[The influence of tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy on mental behavior of children].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the influence of tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy on mental behavior of children.

METHOD: Mentality and behavior of total sixty-one children suffering from tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy were tested with Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) edited by Gong Yaoxian in 1986.

RESULT: The mentality and behavior of the children suffering from tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy were distinctly abnormal compared to control children (P<0.01). The behavioral abnormalities of boys appeared as divisiveness, social difficulties, compel, hyperkinetic syndrome and attack, and the girls appeared as hyperkinetic syndrome and attack, which was significantly different from the control children (P<0.01). The second test was performed three months after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, and compared with the first one. Boys were found that the divisiveness, hypochondria, compel and unwell of body cursory mark were evidently lower than the first test (P<0.05). Girls were found that divisiveness, hypochondria, disobeyed discipline and attack mark were evidently lower than the first test (P<0.05). The abnormal rates of mentality and behavior positively correlated with the age of children.

CONCLUSION

Tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy evidently affected the mentality and behavior of children. The psychological and behavioral intervention were necessary for children suffering from tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy.