Tonsils are important for immune defence
Useful: In early life, the lymph glands are not completely developed, and our bodies rely on our tonsils to trap bugs and foreign material that we either breathe in or swallow
Waldeyer’s ring forms part of our immune system, along with our lymph glands (which are either side of your neck).
In early life, the lymph glands are not completely developed, and our bodies rely on our tonsils to trap bugs and foreign material that we either breathe in or swallow.
By trapping these particles, the body begins to recognise them as potentially dangerous things and produces white blood cells and antibodies to kill them so they can’t harm us.
Tonsil tissue is particularly good at trapping these particles as it has valleys and holes (called crypts) which increase its surface area.
Tonsil tissue is particularly important in the first six months of life. After this, our lymph glands take over most of the work and the tonsils are essentially out of a job.
Tonsil trouble
Fact: The technical term for your tonsils is palatine tonsils, which means the tonsils of the palate. These lumpy things sit on either side at the back of our mouths
As we get older, food and germs can still land in the valleys and crypts.
They can then cause infections to develop, which lead to a sore throat or tonsillitis. Some infections can also cause the tonsils to grow in size.
Huge tonsils and adenoids can block the airway and cause snoring or swallowing and speech problems.
As nutrition and immunisation has improved, kids get tonsillitis less and less these days. Usually, an ear nose and throat surgeon like me gets called in to intervene more for obstruction (blockage) than repeated infections.
Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6071135/Why-need-tonsils-Ear-nose-throat-doctor-answers-10-year-olds-burning-question.html
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