“I Couldn’t Breathe Through My Nose:” Adelina's Adenoid Surgery Story

At first, the family assumed it was allergies. After several visits to specialists closer to home in Massachusetts, that explanation seemed to make sense.

Over time, though, the congestion never really went away.

"I couldn't breathe through my nose anymore," Adelina said. "My mouth was doing all the work, and it didn't feel quite right."

What started as occasional congestion gradually became constant mouth breathing. Breathing through her nose felt impossible, and despite searching for answers, nothing seemed to help.

That's when the family turned to Connecticut Children's

After learning about Dr. Katherine Kavanagh from a colleague who spoke highly of her exceptional care, thoughtful approach, and expertise, Adelina's parents sought her out for an evaluation at Connecticut Children’s.

Before moving forward with surgery, they wanted to be sure an adenoidectomy was the right choice. Adelina had an X-ray, which showed enlarged adenoids, followed by a sleep study to evaluate how her breathing was affecting her sleep.

After carefully reviewing those results and discussing the findings with the family, Dr. Kavanagh recommended an adenoidectomy as the best course of treatment.

What are adenoids?

Adenoids are pads of tissue located behind the nose that help fight infection in young children. When they become enlarged, they can block airflow through the nose, making it difficult for kids to breathe normally. Like with Adelina, this leads to chronic congestion, mouth breathing, snoring and restless sleep.

 

After discussing Adelina's symptoms and examining her, Dr. Kavanagh offered an adenoidectomy—a common outpatient procedure to remove the enlarged adenoids and help her breathe normally.

For Sarah and Ionel, finally having an explanation and knowing that Adelina could have a one-day procedure that would change her life for the better brought relief. 

"We offer an adenoidectomy for kids when enlarged adenoids are causing ongoing problems like chronic mouth breathing, nasal congestion, snoring or disrupted sleep that aren't improving with other treatments. Removing the adenoids allows kids like Adelina to breathe more comfortably through their nose, and many families notice improvements in sleep, energy and overall quality of life," said Dr. Kavanagh. 
 

Before long, surgery day arrived at Connecticut Children's Farmington Surgery Center.

Instead of feeling scared, Adelina felt like the star of the show—in her era.

She was welcomed by a team focused on making the experience as comfortable as possible. They had little toy cars that you could drive down the hall to the OR, but Adelina had outgrown their size. When it came time for anesthesia, she handled it like a champ.

The procedure itself was quick and routine and afterwards she got to rest at the surgery center, have a delicious slushy, and choose a toy to bring home.

"An adenoidectomy is a very common outpatient procedure," said Dr. Kavanagh. "We remove the enlarged adenoid tissue through the child's mouth, so there are no external incisions or scars. Most children go home the same day, and before long they're breathing more comfortably and getting back to the activities they love."

 

Adelina recovered well and jumped right back to everything she loves.

“I feel way better!” said Adelina. “I can breathe through my nose with ease. I can get more rest. I can swim better, and… I didn’t have to go to school for four days!!!  Plus, I only ate ice cream, soup, and mashed potatoes! And I got to sit out of gym class! But I couldn't run,” said Adelina.

For Sarah and Ionel, the journey was about much more than treating a stuffy nose.

After years of searching for answers, their daughter can finally breathe more comfortably—and get back to being the energetic, curious, kind-hearted girl they know and love.
Sometimes, the smallest changes can make the biggest difference. For Adelina, breathing through her nose again is helping her get back to simply being a kid.