Okay, the Adnoid Update

Both of my children had to have their adnoids out and their tonsils too. It was the best thing that we ever did for them. My son had gone to several pediatricians, allergy specialists and finally got to an ENT specialist. He took the adnoids and tonsils, and finally my son could breath and stop snoring. My daughter too. They are now 21 and 19 years old! They never had any side effects, and were much healthier after. I too have green products available at www.HotMallLive.com. Blessings to you!

I had lots of ear infections as a kid, was snoring, lots of drippy noses. I went through plenty of rounds of antibiotics, but kept getting sick. After I had tubes put into my ears, tonsils and adenoids removed, I was a lot healthier. I don't think that homeopathy will work for this case.

What does his pediatrician/allergist say?

I am so tired but wanted to respond to this before going to bed. Just wanted to let you know we are in a similar boat. My boy is 3.5 years and has his surgery scheduled two weeks from now. We are still so torn but have gone through very scary sickness spells. He gets sick and really struggles to breath. Since it is not natural for him to open his mouth when he sleeps he spudders and gasps for air. He does have sleep apnea during these times too. His chest pumps for air but nothing gets in. This last illness in early June sent us over the edge. I just don't know if we all can handle this again let alone over and over.

They give him antibiotics, prednisone and this last time he was also on a nebulizer to avoid and ER visit. Several times this has happened while sick with a cold/sinus infection?/ear infection. Once in march it seemed to happen while he was not sick...or at least not obviously sick? This all started to happen in December of last year.

I have been told several things and have been exploring alternatives. The Ped ENTs have said his adenoids should be removed. They actually said not to remove the tonsils. I know several people who have gone through this (actually clients I am a pilates instructor:-) with their kids and they all say it changed the quality of life tremendously. That is hard for me to ignore.

Although I teach a method of mind and body..work in the health industry..husband is a practicing yogi and we follow practices of health...what my boy goes through when sick is very scary and his ped(normally laid back ped) has warned us about long term use of these drugs.

I did start to take him off of dairy. He has it every once in a while I won't lie (frozen yogart). Up until a 1 1/2 weeks ago he was having as much as 24-30 ounces of milk a day (he drinks rice milk now)..he was only eating bread and dairy anyway..i.e. grilled cheese, quesadilla, bagels, toast with butter, french toast, bread, string cheese, pancakes etc... He does not eat any fruit or veggies. Will drink apple juice. It is a horrible diet I know but he gags and throws up if I try to get anything else in so his ped said back off. My point is that he has been over all breathing better in general and seems less congested. BUT Do I wait until he gets sick again to find out if it has helped him or not? Will this next time be the ER run??!!! I don't know that the benefit of waiting out ways the risks??!! I have never heard that removal has worsened a child or adults health..Do you hear of a person having removal and it really made fighting colds and illness worse?? and that is something to consider. I have heard from most that it helped tremendously!

I will stop now because I am rambling and talking out my own debate at this point. Probably trying to justify the decision we think we have made at this point.

Wishing you love and light through your difficult situation
M.

Hi L.,

I don't remember if I responded to your first note but by personal experience having my daughter get her adenoids out was the best thing we did. She stopped getting ear infections and wasn't sick nearly as often. She's 24 now and in perfect health.

V.

Hi L.! This might be a little lengthly, but I hope it helps. My oldest son was 4 1/2 years when he had his aednoid out. He started developing bronchitis when he was not quite 2, and he would get sick almost over night and then be on steroids for breathing for a month. He would be better for a few weeks and then the process would start all over again. We had longer reprieves in the summer, but we would still get sick. It was awful. He also had chronic night terrors which we now know as a form of sleep apnea. He could not get to the deeper stages of sleep on his own, so he would be half awake screaming himself to sleep at 10pm almost every night for two and a half years. We decided to go ahead with the surgery with an ent. He had his aednoids removed, his turbinites reduced and tubes in his ears (he had a chronic hearing loss). The difference was night and day. No more night terrors from that day on. As a matter of fact, he wet the bed for a few weeks, until he got used to sleeping so heavy. He still takes singular every day (we have tired and can't get him off that), but no more illnesses since that day. No steroids either. Which brings me to my third son.
I knew he was having hearing problems because he didn't speak much and when he did, it was hard to understand him. So I took him back to see my sons ent. Chronic sinus infection that my pediatrician had not picked up on. So on antibiotics we went. The meds did get rid of the infection, but in a few weeks he would have another one. And his body did not like the antibiotics. He got chronicly constipated, so he needed medications for that and then he started having allergic reactions to the antibiotics. We chronicled this for 6 months and in late october of last year, we decided to schedule surgery for Dec. I should note that during this time, we were and still are seeing a chiropractor, but we were still having the same problems. He had his tonsils removed, his aednoid and his turbinates reduced. Post surgey for my third son was that the sinus infections are better. He has had one since his surgery, but he is doing better. I do have a few recommendations for you. If your son gets another sinus infection, MAKE (don't ask, becuase this takes time and money) them culture the infection and match the antibiotic to the bacteria. This will save you the hastle of thinking the infection was cleared and then it comes back with a vengance. Also, my husband had his tonsils out two months ago, having similar issues as my younger son, and his recovery was much more painful and time consuming. Both my boys came thru surgery with flying colors. With in 24 hours my biggest problem was keeping them down. They both felt teriffic. Do some searches on the aednoid and you will find that research shows that the aednoid harbors bacteria and viruses and then it just waits for your imune system to take a dip and then you are sick again. Good luck and if you have any questions please just ask. Also, I am not sure where you live, but the ent we used was first rate. I would love to recommend him to you.

If removing the adenoids will make both you and your child feel better then by all means have the procedure done.

I might suggest a chiropractor.

I did have my tonsils and adnoids out as a child and I know that it never hurt me. (That I know of) But I have been going to see a chiro for 5 months and the thngs that are being fixed are amazing!!! They are great for kids.

Where do you teach fitness classes?

Hi L.,

I went through the same thing with my son, when he was 3 years old. He got sick on and off for about 8 month, and during this 8 month he was on antibiotics for 70 days,he was better after the antibiotics for couple of days, but he kept getting sick again, he started having breathing problems, and he just looked really sick. I finally took him to the Childrens Hospital in San Diego, after examing his lungs, allergy tests and a CT scan of his head and sinuses, they found out how terrible my son was doing, his sinuses and his lungs were litteraly filled up with mucose, it was impossible to treat him with antibiotics anymore, and he also was diagnosed with Asthma. They couldn't believe, that my son has been already taking AB for 70 days, they shook their head, over how irresponsible his pediatrician had been in his treatment. He should have been admitted to the Childrens Hospital with the first signs of breathing problems. Anyways, he got scheduled for surgery, they removed his tonsills, and his adnoids and cleared out his sinuses during the surgery. My son never got sick again, other than a simple cold, he is doing so much better, also his Asthma is under control, and he might even grow out of it, as long as we to keep him healthy and active. I am glad we had the surgery. I hope, that your son is doing better soon, but if he keeps getting sick like my son did, you might want to think doing more than homeopathic medicin. Good luck!

My son had his tonsils and adnoids removed in April. He snored really bad to the point that his chest was expanding and contracting. If your son snores there is a good chance he has sleep apnea. Have you taken him to an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor? I didn't realize until I took my son that if the breathing difficulty becomes really bad it can cause heart and lung problems. By the way, I am very much into the "natural" route, i.e. herbs, homeopathy, etc. I decided the surgery was the best thing to do. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Evan's mom

My dear husband is 30 now it was recommended when he was young to remove his tonsils and such. Any how his parents decided against it. The man has horrible prolems today snoring, poor sleep, sinus and ear infections, constant sore throats and the such, also with all the sickness his tonsils have enlarged over the years. We are now looking at having them removed as an adult. Just so my DH can have some comfort. Be informed get a couple of doctors opinions and go from there. Use your best mommy judgement.

Hi L.,

While the tonsils and adnoids are the first defence the body uses to fight off infection, once they become chronically infected there is not much more you can do but remove them, expecially if they are keeping your son from being a nose breathe. Mouth breathers do snore but also inhale bacteria, virus, toxins, dust, etc., into their lungs more readily by-passing the nose that filters out the same. Regardless if you wait or proceed, may I ask you what toxic chemicals are you using around your son that may triger his systems in the first place. Scientist are now seeing a correlation between toxins and how are children, with their inmature immune systems, are less healthy then our grandparents when they were children. They are seeing a correlation between the products we clean with and the rise in ADD, ADHD, Alergies, Asthma, Autism, Bronchitis, Ear Infections, Eczema, Pneumonia, just to name a few.

The company I use to rid myself of these toxins and eliminated my asthma, went green when green was just a color. If you are interested in riding your home of toxins, please give me a call.

Good Luck ~ F. ###-###-####

Hi L. K,

My daughter had severe asthma bouts, about 4 to 8 a year that responded only to predinose and heavy breathing treatments. This went on for years with the doctors just adding more prescriptions and treatments.

Well I finally took the bull by the horns and had some food testing done, the kind where they draw some blood, send it off to the lab and a nice, big report comes back. She was severely allergic to NINE foods and an additional 11 foods caused inflammation. I took those foods out of her diet and she hasn't had an asthma attack since. It has been 14 months since her last one. When she eats something she isn't suppose to, she'll get that cough.

So after my long story, I hope you'll see the correlation to your son. Find out what causes the inflammation by getting a food allergy BLOOD panel done and elminate the foods from his diet. Antibiotics are not a good thing to do all of the time if you can help it. Surgery is pretty invasive, if you can avoid it.

You can contact me for more information. Once you find out the foods, there is a great website that has a fabulous section on diet and elimination of certain foods.
www.tacanow.org
go to gf/cf tab on the left

Adnoids and tonsils usually go together. Many ents now when they take 1 they take both. Have you seen a specialist? The thought today is it is better to leave them in. Whebn you take them out you are putting your child under anesthetic which is dangerous. If your child has many infections a year then you should consider it though. See a specialist and get their opinion. Dr. Nina Yoshpe in torrance and Long Beach is excellent but she has a very long wiat to be seen and once you do hava an appointment you wait like 2-3 hours. I will tell you though she did my sons surgery and she is worth the wait. good luck

Hi L.,

Homeopathy (by a trained practitioner) has helped soooooo many kids return to tonsilar/adenoid health permanently, without surgery and without repeated bouts of antibiotics. Tonsils actually play a role in both the lymphatic and digestive systems, so yanking them out can have long-term consequences for when your son is an older adult.

Let me know if you need help finding a qualified practitioner up in your area; I am networked with many all over the U.S.

Best of luck,

S. I., L.Ac.
Lotus Wellspring Healthcare
456 E. Mission Road, Suite 100
San Marcos, CA 92069
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____@____.com
www.lotuswellspring.com

http://www.bionoricausa.com/

This is a good product if you want to try some other things before surgery.

I don't know how old your son is, I didn't read the original story. My son who is now 25 years old just got his tonsils removed. Growing up he always had a sinus problem which would always end up with a infection. The doctors recommended removing his tonsils and adnoids and I kept saying he will grow out of it. But my son said that he was always miserable whenever he got a cold it would always end up becoming an infection. So, he decided to help himself. I just know that I wish I would have gotten it when he was young. When you are older it is harder. Just talk to the doctor and have him explain everything. Good luck.

The tonsils and adnoids are the first line of defense against infection. Removing them will not address the root cause. I don't know if you consulted a homeopath or picked one remedy on your own, but if that didn't work for you there are other options. Building up the immune system with local bee pollen can work wonders against allergies. You can find it at many farmers markets and I have seen it at Whole Foods. Pound it down for a month. It is a foodstuff so you can't OD on it. A neti pot is the absolute best answer to dealing with sinus problems, but depending on your son's age, you might want to go with a salt pipe. Here's a link to one on line source that will also give you some information on the benefits.

http://www.natural-salt-lamps.com/saltpipe.html

Another great approach is chiropractic. I treat my asthma, which is now non-existent, with regular adjustments and by rinsing my sinuses. Chiropractors can work with infants. If you are afraid of manual neck adjustment ask around to find someone who uses an activator. Many do and it is just as effective. Teach your son deep breathing techniques from yoga.

Finally stay away from dairy. Cow's milk may be full of calcium, but we don't absorb it. Milk causes mucus. Leafy green vegetables, orange juice, salmon are all good sources
of calcium.

Once we had our son's adenoids and tonsils removed, he slept so much better thru the night and lost the bags under his little eyes. He got tubes in his ears and he had less earaches if any. He was much better off. I am so glad we did have the a&t surgery. Plus he didn't have to be on antibiotics all the time which I believe messed up his good bacteria and messed up his system.

Hi L.-
I'm glad your son is doing better. However, don't be surprised if after the treatment, he gets sick again. Hopefully, that is not the case. As I told you, my son was very much the same way. We had him at the doctor all the time. He was generally good for about 2 weekw before he was on yet another antibiotic. Anyway, 3 months post surgery, we have yet to take him to the doctor as he has not been sick. He has been amazingly healthy! At the time, I was nervous, and not sure about the surgery, but now that we have done it, I know that we went down the road that was right for us...finally!
Anyway, take care and I wish for the best with your son.
H.

Hi L. - glad your son is feeling better! Please get your son on Juice Plus (the nutrients/enzymes and antioxidants from 17 fruits, veggies and whole grains). They come in chewables, gummies and capsules. Since you are in the health and fitness field, I'm sure you know that the more fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains a person can get into their body daily, the better the immune system and pretty much everything in the body functions. My whole family has not missed a day of taking Juice Plus for the last four years. There is so much independent research proving that Juice Plus has positive effects on the immune system, DNA, cardiovascular health and more. My family rarely gets sick and if we do, it's short-lived. If your child is between 6 and 15 you can get his Juice Plus free with an adult order and then you can benefit and set a great example for your child as well. Check my website at http://www.juiceplus.com/+cc42230 or call me at ###-###-####.

Hello L.,

How old is your son? Have you truly addressed his diet? I have seen too many little boys go through unnecessary surgery...and after surgery still have continual infections.

Homeopathic and alternative remedies will not be effective if diet is not addressed first.

Yes, antibiotics are wonderful in the interim...however, they do more damage than good in the long run. Finding root cause of your sons sensitivities is the way to go!

I just went through this with my 2 1/2 year old son. He does snore and breathes thru his mouth, but it is not on a constant basis. He went through a two-week period where I would notice he would have a gaging cough as soon as he was done running or jumping or playing with his brother. His doctor recomended getting x-rays to rule out enlarged adenoids. Well, not that simple. Turns out his adenoids were enlarged. The ETN specialist indicated that his tonssils looked fine and that since his breathing and coughing episodes were not consistant we should not worry about anything for the time being. BTW - my son did get tubes put in his ears 1 1/2 years ago and has cut his sick time by 90%. The age of your child is a BIG factor. Check out this web site: http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/teeth/adenoids.... . It gives you important information that the specialist confirmed for me at our visit. "Some doctors believe that adenoids may not be important at all after kids reach their third birthday. In fact, adenoids usually shrink after about age 5, and by the teenage years they often practically disappear." Surgery is a HUGE deal for anyone at any age, but I think the little ones are at greater risk. I chose to let my son's body develop and grow a little before I even considered such a decision. Do your reasearch and base your decision on the quality of life your son would or would not have by having this procedure done. Good luck and best wishes to your little one!

Ok first how old is your son? I ask because both of my boys went through stages of being sick for awhile when they were first introduced to environments with multiple kids? There are alot of germs out there they haven't been exposed to when kids get the benefit of a stay at home mom. Second how many times has he been sick? My youngest battled ear infections for almost a year straight before we opted for tubes (which did work great). The reason I ask is surgery no matter how simple (like tonsilectomy or placing tubes in the ear) can have very serious side effects including death. Any time a person (be it child or adult) if they go under can have good or bad resluts. If it were me I tend to avoid surgery at all costs.

my 12 year old son had his adnoids and tubes placed in his ears . and that was the worst thing i have ever done he still snores and has sinus infections 6 a year and none of the nose sprays even the prescription ones do not work there must be other choices our ear,nose and throat doctor really does not help much either not trying to come off negative but on my end of town did not improve and my son has bad allergy problems best of luck

From the day my daughter was born, she suffered from lack of sleep, exhaustion, snoring and constant colds and runny noses. We went to the pediatrician and allergist with no relief. While "gossiping" at school one day, another mom told me her daughter's symptoms and they were identical to my own daughters. She had her tonsils removed and is a different person. After a lengthy battle with my pediatrician, I was referred to an ENT. One look in her mouth and he recommended that the tonsils and adenoids be removed. Of course, I went for a second opinion and was told the same thing. It was the not the most fun I've ever experienced --having my child go through a major surgery and the recovery is not a joy either. However, my daughter is so different now. She sleeps well, doesn't have circles under her eyes and hasn't had a cold or runny nose since. Overall, having the adenoids and tonsils removed was a big improvement in her way of life. My third child suffered from constant ear infections and we were told to have tubes put in and the adenoids removed. I asked to have the tonsils taken out then and there too but the doctor declined. Since the removal of the adenoids and installation of tubes, she hasn't had a cold or an ear infection. Good Luck-it is so stressful to see your little one sick.

We had to do both the adenoids and also the tonsils to cure my son's extreme snoring. In my son's case, he developed a severe underbite from doing something with his jaw and tongue to try to create an airway in his sleep. He will need drastic orthodontia and possibly surgery later on to correct this. Does your son have an underbite? If so please see an ENT right away.