(HealthDay News) -- Adenoids are a patch of tissue that are located high in the throat just behind the nose, the National Library of Medicine says.
Along with the tonsils, they're part of the body's lymphatic system that's responsible for inhibiting infections and keeping bodily fluids in balance.
By age 5, the adenoids begin to shrink. By the time a child reaches the teen years, they are virtually gone as the body has created other ways to fight germs.
Enlarged adenoids can make it difficult for a child to breathe through the nose, which can lead to dry mouth, cracked lips and a runny nose.
Additional symptoms may include loud breathing, snoring, restless sleep and ear infections.
Depending on the problem's severity, enlarged adenoids may require no treatment at all, a dose of antibiotics or surgery to remove the adenoids altogether, the agency says.