3 1/2 Year Daughter with Chronic Swollen Tonsils and Tonsilitis...

Everyone will have a different experience. My tonsils came out when I was 15 and I have not had strep or a sore throat since. It was a miracle cure for me after being chronically ill with strep for 6 months. Additionally, I know 2 small children (5 and 4) who have recently had tonsils out and it was a 2 day recovery. Both mothers were surprised at the ease of the recovery and operation. DO NOT mess around with Strep. If untreated with antibiotics it can lead to rheumatic fever and serious complications involving the heart.

Good Luck!

i was that kid! always had swollen glands and tonsils..had to have my tonsils taken out when i was 11..and it all stopped. you might want to look into an enzyme called Serrapeptase..also there's a book called Prescription for Nutritional Healing..i bought mine at Wholefoods but i think it's cheaper on Amazon..it will tell u what she could take. google serrapeptase..it's natural but it is a blood thinner...works for lots of things..i'm taking it right now for my pinched nerve..but it goes after mucus and that's what's infecting her tonsils.

I would have her tonsils removed! I had lots of problems growing up and finally had mine removed at the age of 21. If I had had them removed as I child I would have suffered a lot less missed a lot less school and been on a lot less antibiotics. What happens generally if a person has reoccuring tonsil related problems is that the bacteria hides in the tonsils so the only real way to get rid of the bacteria is to remove the tonsils. I don;t know if she's too young but I wouldn't know why she couldn't have them out.. ALso don't let insurance be the reason you don't. Thats what they kept telling my parents for years and finally my parents stepped in and reffused and I am very happy they did. As I have had no tonsilitis or strep since! Hope this helps! I also agree with going as natural as possible and you don't want her taking more antibiotics then necessary. Many dr's are quick to give them and you as the parent have to say "no" and look for better options. Good Luck.

Your description sounds like my four year old. I would suggest going to a pediatric ENT. My son just had his tonsils out about 2 weeks ago, and so far, so good! I don't know where you are, but Dr. Koempel is a pediatric ENT, and he is great. He is with Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, but has an office in both Glendale and Pasadena.

Does your daughter snore or have problems sleeping? Both of my daughters (4 & 5) had similar situations with chronic tonsillitis, ear infections, strep, etc. It wasn't until I took my oldest daughter to the dentist for the first time that he asked if she'd ever had any x-rays of her head. When I asked why he said that her tonsils were so large that they were affecting the way her head and jaw were developing. He asked me some questions about her behavior and I was amazed it was like he lived at my house. He explained that because her tonsils were so large they were blocking her airways and she wasn't getting the oxygen she needed, leading to hyperactivity just so her heart would pump enough oxygen, then she would just sit there like she was a zombie. When he looked at her sister she had a similar problem. Even when they were not sick their tonsils touched each other in the back of their throats!!

I know you are looking for a natural remedy, I too use natural healing like homeopathics, herbs, vitamins, chiropractic etc. What worked for my daughters was to have their tonsils removed. This may not be the solution you are looking for, however, the benefits have been so amazing. Neither one of my girls have had a sore throat in the 6 months since their surgery, both are sleeping well and restfully, no snoring or sleep apnea.

I had talked to our Pediatrician about the recurring illness and she just told me they would out grow it. It wasn't until our dentist pointed out the problems with their jaws developing unevenly and other issues with improper swallowing etc. that the doctor was willing to refer to a Pediatric ENT. The ENT took one look at them and said they were classic candidates for tosillectomies.

Growing up I had strep constantly for years, and wish that I had had my tonsils removed. I still have problems, but not nearly as bad as I did as a kid. I just didn't want my girls to have to go through what I did with all the antibiotics, and sickness, missed days from school and other activies. It's been a great thing all the way around. The surgery went well and they were back to their normal bouncing selves within 3 days, I had to force them to be quiet.

Sad to say I was the same tell I was in HS then it got better but it was a horrible life and I have a deep voice now too don't know if it's the cause but I was like that from age 1 to 15! Even with huge pills, the DR said I needed mine out and it would cure it, my parents being scared of surgery said no. Well you know what I would have rather had them out at age 3.

But hey I don't feed my kids stuff unless they need it, and I am into homeopathic but it's torture to let them suffer because you want to be so homeopathic you cant realize your kid may need more then what you are giving. (I told my parents the same thing when I was like 12 FYI I wanted the surgery they said no. It's really not fair to let them suffer.)

This may help you, http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/categories/Homeopa...

http://www.guthriestudios.com/native_herbals/throat-tonsi...

http://www.drhomeo.com/fever/recurrent-sore-throat/

But good luck, just remember you aren't them so you don't know how they feel. What you feel as an adult feels different then a small child.

So do some research, ask your favorite herbalist, your acupuncturist, etc... One of may favorites is Elk Mountain Herbs, out of Laramie, Wyoming, (Karin Guernsey or Caroline Johnson) they live and breathe herbs, formulations, salves etc. The wildcraft, grow and trade for high elevation plants. I have used them for my three girls, all healthy, grown and full of life.
E. H

My oldest daughter seemed to come home with strep every other day. She eventually grew out of it. We found out later that people and dogs can be carriers of strep, and while not actively ill with it, infect others. You might need to start with having immediate family members tested to see if any one of you is a carrier.

I would defintely explore the possibility of dairy allergy. It also appears that her natural immunities are a bit compromised. I would boost her immune system with some of the easy to consume foods on the market like acai and mangosteen which she can have in smoothies. There are a lot of great dairy free products on the market. Her body is speaking very clearly and telling you that it can't process what it's given. Best wishes.

This may or may not be helpful to you: I had the same problem as a baby and then it sort of went away, returning in high school and finally it got very bad in college. They finally just took the tonsils out and I have never had a problem since. My only wish is that they had taken them out sooner- not only did I suffer through all those illnesses but I am allergic to penicillin and sulfa as a result of being on antibiotics too many times.

I know surgery isn't ideal- but you might want to talk to an ENT doctor about the option and get it over with. The whole procedure takes about 45 minutes.

Good luck!

When my daughter was younger she suffered from chronic sinus problems. She also had allergies. When I changed my cleaning and laundering products to the natural ones that I use now, it really has helped her (as well as the rest of my family!) You may want to try changing the cleaning and laundering products in your home.

I had problems with my tonsils until I was 17. Thats when my parents finally said it was ok for me to get them taken out. And it devestated me. It completely changed my voice, and I lost my place as high soprano in choir.
In other words.. I wish my parents had my tonsils taken out when I was little, as it wouldn't have effected my voice as much, according to the doctors and my teacher.
Meanwhile, as I was growing up, I constantly coughed up stuff that looked cottage cheese. Sometimes, I would choke on it while I was sleeping. And it made hard to brush my teeth, because my gag reflex was so sensitive.
My advice is this on it: If you don't find a remedy, please don't wait years to have them taken out. My adnoids had to be take out as well, because the constant infections destroyed them as well.
I do hope you find something works though! Good luck with it. A.

Hi M.,
Just from my experience as a nurse & personnel experience as well, strep is nothing to play around with. If not treated by a physician with the right course of antibiotics it can leave some pretty lasting affects on a child or adult. The strep bacteria if not treated with the proper antibiotics following a throat culture can go and settle in any organ & gradually do damage i.e. kidney-can lead to renal failure. FYI- Natural remedies do not work on this type of infection, it can only make it worse. Take Care. Barbara

I would check her out for allergies. More than likely that is the case. Find a good "Natural Dr." in your area and they will be able to help you. Surgery is extreme for any age person

Hi.
I have a friend who is very well versed in natural health care. I will ask her about it today when I get to work.
My experience with this type of condition is the kids tonsils are removed. When I was 5 I got mine taken out and so did my brother. Seems that no one is having them removed these days.
Did you have yours removed?

Hi M.
My name is J. and have raised 3 children in the natural realm and now my grandchildren are also. I am a Nutritional Consultant here in Henderson, NV and am available for questions. The tonsils are a part of our filtering system and they are infected because the body is trying to get rid of something going on in her little body. I have information that is simple to do with foods that will support and enable her body (everyone's for that matter) to fight and eliminate whatever is going on. Certainly surgery has its place, but it is good to get educated on protocols that can be done with food / in the natural realm and do that first. The immune system needs to be fortified and all the proceessed foods that are consumed today do nothing but destroy the body's ability to fight what needs to be fought and then rebuild and be healthy as it is created to be.

I teach others to be healthy and how to maintain a wellness lifestyle with common-sense and practical information that has a back-to-the farm approach that works!! I have my Mom-owned business listed here also - Advance Perfect Health and you can call me at ###-###-####. Would love to speak with you, especially if you are looking for the natural way to stay healthy and get rid of conditions. Easy to do with foods!! Looking forward to speaking with you

Dear M.,

Swollen tonsils and tonsilitis can be treated naturally using acupuncture and herbal medicine. If you would like more information, please call me at our office in Las Vegas: Rhee's Acupuncture Clinic. ###-###-####.

Best of luck,
O. R.

when I was a child I has strep/tonsillitis about 6-8 times a year. When I was 13 I elected to have them removed and I haven't has so much as a scratchy throat since. My doctor said that your tonsils are supposed to help fight off infections and are your first line of defense when it comes to strep. Mine just weren't. I had a horribly painful childhood because I was sick all the time. I would talk to the doc about getting them removed.

it is a relief that you are a proponent of natural health care. i would encourage you to take her to a doctor of chinese medicine or naturopath. these issues are usually diet related. that might be her weak spot - mine is. my son's is his skin, my other son is his ears. i would also highly encourage you to avoid the antibiotic route as much as possible as it doesn't target the cause but rather just the symptoms - great for when someone is in pain for sure ! but you want to keep the issue from reoccurring. good luck in your search for a solution !

Hi M.-

The Strep this year is very hearty this year- our whole family had it and my middle child also around the same age as your, started it off in our family, she had it 2x. You said that your daughter was put on antibiotics for the first time. I don't know what was rx'd but a good chance they gave you a generic antibiotic, which in most case work great especially in children that have never been on them ( my children are on them 1x a year TOPS as they as they are rarely sick enough to need of them). But like I said the strep this year is resistant to amoxicilin this year so you may need a broader antibiotic to "kill" the bug. Each Antibiotics only work on certain stains and some are more potent than others.
If this is a chronic condition consult a Ped ENT who will be able to treat her. Removing her tonsils is a last resort.

Hope your daughter feels better soon-
L.

Talk to your pediatrician. My 4 year son never had strep, but had chronic swollen tonsils- they were walnut size for over 6 weeks with out any signs of a cold or infection. They caused him to easily gag when eating, leading to frequent vomiting. It also interfered with his sleeping because they caused snoring and sleep apnea. He had them removed at Rady's Childrens holpital in an outpatient procedure by Dr. Benz and after a few days of soreness, had a complete recovery and has a whole new attitude now that he gets better sleep and fewer colds.

Aloha M.,

I would start with a pre & probiotic. Having taken antibiotics, her flora is probably off balance which would also explain the re-occurence. If you are looking for specific recommendation, I would give her citriboost because it's balanced and it's easily mixed in juice.

I hope she gets better quickly as it's not fun for both her and you.

Marie-anne

HI! My daughter last year had two bouts of tonsilitis. I took her to see her doctor, and he was on vacation, so instead saw a nurse practitioner in the same office. He told me that the best thing to do with any strep is to use antibiotics because the throat is so close to the brain, and it can give you complications if the infection grows. I am all for keeping my daughter off meds too, but in this case I don't mess with it since he told me it can develop into meningitis.

As far as going natural for children, they do make echinacea in liquid form in order for children to take it - and build their immunities. As to the tonsils/tonsilitis, I was a chronically sick child until I had my tonsils out when I was 4yrs old. I still got colds, but it was much less severe/frequent afterward. Dr's steer away from tonsilectomy's anymore, but I am a living testament to it working. I used to have to get gamagobulin (because I was anemic) shots once a week beforehand, and never again afterward. Good luck & God Bless You!

I have had all my children's tonsils and adenoids taken out at the ages of 31/2, 4 and my last little one had to have them taken out at 18 months. They all had cronic troubles. My little one, the last one. had to have an emergency surgury which does not happen often but becasue of the size, they caused an airway obstruction. She spent 3 days in Valley children's due to the damage of the soft palet. Had i known then what I do now, I would have never hesitated. They have made a 100 percent change in theie allergies, illnesses and strep.

We had the same thing with our daughter and in fact the tonsils were so large they were causing sleep apnea, waking up in the middle of the night several times a week, and really loud snoring. We had her tonsils taken out at about 3 1/2 and it has been the best thing. She sleeps through the night, is more rested, less grumpy and has really started talking. She is now almost 4 1/2 and is a very different and happier child.
Good luck

Try propolis capsules. They are great at fighting any type of infection. Since they are foodstuff you don't need to worry about taking too much. They are antibacterial and antiviral.
They are a byproduct of the bee hive activity. You can also get a combination of royal jelly and propolis for a little extra umph. I pop them down whenever I feel any type of infection coming on. Also, get some Superfood. There are several varieties out there. Superfood is basically from wheatgrass, barley grass, kelp. All good immune boosters. My grandson loves the stuff. You can mix it with any juice. Any health food store will carry a variety of them to choose from. Anything you can do to boost her immune system with foods will help.

For both myself and my youngest daughter, the only thing that stopped the chronic and recurring illnesses was to have the tonsils removed. Especially for my little one (she was 5 at the time) the difference has been night and day. If your doctor suggests removing the tonsils, don't worry - it's scary taking your child in for surgery, but the risk is small and the rewards large.

I am so glad to see more and more Mom;s choosing alternative health care. Usually when the tonsills are swollen it is due to an invasion in the body (virus, bacteria, parisites...she is not too young to have parisites BTW). The tonsills are a very important part of your immune system and should be taken care of with herbs if at all possible. To cut them out of the body, should only be a LAST resort. Any surgery or invasion on the body should be a last resort. Get with a good herbalist or naturopath. There are a ton of them out there. And get more than one opinion before you choose a treatment. Kuddos for not putting her on antibiotics until now. That is probably why she has been so healthy! GL

My son was about the same age when he developed chronic tonsilitis and strep throat it pratically never went away for a whole year. To finally I took him to see a ENT specialist and he then recomended my son to have them removed. So in October last year my son had them removed. It was an outpatient procedure. He had a little discomfort but with the medicine they provided he was okay. When I told my son what was going to happen he wasn't happy. But when it was explained to him by the doctor he liked the idea and after the surgery... He really enjoyed all the yogurt, ice cream, and gaderade he could drink in a day.

Dear M.,

Our family has dealt with a number of issues and I have a doctor that we found in that is down south (we are in Carlsbad) so it is a hike but well worth it! Dr. Lance Clothey is his name and he can be ____@____.com is a lot sharper than typical. It can be a bit expensive but once a child has taken antibiotics it wipes out the good bacteria and the bad so she needs her system rebuilt to hopefully begin to stem off some of cycle. Anyhow, hope it helps.

S.

About me: I am a 46 year old mom with two boys 5 and 2.5. Both have struggled some on the immune side. I am an executive recruiter and have had a home office for 19 years.

My son experienced a re-occuring infection just like clock work every month for about a year and he would run 103-104 fever. One day I got lucky and got him into an ear nose and throat doctor and they took his tonsils and adnoids out after that he rarely got sick. They explained to me that his tonsils served as a hiding place for the infection and it would just lay dormit until the next month. I could time it on the calendar every 4 weeks that is how often we would go through it. Good luck

Good luck! My daughter (4 yrs old) just had her tonsils and ademoids removed on Valentine's Day after a 2 1/2 yr battle with her Ped and ENT. Yes, we had been battling with chronic strep infections, antibiotics, snoring, sleep apnea, difficulty swallowing, choking, etc. Now, she is a new girl! Sleeping thru the night, no more choking or snoring, etc. Being a nurse, I understand the reasons not to remove them but being a mom, I'm truly grateful that she is doing much much better, not missing school and not taking allergy meds or antibiotics. Again, good luck!! It may take time and hopefully she may even grow out of it!