Q: My 9 years old son is suffering from adenoids, which gets inflamed and irritated easily by drinking colas/eating chips, etc. We take extreme care by not giving him these foods. Besides the above precautions, what other things should I do to prevent him from coughing, which gets triggered often? How long will it take to suppress these adenoids?

A:The adenoid tissue by the age of 14-15 years starts receding in its size and function. Generally, in an older child we don't advise surgery because of this reason unless there is a need to do so like severe nasal obstruction, poor sleep, ear problems, etc. In your son's case I think allergy plays a key role. The best way to cure allergy is by prevention. So you have to avoid things that make his adenoids react. Try avoiding all the irritants. He will surely improve.