child snores during sleep or keeps getting up in the middle of the night, this is also a good time to get him or her checked for enlarged tonsils.