Seeking Support for Child Who May Have to Have Tonsil Surgery

Dear N.,

I went through the same thing. My daughter was not thriving, could not eat due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. She snored like a freight train and did stop breathing sometimes. It was very scary. The doctors were also very good at making me feel inadequate. We got her to 20 lbs at age 3 and scheduled the surgery. I was never so scared in my life. It went beautifully. The first day was hard and she wanted her father so he stayed with her in the hospital. After that was great. I think kids bounce back from surgery must faster than adults. She was a new kid, full of energy and eating like a horse. She gained 10 lbs in six months. She is now six and doing great. I recommend Dr. Hotaling from Loyola. He and his staff are the best. No good mother likes to schedule her child for surgery but at times it is for the best. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your son and you.

Hi N.,
Mother of 6 here. While no surgery should be taken lightly, just to put your mind at ease a bit. I have had 3 of my children have the surgery. The youngest age was our son at a year old and the first of our children to have it done. The hardest part of the surgery is when your child is waking up. It is a scary time and you find that all you can do is be there and hold them, but they don't quite know your there for a about 30 minutes. My son was amazing. By the time we left the hospital 6 hours later, he was pleasant, but quiet and we even stopped and had dinner at a restaurant while he sipped on a milkshake. Little ones bounce back so quickly, but you have to prevent them from being rowdy the next couple of weeks and that was challenging too. If you are having it done down in the city, he can take his favorite toy or blanket. He'll probably come home with a new stuffed animal too, as they really tried to win the little ones over. The staff is really trained to calm children and work through the little ones having a rough time. My son had the same issues for having the surgery too and they all resolved themselves after the surgery.
God Bless, J. H. Beach Park

Hi N.
Don't Hurry for surgery,
Wait till summer snoring can get better,
Use coricisteroid nasal inhaler.
now is safe in children
S. Portoian MD

Hi. We just had the surgery on my 2-1/2 year old daughter February 13th. She had the same thing your son had. Snoring (rivaled her father & the stopping of breathing). When they are this little, they are the first ones in for the surgery. We got to the hospital about 6:30 am. The nurses talk to you and your child making them comfortable. The doctor then came in and went over the procedure again (we opted at this time for a PIC). Partial tonsil removal (they leave a bud) this will result in quicker healing time. The anesthisiologist comes in and talks to you next. After that, the nurses come back to take him into the operating room. The nurse told her she was going on an adventure & never even looked back. I of course teared up. She went into surgery at 7:30 am and was back in my arms at 8:10 am. She woke up very quickly from the anesthisia. He will be scared but as soon as they see you, they are ok. He will be very hoarse kind of sound like a frog. Our doctor wanted her to take 2 naps & then sent us home by 2:30 pm the same day. They will give morphine to him when he comes back to you so he will go to sleep again. Mine was up and about that same evening asking for cheese & crackers & cookies. I gave them to her and she was ok. She only took the tylenol with coedine the first night. After that, she would not let me give it to her.

Be prepared to be the sole caregiver. My daughter would not go to my husband for 3 days. This was the best thing we could have done for her. Before the surgery, I would have the monitor turned way down. Now I have to crank it all the way up. She is so quiet & does not have sleep apnea anymore. Good luck

K. - mother to a beautiful little girl

N.:

I work in administrative healthcare at Children's Memorial Hospital, who has an EXCELLENT team of ENT doctors, and let me tell you, children that young recover very fast. So, I wish you and your family the best, and I'm sure your son will be just fine.

I am a nurse that works at a pediatric hospital in outpatient surgery and I have seen children as young as 18 months that had to have there tonsils/adenoids removed. Usually the ENT Dr's wait until the child ia about 3yrs; but if your son is having significant sleep apnea then that would be a reason to have them removed right now. Children are resiliant and recover ten times quicker than adults. Just give him the pain medicine every 4-6 hours for at least 24 hrs then as needed and I'm sure he will do great and be back to his same self. -C. E

N. - My son was physically 5 but mentaly 15 months when he had the same exact surgery. I will not sugar coat it, the 1st week is pretty ruff. They are in alot of pain and they can't tell you, and they don't want to drink which they have too. What the hospital suggest was take the popsicles on a stick and put them in the mircowave to make it slushie, add a little 7-up or sprite and you can add their medicine (codine) in that. That did help, but they do drool alot because it hurts to swallow. When he is able to eat, he probably wont because he will be afraid. I just comfort him as much as possible, I spoiled him the 1st week, because of the pain he was in. Hope this helps.
Roseann

Has he been checked for allergies?

Here is an article that you might find interesting...

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jses...

Also, homeopathy might help. Our doctor uses homeopathy and his name is Joel Shepperd...

http://www.centerforintegralhealth.com/about.htm

N. - My nephew had his tonsils removed - here's what my sister said about it when I forwarded her your request:

"I was going to respond, but it looks like a lot of people have responded already. And most say it's no big deal, which is what I would say. It was 2 days after he turned 2, and by that night he was running around like crazy- Grandma Bonnie came over with a balloon hoping to cuddle with him and he was running around outside! Man he used to be a crazy loud snorer. I can't believe we even waited till he was 2 to have it done!"

I thought it was helpful that she shared how quickly he recovered and decided to respond for her after all. Best wishes!!

Back in th "old days", all 4 children had tonsils out from between 2 to 4 years old. One or more of us was always coming down with throat or ear infections. It's more incomfortable with those throat problems for older children and adults. Thank GOD we were all pretty much healthy kids after that. All kids get colds but we were much better off than our friends that didn't have the surgery as youngsters. And if your baby have a form of sleep apnea, that's nothing to waste time over. Just think about it mommy; he stops breathing for a second because his little heart has stopped. My prayers are with you mommy.

just know that when they are this young that be aware the adenoids can grow back and you might have to take them out again. You can do this. tonsils are worse than the adenoids recovery and pain wise. See if you can stay in the hospital as long as you can to have him watched. good luck you all will do well
J.

I used to work for an ENT Dr and personally witnessed several tonsil surgeries. The babies did a million times better than older kids. Your son might have some pain, but in the end it will be better to get it done now vs. waiting till he is older! Good Luck!!!!!

My daughter had it that young, we went to University of Chicago Comers, she got home and was bouncing off walls, really recovery was probably more difficult for me planning her soft food meals.

N., i am a peds RN. Kids usually do very well. Right after surgery they give Tylenol and start them drinking. Just keep the tylenol coming on a schedule and keep them drinking and he will be fine. Kids are very resilient. I have seen little ones MANY times dragging their IV poles to the play room just a few hours after coming back to their rooms. It's something we assume is an awful experience, but frankly, many times it is not. Slushies with smashed popsicles and some 7 up are popular, an icee machine is fun (no red coloring the first few days though- sometimes looks like blood and it ISNT) use orange, yellow, blues or greens. Ice cream, any drinks that are cold. When they wake at night have the tylenol on hand and ready, drinks, and a cool mist vaporizer (not a humidifier, this is about $20 at walmart or a pharmacy and the droplets it puts out water you can feel on your hand when you pass your hand over the outlet). Most of the time at our local hospital, the kids go right home after surgery, they dont even stay overnight.

most little ones recover in no time,it always amazes me how kids take these things in stride where an adult or even some teens would be whining and fussing LOL .Your son will probably have what amts to a sore throat for a few days,so nice cool things to eat,drink will help soothe the throat,ask the Dr about giving some tylenol and or Motrin for a few days to keep him comfortable,you may not need it but its good to know ahead of time how much to give and to have it on hand.You mention he has had 2 other surgeries,I take it he recovered well?
H.
pediatric home health nurse

Hi N.,
My daughter was born 2 months premature and suffered with Sleep Apnea resulting in a 25 day stay at the hospital before ever coming home..she then dealt with many allergy issues, always had a runny nose, swollen glands, etc..Every 6 months or so they sent us to a specialist who kept saying she was too young to perform the T and A removal surgery. They finally did it right before she turned 3... and it was the BEST thing we ever did for her. She immediately could breathe better, which meant more peaceful sleep.. all night long without waking.. She has been sick far less that she was her 1st couple of years...
We just had tubes put in her ears this winter.. and she just turned 6... this was far more minor surgery than the 1st.. but still worth it as well. She seems to hear better, and complains less about ear aches.
I totally recommend the surgery for your little guy, the only thing I would NOT do, is be in the room when they put him under. We were at Children's downtown, and they had me in there until she rolled her eyes back and was out.. that was very hard for me to witness, and I still have nightmares about it! Her more recent surgery, they had me leave the room before that, and it was so much better for Mommy!!
Good luck! I am sure he will do great, and you will be happy to have done it..
D. M. mother of 3 6,5 and 17 months..

Kids are so Great at healing!! My son had his done when he was around 3, he was having the same sleep problems yours is so Dr wanted it a priority to get them out. The surgery itself only took maybe 1/2 an hr. They kept us in the hosp most of the day though just to monitor him then we went home that eve. My son was acting normal and fine within 24-48 hrs. The Dr warned us they usually do act okay then around 10 days post they back slide a bit and act sick and sore again but my son Never did.
Good Luck!!

I personaly had mine removed when I was 8 years old- As I remember it was not that big of a deal and it did help. By the time I was 15 they did grow back but since that time (I am now 37) I have only had two instances that I have had any swelling or inflamation since then.

Hi N.- I would look into food Allergies, specifically, dairy, wheat, yeast-my children had similar issues that were all corrected with dietary changes. Good Luck. Maria

My daughter had the surgery just after she turned 4 years old. While our pediatrician discussed it with us as young as 2 yrs, she advised us to wait to see if the blockage became less intrusive as she got older. At 4 it was apparent that she was at 95% bloackage and things would not improve. Our son had huge tonsils as an baby so we thought he would need the surgery too, but they are now average sized. Given the trouble my daughter had while sleeping, always sounding like she had a cold, we went with the surgery to remove both tonsils and adenoids. It was a tough recovery; she didn't eat anything for 5 days and we had to put water in her mouth with a dropper. Is your son very verbal? I can only say that it was nice that she was able to tell us how she felt and what she needed. I've had friends whose kids had the surgery and they were better in 3 days and didn't respond as severely as my daughter. Good luck.