PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHRONIC ADENOTONSILLITIS IN
LATE CHILDHOOD
AL-Nasher M1,
Soad A 2, EL-Gamal H A1, Soliman N.
1 Medical
Department, Institute of Postgraduate Childhood Studies, Ain Shams
University, Cairo, Egypt
2
Pychiatric Department Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University
Objective: To
study the effects of chronic adenotonsillitis its possible upper airway
obstruction in late childhood and to determine the effect of severity and
duration of upper air way obstruction in chronic adenotonsillitis on
psychology of the affected children.
Methods: This
study was conducted on 83 children (age 7-12 years) suffering from chronic
adenotonsillitis of duration more than one year going for
adenotonsillectomy besides 30 apparently normal children as a control full
general, otorhinolaryngologic and psychiatric evaluation, according to DSM-
IV criteria, were done for all children. Also, psychometric studies were
done preoperatively and 5-6 months after surgery.
Results:
Psychiatric morbidity in the study group was 39.75 % in contrast to 16.66%
in the control group. Attention deficit disorder, opposition defiant
disorder and nocturnal enuresis were significant among the cases than the
controls and showed gradual increase with the severity and duration of upper
airway obstruction, both attention deficit disorder and nocturnal enuresis
showed significant decrease after surgery also significant improvement on
attention problem immaturity, motor tension and conduct disorder subscales.
Conclusion:
Upper airway obstruction in children is associated with externalizing
behaviors in term of inattention, hyperactivity and opposition -alism.