Advice on Tonsillectomies

My son had his tonsills and anoids removed at 4 years old. He no longer snores and his hearing has improved. His recovery was very short and he doen't remember a thing. Just stock up on popsiscicles and other frozen treats and she will thank you.

Hi E.,

This is my first time to respond to a mother. Seeing your story I had to respond to. I am 31, in Texas and work in the insurance industry as well!! :O) I know that you feel anxious about the entire idea of the surgery, situation and possibilities of. my son Garrett who had both taken out at age 4 was going throught the same. didnt sleep good, couldnt breathe, was loud and even was grinding his teeth. Since the surgery he is a different boy! He doesnt snore like a train (now I feel safe from what I thought was a tornado everynight) he does not grind his poor little teeth, even does not kick or move so much during the night and he 99% of the time does not get sick anymore!! i had to take him to the emergency room or dr's about twice a month. But now that he can breathe and there is room for swollen... other stuff in the head...he can worry about being a kid now! I was also scared. this was my BABY! but i knew that i had to help him asap! There are always risks in surgery, but if the dr has done so many, (common procedure) and you have done so well on your research, i say help your little one grow up with out that worry and most of all for you and your husband. it was a blessing! Im so glad for technology and God given strength to do it. i was scared but i knew there was no other choice. they are done in 20 min then its a weeks recovery. but after that, HEAVEN!!!! just know that recovery will be a little strange but you will know that you little one is better off being able to breathe. you never know down the road if those tonsils will have their last impact on you baby. I didnt want to be sorry. I hope that my positive story will help you move forward and other people that i talked with (like you) have been benificial. God Bless you and your family. I'll pray God be with you during this time of decision and if you go forward during the 20 min surgery!! :O)

My kids are 11 and 6 and they both had the surgery when they were 3.
The only advice I will give you is to make sure you get any prescriptions filled before the surgery b/c you are not going to want to leave your child inorder to go get them filled.
Also, do not give ice cream after the surgery. It has nilk in it and it will make the mucous secretions (in her mouth) thicker and much more panful to swallow. Stick w/ jeel (Cold will taste better)and popsicles that have no mlk in it.
Good luck.

My 2 year old had her tonsils and adenoids removed and tubes placed in her ears on Valentine's Day this year. She had to stay overnight because of her age (under 3) and because of her sleep apnea.
Here's what I can tell you about our experience...
The surgery lasted 22 minutes. She was in recovery another 10 before she woke up and let me back there. She was crying and freaked out - mostly it was the IV in her arm that bothered her. In recovery, she was given juice to drink and popcicles. She had 2 popcicles and the sippy of juice. We were then taken to her room (about 30 minutes total in recovery). She did complain that "her mouth hurt" but it didn't keep her from drinking and eating semi-normally. She ate lots of mac n cheese (or other noodle dishes), pudding, yogurt, ice cream, jello, etc. She had to take her medicine orally as well. The worst part was her sleep schedule. She refused to go to sleep. She would sleep for 10 minutes at a time the first night and then wake up screaming or scared. The second night through about the first week, she was up every 3 or 4 hours, but that worked out because she needed to take her meds again then anyway. It took the whole 2 weeks to get her back on track as far as sleeping goes. Oh, and now she won't go near a noodle dish! Understandable since that's pretty much all she got for those two weeks while her throat healed. BTW, her deep raspy "I've been living in a piano bar" voice - is slowly changing, and her snoring and sleep apnea are amazingly better as well too. She still sleeps like a fish flopping on a deck, but I'm not sure if that's habit or her hair in the way or what.

Hope this helps!

E., have you considered going the natural route? she probably has food allergies that need to be addressed and a chiropractor could probably help quite a bit w/ the swelling of the adenoids since it's probably a drainage problem. suregery for small children is extremely risky, my friend is as surgery technologist and she recently witnessed an 18 mo. old flat line several times while having an adenectomy and tubes put in her ears.
before you subject your daughter to this risk plese do some research on alternatives. my son suffered from frequent ear infections and mild sleep apnea as well and we were being pressured into having the surgery for him when he was 2 but i refused because it didn't feel right. i started taking him to the chiropractor and he has only had 1 ear infection since and his apnea is all but gone he will be 9 in july.

E.,
My daughter had her tonsils and adenoids removed for the same reason last August in Midland TX when she was 7. I'm so glad you've been led in the right direction early for her. I wish we'd had the same luck for our daughter. I had no idea the difference it was going to make in her life, as we'd been told her problems all stemmed from allergies. The difference for our own daughter was night and day. She is not tired (exhausted) by the afternoon because she is resting better and breathing! I would suggest not trying to panic or worry too much. It's hard when your child is going to undergo any type of surgery, no matter how "routine" it is, but the improvement in her quality of life should make you feel better about your decision. The first week was rough, no doubt. The biggest fear is that they will get dehydrated and it's hard to get liquid in them because they hurt. When my daughter was waiting to be discharged, she was hungry and thirsty and the nurses had plenty of yogurt, ice cream, pudding, etc. for her and I'm so glad we let her have as much as she wanted because the next few days were very difficult. My advice is that no matter what other people's experiences have been, there is no way to gauge exactly how she'll do, but have an expectation that the first week of recovery will be hard. Doubtful that she'll recover like nothing happened but also doubtful that she should have any major complications. I hope this helps and that everything goes smoothly.
J.

My son was 6 when we had his tonsils and adnoids removed and also had tubes put in his ears (1 1/2 years ago now). His surgery went great, his recovery time at the clinic was short and I honestly can't recall him complaining at all. We had the surgery done the day school got out for Christmas and with in a few days he was up and running around like nothing was bothering him. I was worried that it would effect his holiday, but it didn't at all. I remember him eating ice cream, pudding, yogurt, mashed potatoes and popcicles for a few days, but that didn't last long either. My boy likes to EAT!! I was worried too, but the benefits way out weighed the possible risks. Good luck and cover your daughter in prayers and believe that Jesus will watch over her and protect her.

Go ahead with the surgery. there is risk with any surgery of blood loss and even death, but you have to put that in prespective of the type of surgery and the child. If your daughter is otherwise healthy then more than likely she will be okay. A tonsilectomy is a short surgery that doesn't even require stiches and has a short recovery time. This is an out-patient surgery, you will take her in to the hospital in the morning and and will leave in the afternoon. I have a niece that had the same operation done at the age of 4 and it fine today. Just please keep your daughter at home and limit the number of people around for about 2 weeks after the surgery to limit the germs as her immune system will be weakend and she will probable get sick. I know that my niece did and so did I after I had my tonsils take out and mine were a lot worse (I had them taken out at 17).
Please don't worry this is a safe surgery. I would have to use all of my hands and feet to count the number of famiy members that have had the same surgery. You are doing the right thing in having her tonsils removed. Good Luck!

My son just had this done in March over Spring Break.He is 4!We had our fears to but it was because we thought it was an ear thing for yubes which it was that too. We were in shock to find out that it was adenoids and tonsils too.So we did what was best for him now because he was sick all the time.

They surgery went well and he was very mad after he woke up.He did not want to drink or anything,Which I understand but in order for them to let us leave we had to make him.Most of that day he slept in the motel we had to stay at because we live a ways from San Antonio and the doctor said he thought it was a good idea just incase.

Nothing happened thank goodness.That week of spring brael was hell on me more I think because he slept bad which means so did I.He had pain medicine that helped and you will want this because it will be sore.He lost 5 pound and is just now getting back to the weight he was before the surgery.The doctor said to count on this happpen it is not bad.They will tell you they would rather the kiddos drink then eat because that is better for them. And that they need to talk normally it helps with the recovery that whispering makes it ruff on the sore areas.

Have lot of ice cream aand things like that.No juices or anything with acid and no red so you are able to see if there is any blood and you can check on the areas to make sure they are getting better.Warn your daughter will get in the habit of saying it hurts when it as been a while since the surgery.MY son will pull this now when he doesnt want to eat and wants dessert.

Also the problems your daughter is having will calm down or stop all together.My sons did he sleeps better and no snoring no.(There will still be some durning recovery though)If your daughter is a picky eater that may stop.My son drinks milk now like it is running out os style when before it was like pulling teeth.)Also this helps their speech to because it effects the way they hear things,Mom so was having some problems with making things come out clear and smooth and now the teacher said she understand everything he says and so do we.

I would worry lease about the surgery,and more about after with the weight more if she is a small beccause we saw the weight lose on our son and it was gross.
We have been giving him a little more junk then mormal just to put some fat back on him,our 2 her old doesnt understand why she doesnt get the same so I am glad yours are older they might get it.

A note about the diet for that week.Buy some protein(Designer Whey)if you dont drink any.And make milk shake with a scoop of the protein,ice cream and milk)Mac and cheese is good anything soft but no red sauce.

Sorry for to much information here but I had all the same fears as you guys.Our doctor gave us a little book to read and that helped.My son was really worried about going to sleep so you might talk about that part a little more.They will givesomething to calm her down that day if they dont ask for it.

Also not sure where in Texas you are but here is the name of the ENT we used.He is great with kiddos it is most of what he does. We liked him but warning the office wait is long somethimes.He has two Offices.

Patrick Brown with San Antonio Head and Neck Surgical Associates ###-###-#### they can hel at this number.

Good luck on Everything

Hi E., it is alway a tough decision when it is regarding our children. I have a beautiful son that will be 24 this year. When he was a small child, 3 to 5 yrs., he kept tonsilitis, strep throat. Finally his ped. wanted to remove his tonsils, adnoids, and put tubs in his ears. I left his office, called my doctor and went to see him. He looked in his throat and commented on how large his tonsils and adnoids were. He also kept ear infections at that time. I did not want my baby in the hospital taking his body parts out. The doc said he would just give him a stronger dose on his antibiotic and that he should grow out of all of the infections. He did just that around 5. His immune system needed to strengthen. He snored like a freight train until he was eighteen, when he enlisted in the army. He did grow out of everything, he is now healthy as a horse. My doc said we really need to keep our tonsils. I never took my son to a pediatrician again, I used my doctor. All is well with him today. Pray and be blessed in your decision. T. S.

E., I have been through this! I was scared out my mind for my 5 year old. I have 2 girls, both have had tubes put in and adnoids out. They say my 2 year olds were bigger than what a adults should be. Pretty scary. Now the oldest we had done because of the teeth grinding, sleep walking, coughing in sleep, night terrors, and all over horrible sleep patters mixed with the sore throats constantly. I have to say I thought it would be much worse. She freaked of course before and after and did not want to eat anything that day. Now the next day she kept asking for chicken nuggets and I had to keep telling her no. It was all soup, popsicles, bread and such. THAT was the worst part. We had a little bleeding at night and I got scared each time she coughed but all over it wasn't that bad. Good luck and I hope you get more confidence with it.

Good morning E.. I can definitely understand your concern with dealing with you precious little one. I experienced the same dilema when my oldest daughter was around 20 months. The best advice when having a tonsillectomie (and this is coming from an ENT doctor's mouth), is to have it done as early in life as possible. The risk is not as great for excessive blood loss and young children heal much faster than adults and older children.
Things will work out fine. She'll also get to eat as much ice cream as she wants! Take care...

First, it's surgery, of course there is a risk. Anyone who may tell you that it's "routine" is probably the doctor or nurse that will be performing/assisting the procedure. It's routine for the doctor that does it all the time, not the patient that has to go under the knife.

I have not been through this with a child, but I did have a friend who was 37 when he had his removed. This was not a classic case of "better late than never." His mother decided not to have them done when he was a boy, and later in life, they became a problem. After the surgery, it was so painful to watch him do anything with his mouth. Everytime he coughed, I winced in pain for him. Swallowing was obviously pure agony. He was out of work for 8 weeks straight, and then in and out for the next month after that. During that 8 weeks he couldn't talk, and after that he could only whisper for a short period of time, and then he had to give it a break. The doctor told him that the healing process would have gone MUCH better and faster had he had it done when he was a young boy. I wish you could see how miserable this 37 year old man was after the surgery, and then you'd know that it was a necessary childhood surgery for some.

Bottom line from that long story is, if she is a candidate for the surgery, have it done when the healing process is easier. All surgeries are risky, but don't let her tonsils become a problem when she is an adult. I really wish my mother would have had the tubes put in my ears that the doctor recommended. I get vertigo with EVERY head cold I come down with.

I had a T&A for the same reasons at 25 and it sucked. What I mean is that it hurt and if I didn't take my pain meds I was miserable. Now I don't say that to scare you only to make sure you get her the meds exactly on time.

Post T&A, I have to tell you that I am a very happy girl. I no longer choke on white (sticky) bread and I rarely snore.

If I had to it over again I would, but only because I had tonsils that were always swollen, like you say- close to touching my uvula, and when I got sick it was very painful swollen red tonsils every time.

Lots of fruit (not sugar) based popsicles, give pain meds on a tight schedule, and a good surgeon and she should be fine. Kids bounce back really quickly, my neighbor girl had hers out over spring break and was up watching t.v. throwing back fruit pops the same afternoon.

Good luck!
T.

PEDI ENT's Dr. Moe and Bonillas....great second opinion.

Hi E.,
I tried for several years to have my daughters tonsils removed, but all I got was..."we try not to remove them any more". Her tonsils always appeared large to me although they never touched the "meat" in the center of the throat, they come close. But, when she got sick, she almost couldn't swollow. Still, the doctor's (My ex-husband was military/retired so we were on tricare thru BAMC at Ft. Sam Houston) said she just had normally "Large" tonsils. I kept insisted through the years and actually had to exaggerate her pain to get them to send her to ENT for an evaluation. She turned 13 on January 1, 2008 and had her tonsils removed on the January 7th. After the surgery, the doctor informed that her tonsils though they were large visually were just the "tip of the iceberg" once they were removed; so, it was definitely a great thing that we had them removed. She still get a sore throat on occasion, but overall she's doing MUCH better. Therefore, I certainly recommend going through with it now that your daughter is younger. The healing time is much quicker the younger you are. I hope this helps. God Bless You and your family. M.

I had mine removed when I was one year old because my allergies were so bad. My throat would swell shut quite often. I came through it fine. I am now 48 years old. I remember it to this day.

There is a risk with any surgery...but the fact that your daughter is so young is a good thing. It is much easier on a younger individual.

It's great that you checked out the surgeon so well.

Best wishes to your daughter.

I suggest delaying the surgery and getting a second opinion, from a holistic pediatrician or an nutritionist. If your child's tonsils and adnoids are swollen it means that they are doing their job trying to fight off the infection. Get to the root of the problem, which is not your daughter's adnoids or tonsils. There is a reason why they are swollen. Good Luck!

My son had them out when he was 4. He did great. He didn't even take the pain meds. He loved eating popsicles and ice cream. The only hard part was coming out of anesthesia. He was disoriented and thrashing but it only lasted 5 minutes. We live in Missouri City right outside of Houston.

I am a 34 yr old mommy of a 3 yr old girl and 1 yr old boy. My daughter just had her adnoids and tonsils taken out this past September. The recovery process is a couple of weeks - meaning, they are very sore for 2 weeks and will need some extra TLC!! along with antibiotics, some popcycles, prescribed numbing suckers, pain med, and whatever else your doctor gives you to take home to help the pain. do it. it will help her in the long run and if your dr is telling you you need to then do it. it could be dangerous for her in the long run if you don't! it will also help her not get sick as often. my daughters tonsils were also huge. all surgeries are risky but like most of them, they are needed! good luck and try not to worry. you are doing the right thing.

My daughter (who is 7)has her tonsils removed back in June. Her physician was Dr. Joseph Edmonds at Texas Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists. He is a pediatric surgeon and I want you to know that I was very pleased with the entire process. She had her surgery on Friday (outpatient) and after being sleepy and hoarse for about two days she was back to her old self. She was fearful about eating, I think because she was scared to swollow. She stopped snoring the day after the surgery, and also her teeth straighten. If you are looking for a second opinion, I highly recommend Dr. Edmonds. I was told that it is better to have them removed when they are little, because there are less complications. If you want to reach Dr. Edmonds here is the information:

Texas Ear Nose and Throat Specialists
6550 Fannin Street (Smith Tower)
Suite 2001
###-###-####

I hope this eases your fears. I'll be praying for your family....

I was three when I got mine out...56 years ago. Oops, now I given away my age! LOL My health has been a lot better because of the surgury (or so says my mother). Surgery anywhere - anytime - is a risk, but you have to weigh the alternatives. If you are confident in your daughter's doctor and there is a good hospital backing him/her up with a good history, then the risk is definitely lessened, right? Also, when my oldest was one, on his first birthday, we spent it at a hospital in Houston getting tubes put in his ears because of allergies. He has been as healthy as can be ever since, but spent almost the entire first year of his life on antibiotics because of ear infections. If you do go through with this, I suggest that you stay with her as much as possible, and if they can lessen the trauma of being in the hospital by keeping her asleep and taking her away from you while she is asleep, she will probably fare better. I had my oldest daughter in the hospital at 3 1/2, and the tauma she suffered from for a long time afterwards was separation anxiety. Best of luck and on to better sleeping and health!

Hi E.!

My son had his tonsils and adnoids out when he was 3 and it was the best thing that we ever did! It was a day surgery procedure. He went in at 6:30 am and we were home by 9:30 am. You might want to ask the doctor to do the proceedure in a children's hospital and have them observe her over night if that would help. My brother did that with his son. I felt the same way when trying to make a decision. I've heard nothing but positive things about tonsil removeal. I hope this helps.

K.

E.

Don't be scared or alarmed I have 2 boys and myself both had our tonsills out very young one of my boys was 3 and the other was 4 and myself i was 9 when i got my removed
i do everything about it . My kids both had promlems breathing and snoroing becuase they were huge, but we have had no promblems since and recovery was great give the lots of ice cream, ice and keep they away from foods that will scratch their throat because that will cause bleeding because that happend to me i ate a hush puppy and it erritated my thoat but other then that i was a good thing
we did that for them .

Good luck and Blessings to your family

S.

My daughter, age 12 at the time of her tonsilectomy, had her tonsils/adnoids taken out last spring break. I was freaked out because of all the negative stories and articles I read. She has always suffered from strep throat, etc... so my husband and I knew we were going to have to have have this done sooner or later. The first week of recovery was fine but the second week was when she really felt horrible. We went to the doctor 2 times the second week because she felt so bad and started running fever. Then one morning she woke up and she was her old self! All in all it wasn't horrible but it's good to prepare yourself for all possibilities. Just keep lots of popscicles and jello on hand. I also froze gatroade in ice trays that she chewed/sucked on. I'm sure that during her recovery, they will give you an ice pack. My daughter loved that. (I went to Sonic and bought a bag of their ice since it is crushed.) My doctor sugested that we stay away from milk products. (pudding, milkshakes due to their thickness) I guess the only negative thing is that she still gets strep throat but not as often. I know I am rambling but I have one more suggestion. Make sure your doctor gives you a prescription for nausea. Good luck and keep us posted.

I have had 2 children have tonsilectomies and both went through the surgery fine and recovery was uneventful. Every surgery has its pro's and con's and you and your husband need to decide what is best for the child. Sleep apnea will affect your childs ability to learn, will affect your childs social life, etc. Listen tot he voice inside your head and pray that God will put his legion of angelsa round your child in and after surgery.
Both of my girls sleep more soundly now and so do we knowing that their airways are clear enough for them to breath normally and sleep better.
Every corner you turn around will have another story from someone that has gone through this. Make your decision based on the facts about your child and what your child needs.
Godd luck!

Jarsmommy

Hi E.,
My 9 year old has this same procedure when he was 3-4 years old. He did fairly well. There is a point where the "scab" type area in their throat falls off. NOt sure if that is exactly what happens, but other parents have had the same experience. My son woke up about 12 midnight crying and there was blood. This is fairly normal, but it can continue to bleed. Our doctor had us bring him in and he spend the night, to be sure he wasn't still bleeding. If I had to do it over, I would have just kept him up for awhile to be sure it wasn't still bleeding and then slept in his room in case he woke up again. The whole hospital experience is not fun. They really weren't "checking" on him, I could have done the same thing at home.
He was feeling better after about a week.
Good Luck!

Get a second opinion!!!

Google "Alternatives to tonsilectomy"
I found this:
The tonsils are part of your immune system. They are lymph tissue and particularly early in life they are part of your surveillance system that helps you recognize disease, such as bacteria. They stimulate your immune system to develop antibody and they help protect you against these illnesses.

Hope I haven't completely stressed you out. It's just another factor that I thought you should know.

This is the same age that I had it done to my daughter. It was scary waking up in the middle of the night one night to her not breathing. Granted, she began breathing again before I could react, but I took her in and between the snoring, the apnea and the deep dark circles under her eyes we decided it was the right move for her.

It was an out patient surgery performed in a special clinic, she threw up some blood a couple of times after (not preventable as it is impossible to keep all of it from draining down their throat during surgery so a little escapes and they throw it up later). It took about a week to heal with her talking hoarsely.

The hardest part was getting her to stop talking through her nose (a natural transition to avoid the pain of talking from the throat).

She doesn't even remember it today. Much preferrable to my own experience at 9 yo!!! I very much remember the experience plus I woke up in the middle of the surgery and still have nightmares about it today, something I make sure to discuss with every anesthitician today!!!

Good Luck!

Risk comes with ALL surgeries, but this one is probably one of the easiest. I have children whose T&A's were removed from ages 3 - 15 yo. The 3 yo even has a heart condition. No complications EXCEPT - do NOT give ANY form of aspirin, ibuprofen, motrin, etc for fever or pain. Excessive bleeding will occur.

My 11 yo was on solid food within hours of surgery with NO problems.

My 15 yo milked it like a teenager. SMILE! (She had problems for 11 yrs with her T&A and doctors refused to remove them. I was glad to find a surgeon that did remove them.)

Remember to give your children LOTS of water or some form of liquid to keep the throat moist. This reduces the pain. My 3 yo REFUSED to drink. With the bleeding and the no drinking, she did end up back in the CHildren's Hosp. I would, though, do it all again. Their breathing is much better.

It takes longer to prep for surgery (1-2 hrs) than the surgery lasts (15 minutes). Try to schedule the T&A as the FIRST one of the day. It's easier on you and the child.

Good Luck and enjoy the popsicles!!!

One thought though - my tonsils were removed MANY years ago, and I have sleep apnea.

bleeding to death is a VERY rare complication. after the surgery, before you leave the hospital/clinic, make sure the Dr. checks that she is not still bleeding. keep her as comfortable as possible. if she coughs violently, or starts spitting up blood, have her looked at again. my daughter was a little older, but recovered without complications. she did cough up some bloody globs, but the Dr. said as long as it wasn't excessive she would be fine. the future complications are far more dangerous than possible surgical complications.

I have been on both sides of the recovery process for TNAs. My DH and oldest son had problems with re-bleeding and my daughter, who is 3, had a really great recovery. The ENT for my daughter told me that the most important thing is to get them eating and drinking ASAP. That was the main difference between my son and daughter. He wouldn't eat or drink because of the pain, and he also wouldn't listen to us telling him to rest. My DH was just a big baby...LOL

I would talk to your ENT. Ask him what you should expect, what the risks are, and how to minimize them. Go into this informed. Your daughter will be a much happier child after she recovers.

I think if you arm yourself with information from a professional, you will be ready for whatever life throws at you. Good luck! Get lots of Popsicles!

E.

Well.....my daughter had her tonsils out at age 4. The surgery went great. The time they took her away and then came and called for me in the waiting room was maybe 30 mins. She was drinking fine the first day or so, but she wouldn't drink at all afterwards. My mother and I are both nurses, but we could not get her to drink. I was worried about dehydration. She ended up in the ER in the middle of the night 1 week post op with a bleed. I freaked out. Thank GOD I slept with her that night, so I was able to react fast. She stopped bleeding on her own right before they had to take her back to surgery. I don't want to scare you...that is not my intent. She hasn't been sick hardly at all since, which is GREAT. But I will never forget that night. You will just have to make sure she drinks plenty of fluids....anyway you can get them down her!!!! Since then I have had several friends and family get their kids tonsils removed without a problem. So what happened to us is not real common, but it can happen. Just prepare to have sleepless nights and lots of popcycles on hand. I'm sure ya'll will be just fine. I would say not to worry, but that's our #1 job as moms!!!!!!!!! Write back with questions if needed.

My daughter had her tonsills and adnoids removed on Dec. 27th, 2007 She was 5 years old. She also had tubes put in her ears at the same time. She came through it with no complications. In fact, she was riding her little scooter that night. I had to hide the scooter from her for a few days while she recovered. It is amazing how well the little ones do after this surgery. My daughter also had sleep apnea because of her enlarged tonsills and adnoids. She has not snored since her surgery. In fact, she is so quiet when she sleeps that we still check sometimes to make sure that she is still breathing!

The surgery was such a success that my husband finally decided to have the same surgery for his sleep apnea last Monday (by the same ENT). It has been a little bit harder recovery for him but still very much worth it. He no longer snores and sleeps so much better! I highly recommend the surgery and our ENT. His name is Dr. James Martin. He has an office in Sugar Land and Richmond. ###-###-####. We were very happy with the outpatient surgical center in Sugar land also.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

J. L

Do it now. Tonsillectomies are way easy on children. They have very quick recovery times. Your daughter's quality of life will improve so much. She will get better sleep and be happier and her speech won't be affected.

My Mother hemmed and hawed and never got mine done. I had to get them out at 21 and it was the worst thing I have gone through. Do it now and spare her having to do it later!

My son who is now 9 had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy when he was 4. It's no picnic to be sure, but your daughter will most likely be fine. Just be sure and watch for any sign of bleeding whatsoever, and immediately take her to your doctor or the E.R. if she has any. I would suggest also having her sleep in your bed for a few nights after surgery so you can keep a close eye on her. The other thing to remember is it can be very painful (I had one too as an adult), so be sure and give her the pain meds if she is uncomfortable. That was a mistake we made--not wanting to give our son those strong painkillers because of side effects. In hindsight his recovery would have been much easier if we had given them to him. Good luck and God bless!

Hi E.,
I am a Mom of 5 kids (13, 11, 9, 6, 5). My middle son had his adenoids taken out when he was 4 because he too was snoring like a freight train (yep, a cute one too!). We had gone to an ENT that our pediatrician had recommended and this particular ENT's clients were all kids. The surgery went very smoothly and it probably took about 45 minutes. The ENT spoke to us while my son was in recovery and he informed us that his adenoids were blocking over 90% of his airway. This piece of info confirmed the rightness in our decision for our son. His recovery time was about a week and it was smooth sailing. In regards to the bleeding, yes there is some to be expected but just like a boo-boo, a scab develops over the area that was cut. The scab can come loose and can cause a little bit of bleeding but nothing of significance.

I totally understand your concerns. It is scary having our kids go through any surgery. It sounds like you have researched the ENT and that is good. I would ask this question though: How many kids has this ENT seen in surgery? If most of his patients are kids then he sounds like a good candidate to do your daughter's surgery. IF not, then ask your pediatrician for an ENT that works primarily on kids.

Like any surgery, there are risks. As a Mom, it's our job to weigh those risks and then decide whether it's a good decision for our kids. Based upon your ENT's examination, it sounds like your daughter will benefit from the removal of her tonsils and adenoids. You are right in saying that she may avoid the issue of sleep apnea and that is a huge positive in my book.

My son no longer snores and looking back, I am glad that we decided to have my son's adenoids removed.

Just a side note... you will hear all sorts of good, bad and ugly stories from lots of people. My advice: trust your ENT, your pediatrician, and your husband.

Hope this helps : )

My husband had one several weeks ago and had a rough recovery. My friend's daughter (7) had one a week later and SEEMED to feel perfect afterwards. However, my friend did not make her rest after the surgery. She basically just let her do whatever she felt like doing. Two days later, she was in so much pain that she did not want to eat at all. I'm not trying to scare you, but I WOULD advise that you MAKE your daughter rest...even if she seems to feel ok. Also, my husband's Dr said that he needed to drink TONS of liquid for the first few days after the surgery....the swallowing helps with keeping those muscles in the throat stretched out and working. So, even if she doesn't feel like drinking, make her drink a lot so that it won't be as bad later. Hope this helps.

My son had his tonsils and adnoids removed when he was 4 years old. He recovered very quickly without any problems. He is 10 now and hasn't snored since his surgery. Kids are troopers (unlike adults) Just have plenty of icecream, yogurt and pudding around. She's going to do great.

I feel you are correct in your direction for your daughter. I recommend that you get a 2nd or even 3rd opinion from a pediatric ENT department of a large medical school. It never hurts to get your facts so you may rest with your decisions. There are risks in every medical procedure you do, but finding the facts and experience and current scietific literature is the best way to go about things. If your daughter has a better quality of life that out ways the current situation/risks then you are heading in the right directions. Wishing you good luck on this journey for your daughter and family. Cook's Children's Hospital in Dallas is highly recommended hospital if you are near Dallas. sgp, dds

E.,

I wouldn't worry about it. I had the same surgery done on my son when he was 3 and there was no problem. I am going to have the surgery done on my daughter as well on May 7. There is nothing to fear. The ENT said that she could throw up blood some time between days 7 and 10 which is normal and the bodies way of getting rid of the blood and scabs that formed from the surgery. My son never threw up the blood, but a friends daughter did. She threw up a few times and it was over. She said it was a small price to pay for a much healthier child. My friends daughter is 9 and had to write a paper on her greatest thing that she has done and she wrote about the surgery. She says that it is the best thing that has ever happened to her, because now she doesn't ever have a sore throat or get sick! I know it's scary any time your child has surgery and I'm nervous about my 2 year old having it in May, but I can't wait until it's done and she isn't sick anymore.

T.

I had mine done at 9 years old, my older sister the same, my younger sister at 4. All of us had a week recovery at home. There is always risk in surgery minor or major. What you have to think about is do you trust the DR and would this be better for her in the future. My husband wished that he had gotten his done when he was younger because they get infected all the time and swollen, it is just a headache for him. I honestly would because I can tell you from experience that all the infections and pain that I had before they were out is way worse then the pain to have them out.

I responded to one of these requests just a couple of days ago and there were about 20 other responses. You can go and look at them if you want more information.

You won't regret it. It will change your child for the better, you'll wish you had done it sooner. They have really changed the procedure since I had my tonsils out. I think my daughter's ENT said that they use a laser in the removal instead of "cutting" like they used to.

I'm not a doctor by any means, so I can't be positive (it's been a while). I do know for sure though that my barely 2 year old daughter healed so quickly that I couldn't even believe she'd had surgery! She didn't even need pain medication the following day.

Every one is different in the healing process and your little one might have a tougher go round. Nevertheless, you won't regret getting them out.

Good luck!

A.

Hello my name is T. I am a mother of 3 girls 9 5 3 and 1 boy 11weeks. My 9 yr old had her tonsils and adnoids out at 2. It was for the better. Her tonsils were huge and she had sleep apnea as well. She recovered quick. the only thing was they gave her tylenolw/codine and it seems like she got hooked on it. Sounds craazy for a 2 year old I know, but its true. She was a walking zombie for 2 weeks. Everything went well. I put my trust in God to give the ENT the ability to make everything o.k. And itwas. Now we are thinking about my 5 yr old getting hers out. Problem is the longer you wait the procedure can hurt worse than it does when ur younger. My niece had hers out at 2 also. Hers procedure went smoothly too. Funny thing is she is now 13 and her adnoids grew back. Hope you make the right decision and one that is best for ur three year old.

Hi, My middle son had his out and wanted to eat a ham sandwich an hour later. My other son did just fine as well. They both had theirs out at an early age. We went to a great doctor in The Woodlands. I will pray for your daughter that everything will go great. Try not to stress yourself out, especially in front of your daughter. It might affect how she reacts as well. Good Luck!

my son had this done when he was 2. our ent is dr. barlow in Port arthur who took my tonsils out aswell as my mothers! It is a fairly common procedure with minimal risks. My son bounced back in no time. There will always be an overbearing mother out there with a horror story! you have to weigh your options and if this is the better route than take it. I trust my ent's opioion over anyother hes been doing this for this long I bet he knows a little of what hes talking about. Relax once it is done and over with you might realize that you got all worked up for nothing! Good Luck!

My 3 year old dd just had her tonsils and adenoids removed because of her snoring, sore throat, swollen tonsils, and constant green running from her nose. She also talked through her nose! Since she's had them removed, she's a whole new child. She doesn't snore, hasn't had a single runny nose, and talks normally now. It was REALLY tough the first 2 days following surgery though, I won't lie about that. You have to push fluids on the child constantly. They won't want to drink, because it hurts, but if they don't get liquids in them, they will develop a high fever and dehydrate fast. That means a trip to the ER for IV fluids. That in itself was enough to get Indigo to drink drink drink. Good luck!

Hi E.,
When my son was 3 he had sleep apnea and we had to go through the same surgery. His father was the same way and had to have his tonsils, adenoids, removed along with correcting a deviated septum. The 3 year old is 9 now and bounced back very quickly and is doing fine. Their dad did not recover so quickly, but for children it is much easier. I have an 11 year old son who will be having his tonsils and adenoids removed in two weeks because of the same problem. The procedure is very simple and the complications are highly unlikely to happen. Just remember this, even if you get a second opinion, it will be a waste of your time and money. There is no cure for sleep apnea unless the surgery is done, they use the c-pap machine the rest of their life, or they lose weight. If she is not overweight, then that suggestion is null and void. My son's ENT told me that there can be a significant loss of blood with the surgery, but each case is different. They will do lab work before the surgery to determine your daughter's blood clotting time and also do not give them any asprin or asprin products two weeks before and after the surgery. I think you guys will be just fine, and if your ENT has been doing this 38 years, then I feel you are in good hands. You are helping your daughter to be healthy and successfull later in life; and as parents, that is our responsibility. Pray about it, give it to God, and He will be in the operating room with the surgeons. Good Luck to you!!

A.

It sounds like the benefits outweigh the risks. I think that these days the medical community has to tell you everything just in case. You have defeintely done your research. Everything will be fine. If you want a 2nd opinion -I don't know where in Texas you live but I highly reccomend Dr. Andrew de Jong. He practices in College Station with Texas ENT. ###-###-####. www.texasentandallergy.com
Good Luck and I will keep you in my prayers!

I am so thankful I found your post. My 5-year-old son is getting his surgery tomorrow and I am extremely worry and anxious. He's going for the same reason as your daughter and I have the same guilt you do as it is an elective procedure. I am glad to read your daughter is recovering well. Please let me know if you have any tips for us and what we should be expecting. My email is ____@____.com.

Thank you!

I had mine out when I was like 5 or 6 I think. Perhaps sooner than that since I can't remember my exact age now but I just had a bad sore throat & couldn't talk. I DID feel nauseus & threw up blood but my Mom said that was because some may've drained down during surgery. I felt better after I threw up but that was the only time. This was way bk in the '70s so with technology being as it is today, I'm sure your daughter will pull thru with flying colors. I went to college with a girl who still had hers & she was sick w/tonsillitus so it can still occur into adulthood & like your husband may hafta depend on a machine if it comes to that. Perhaps he should get his taken out together with her at the same time?? It could be supportive or a comfort for her. I would ask the pediatrician who they'd recommend using then ck them out before using him/her. Good luck.

E., go ahead and have it done. I know exactly how frightening it can be. My son is now 22, but he had his tonsils and adenoids taken out when he was around 4. We were nervous because he is Down Syndrome and we knew we wouldn't be able to explain to him what was going to happen and we didn't know how he would react to the surgery and his recovery. He did great. After surgery he slept so much better and it was wonderful not to have his tonsils giving him problems all the time. Good luck!

I believe that every organ we are given has a pupose and a reason. Several years ago, my cousins daughter had asthma. I was studying Holistic Nutrition and suggested that she try an elimination diet starting with diary. Take her off all dairy for 1 week, and see if there is any improvement. Then reintroduce some diary and see if there is any reaction. If so, she is allergic. Dairy is very mucous producing. Her husband said ABSOLUTELY NOT SHE LOVES MILK. Three weeks later they removed her adenoids. I think it would have been worth a try. I truly believe that her tonsils and adenoids are trying to signal that there is something wrong, either with her diet and/or her environment. By removing them you simply get rid of a warning device. No more inflammation, no more problem, RIGHT. Wrong, there will still be a problem. It is kind of like your car, the engine is making an irritating noise, so you take it in so they can remove a spark plug, that will fix it. Of course not, they replace whatever is making the irritating noise. I can probably guess that your ENT never suggested to see what kind of diet your daughter has. I saw an ENT before, then I decided I would learn what was wrong with me and started studying/learning what was wrong with me. I no longer have asthma, I was told I had many allergies, and I have since ditched my inhaler and flonase. If you go ahead with the surgery, please look into ways to clean up her environment and diet. There are signs that that needs to be addressed. www.notmilk.com- many books to read at local library- Whole Foods is a great place to ask free question. I hope this helps. mybiopro.com/claudia13 P.S. I just read many of the suggestion...Sonic, chicken nuggets, popsicles, mac & cheeese...where are the fruits (smoothies) and veggies (soups). There is much to be said about an organic, whole food diet.

I had chronic strep throat as a child but my mother refused to have my tonsils out because of her fears about surgery. I didn't stop having these infections until my 20's when one got so bad I almost died. Since then I haven't had another and I still have my tonsils, but I spent a lot of time miserable and sick as a child. If you have researched the doctor, I would go ahead with the surgery.

E., get it done. There is always risk especially in surgery no matter how routine or small. But it sounds like the benefits will definitely outweigh the risk. My daughter, who is now 6, had tonsils and adenoids removed and tubes put in just a week before her third birthday and it was probably one of the best things we did. She had recurring ear infections and as a result was suffering some hearing loss. She also snored and breathed heavily while sleeping, and woke several times during the night which the ENT diagnosed was due to her enlarged tonsils. He too recommended they be removed and I was hesitant, not wanting to subject her to more than was absolutely necessary. Part of the doctor's reasoning was that her tonsils would need to come out eventually, because they were not going to get better and she was already going to be under anesthesia so why subject her later? I asked family and friends and her pediatrician and most advised me to do it. Fortunately, my husband and I didn't hear any real horror stories. In fact, my nephew who was 14 at the time had just had his tonsils taken out a few months prior and while the results were great, he had a little longer recovery time due to his age. My daughter bounced back right away. The surgery was done on Thursday,we stayed overnight at the hospital, went home on Friday, and she returned to preschool on Monday. She was still a little sore for another couple of weeks and only ate soft foods but really she was 100% within a couple of weeks. The infections stopped, the hearing loss was temporary and returned luckily, and the sleeping defintely improved. We didn't realize how bad the sleeping had been until we experienced her after surgery sleep when she actually slept through most of the night. The surgery was done at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston by a highly recommended ENT (can't remember his name right now). The surgery turned out to be very routine and due to my daughter's young age, she recuperated very quickly.
Of course you are concerned about the risk, I was too but as my mother always said just pray and leave it in God's hands. And as you said do you really want her sleeping with a machine the rest of her life? What if the machine is not available? What about the sleepovers she may want to have or participate in when she is 10 or 12?
Good luck with whatever you decide.
GM

you just wrote my story from 5 years ago. my daughter is doing fine. she doesn't snore anymore and doesn't get sore throats,ear aches,sinus problems... anymore. in short, don't freak out. it will be okay. just keep lots of icy pops in the freezer!!!!

I know I'm late and I'm so sorry. I had every intention on contacting you sooner. I think the procedure may have already been done, but I wanted to tell you about my own personal experience w/ this. My daughter went through the same thing when she was 3. But we have an awesome pediatrician who referred us to a great ENT doctor. The procedure was done at TCH and the procedure and recovery time went extremely well. My advice would be to stay prayerful and very observant of your child during this time(after the procedure). If you notice anything then call the doctor. But you will need to be as calm and positive as possible for your child. The ENT office and her pediatrician also called during her recovery time to be sure she was okay after the procedure. So their support was also comforting. I allowed my daughter to stay at home for about 1 week before going back to daycare. Hope this helps even though its a day late!
A.

My daughter had her tonsils and adnoids removed 2 years ago and things went just fine. She had the same problem as your daughter and no longer snores. the only problem she had was she wouldn't drink ( because of the discomfort) after we got her home. She became dehydrated and we had to take her the hospital for an IV. Other than that, I'm glad we decided to do the surgery

My son had his removed when he was 2 1/2. The recovery period was not bad at all. The benefits from the surgery greatly outweigh the risks. She'll be fine. Also, if you do it now, she probably won't have any memory of it later in life. She's also young enough to not have anxiety in anticipation of the surgery.

E.: If your ENT has been doing tonsilectomies for 38 years, you might ought to trust him. Besides, if you don't get this done now, your child might have a lot of other ailments like colds, viruses, etc. Not that she would not have some of that anyway, but I don't believe it would be as tough on her.
After all is "said & done" you are the one that is most familiar with her; her personality (how well she would respond to the surgery) and ultimately, the one to make the decision for your child. Trust our Heavenly Father to guide the whole situation. fb

Hi E.

Just to let you know that my daughter (now 14) had the same problem plus she was asthmatic. Her ENT also encouraged us to have her tonsils and adenoids removed. She did really well with the surgery. Of course all kids are different. The only issue she had was coming out of the anesthesia. Smaller kids tend to be disoriented when they wake up. Other than that it was the best decision we made for her. The only time she snores now is when she has a sinus infection or is REALLY tired. As far as her blood loss, the ENT recommended that my daughter stay indoors (she had hers done in the summer)and she could not be outside running around for a few weeks until she healed. Her tonsils were lasered so of course she could not over exert herself. Hope this helps and good luck to you. By the way I also work for Nationwide in claims = )

she will be fine my son had his adenoids out twice and his tonsils removed when his adnoids were removed the second time.be prepared for a sore throat

My son had this procedure done when he was 3 years old. He was rehospitalized because the stitches opened back up and it had to be reclosed. He did lose some blood but nothing life threating and it was just simply error on our part. Someone gave him something hard to eat too soon after the surgery and that's what caused it to reopen. Other than that he recovered quite well. His recovery time was about 2 weeks and he's been great since then. Hope this helps!

E. - I ditto what Kate just said. With ANY surg. there are risk but this is a quick outpt. surg. and other than a sore throat for about a week or less...your daughter will feel, breathe, and sleep so much better. We had this surg. for one of our sons when he was 4....he doesn't remember it at all.
If you decide you want a 2nd opinion I can give you the name of a great female ENT with TCH. Just let me know if you want her name.

Dear E., any time our children are sick and particularly if they require surgery to improve their health, there is a risk involved as well as the risk of not doing anything. Be assured that with love and care for your daughter, you will make the best choice for your child. Most children do so well with tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Because they are young, the amount of tissue that is connected in the throat is small even though the tonsil itself is large. So the surgery is a very small cut. Only in rare cases would a person lose enough blood to endanger their life. And in a worse case scenario, blood is available in the hospital if it were needed. You have checked out the ENT, you and your husband are in agreement. You are well over the hardest part. Your child will do great. Do not entertain frightening thoughts of what could go wrong, but imagine that your child is well and strong. Since you have older children you have no doubt seen a badly scraped knee or whatever. When you clean and comfort your child, you see a recovered child in your mind, not a permanently scarred or injured one. When you expect the best, that is what you are most likely to receive. Pray that she does well and enjoys a speedy recovery, then expect that you receive exactly that. Also pray that you, your husband and the Dr. are doing your best. Then thank God that it is done. Smile and know that all is well. (Many are the times I've had to Force myself to take that advice. My husband and I have had some Hairy situations since our 4 kids are all now grown.) Only listen to encouragement, no stories of what bad has gone on for other people. If you begin to worry, tell yourself, "STOP! All is well." Really. It is. C.

i had mine out at 4 now 63 , throat hurt, but my oldest son had his out a 6. popcycles. and lots of them. i would not worry too much and the story of child all most bleading to death, maybe there is more to that story, like did she cry a lot? just stay with child do not let them cry,and frozen suff to eat and very soft food. my frend and neighbor s daughter had hers out 2 months past. no problem. oh i live in mexico and in our area children are very well treated so go for it, let your child be princess for a week. also i am a rn D.

E.,
My daugheter age 6 and husband both had their tonsils taken out together over spring break. Although my daughter didn't have sleep apnea, she kept getting strep throat along with my husband. The only time she coughed up blood was right after she woke up. The hardest part for her as far as recovery was getting her to stay hydrated. She didn't want to drink anything because it hurt too bad. Everyone says to have them have popsicles but my husband said for him the popsicles hurt to bad to eat because it hurt to open his mouth so keep that in mind. To keep her eating and drinking she had go-gurts, broth, jello, pudding, and the best thing to keep her hydrated and nurished was the pediasure drink. I knew she was better when the drink tasted nasty to her. But you get so hungry you don't care what you have and so that was her life saver. She was pretty down and out for 3 days but by the 4th day she was pretty much back to her self, although it still hurt to talk. The pain meds are to be given every 4 hours or so, as long as you stay on top of the pain you should be fine. It's a lot harder to catch up and get ahead of the pain. Some people would suggest not to wake her in the night to give them to her and to just let her sleep but I say wake her up and give them. The nights that I didn't we had a rough morning getting her to even swallow the medicine. The other thing my daughter had a hard time with (she is very sensitive to smells and tastes) is the smell of her breath. About the 3rd or 4th day her breath smelled like burnt flesh (gross I know) but that is just part of the healing since she had her tonsils cauterized. Anyway, 1 1/2 weeks later she was back at school.
As far as the actual surgery goes, you can't tell whether your daughter will be a bleeder or not until she is in surgery. The risk for this I believe is pretty minimal especially with the new technology out there. My mom came in to help out (I had a baby the day after the surgeries) and was surprised at how much things have changed since we were kids having tonsils out. She made the comment that is seems to be easier now. I was fortunate that my husband is a Doctor (1st year resident) who just finished working with the ENT's who performed the surgeries so he had seen them at work numerous times. I think you will be fine.
The benefit of having my husbands tonsils out other than the strep is his snoring is pretty much gone and I'm not being woken up. I know this was a long response but it is helpful to know a little about what to expect.