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What to eat after removal of adenoids in children?

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Surgical treatment of hypertrophied tissues of the nasopharyngeal tonsils is performed on an empty stomach. Therefore, the question of what to eat after adenoid removal in children is very relevant.

Parents should follow these guidelines:

  • The first food after surgery should be soft, neutral in taste, vitamin-rich and caloric to restore the strength of the little patient.
  • Food that is too sweet, sour, salty or spicy is prohibited, as it irritates the nasopharynx and aggravates the painful condition.
  • The child should be provided with plenty of fluids. Preference should be given to purified water at room temperature, natural fruit drinks, decoctions and tea. Sweet compotes, store-bought juices and carbonated drinks are contraindicated.

After adenotomy, the child should be given semi-liquid porridge, mashed potatoes and other vegetables or fruits, steamed cutlets. Coarse, hard and hot food should be excluded from the diet. A week after such a gentle diet, the doctor prescribes a more extensive diet, which speeds up the recovery process.

Nutrition after adenoid removal in children

The diet of people without tonsils is practically no different from the basic rules of healthy eating. After removing adenoids in children, the doctor prescribes a gentle diet that does not irritate the mucous membrane of the oropharynx, but supplies the body with vitamins.

The diet must include the following products:

  • Cereals – used in mashed, liquid form. They satisfy hunger well and are useful for the child’s body.
  • Protein food – the child can be given fermented milk products and milk. They normalize digestion processes and gently coat the mucous membrane. Meat can be boiled, baked or stewed, but it should be chopped before use.
  • Water balance – drinking plenty of fluids is necessary to irrigate the mucous membrane, improve its functioning and metabolic processes in the body.

In the first days after the operation, children can eat liquid dishes at room temperature. These can be vegetable and meat broths, dairy products, compotes. The postoperative period lasts about 7 days.

As for contraindications, it is forbidden to give hot food and drinks to babies. This is due to the fact that high-temperature food can cause bleeding due to the expansion of blood vessels, which the throat is abundantly supplied with. However, cold food can be eaten.

Spicy dishes are prohibited, as they irritate the mucous membrane of the throat and cause swelling of the larynx. Carbonated drinks, sour, sweet and pickled foods are prohibited. Pickles have a high content of acids and salts, which negatively affects the condition of the mucous membrane.

Diet after adenoid removal in children

The tonsils protect the body from infection in the respiratory tract, so they are an important organ of the immune system. Surgical treatment of inflamed tissues temporarily disrupts the normal functioning of the body and reduces the immune defenses.

The diet after adenoid removal in children is aimed at supplying the body with vitamins and other useful substances. It facilitates the postoperative period, accelerating the recovery process. Therapeutic and restorative nutrition spares the tissues of the pharynx and promotes healing of the surgical field.

Conventionally, the diet is divided into three stages, the duration of each is 2-3 days:

  1. Liquid dishes – dairy products, decoctions, broths.
  2. The diet includes cream soups with chopped vegetables and mashed meat, and pates.
  3. The child can be given finely chopped boiled, stewed or baked vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat.

The main nuances of postoperative nutrition are:

  • Drink plenty of fluids.
  • Food at room temperature.
  • Hot drinks are contraindicated as they may cause bleeding.
  • The child can be given ice cubes to suck on, made from decoctions of chamomile, eucalyptus and other herbs. The cold constricts blood vessels, stops bleeding and relieves pain.
  • You need to eat small portions; fractional meals are recommended.

The diet should be expanded gradually, approximately one week after the operation. The list of permitted foods includes: low-fat dairy products, non-acidic and non-sweet vegetables and fruits, cereals, broths, fruit ice, cool natural juices and decoctions.

During the diet, you should limit the consumption of coarse and hard food, which can provoke bleeding. Fried foods, crackers and bread, sausages are prohibited. Easily digestible carbohydrates are prohibited: chocolate, candy, sugar and cakes. Sweet food is a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms, which is dangerous after surgery.

After adenotomy, children should not be given vegetables and fruits with peel, as they adversely affect the mucous membrane of the oropharynx. Sauces, marinades, spices, and products with high acidity are contraindicated. Such food slows down the recovery process and can provoke swelling of the larynx.

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