Tonsils and Adnoids - San Luis Obispo,CA

Just like an engine light on your car telling you there is a problem, the tonsils are part of the lymph system and they are telling you there is a problem. I might want to find out WHY they are inflammed. Once they are taken out, he will still have the same problem, just no warning light.

I have had a few pediatric patients who have had the same problem. They changed their child's diet - no sugar and no dairy and then after a month, allow it in small amounts....as well as introduced PB8 into their diet AND Herbs For Kids - Echinacea/Goldenroot when symptoms occur. They also did therapeutic doses of vitamin A, which clears upper respiratory infections up within days. I have many pediatricians disagree with me, but I can tell you, being 33 years old, I have never had an antibiotic and I have always taken vitamin A, etc. My kids have done the same thing and none of them have had antibiotics or any other drugs.

1 mom found this helpful

Dear L.,

My son who is now 6 years old had the same exact symptoms as your son when he was 4 years old. We decided on going through with the procedure (even though we were scared to death that he had to be put under) and it was the best decision we made. I'm not exaggerating when I say that he hasn't had a sore throat or cough in 2 years. His snoring stopped immediately. He slept/sleeps through the night soundly and comfortably. However, his appetite remains the same. Hey, 3 out of 4 isn't bad, right? Personally, I think he is just a very picky eater. If he likes something, he usually eats a good amount of it. The procedure was definitely worth it and the results have been blissful! Hope this helps you make your decision.
S. H

I had my tonsils out December 28, 2006- and it was the BEST CHOICE EVER for myself! I was getting respritory infections CONSTANTLY and I'd get a secondary throat infection. I would be on Antibiotics about every 6-10 weeks for I can't recall how many years! In the 18 minths since having them out, I have had 2 Antibiotics, but it was for the same subborn infection that would clear with the first one. I have had very little sore throat, and 99% of them have been "Drink some water and it goes away" sore throats.

I was told by the ENT that it is easier on a child under (I think he said ) 8 to have them out than it is on older kids, and Adults take the longest to heal.

If you are also getting sick often, find out about having yours out too, but know that you will need someone to take care of your kid for the first 4-5 days. the meds they gave me for pain knocked me out. I have heardly slept in the past 3 1/2 years (my son is almost 3 1/2), and OH MY was it a LOT of catch-up sleep!

I have two daughters who went through the same thing and it worked amazingly. They both got sick a lot and snored very loudly. They also had problems wetting the bed (they were 2 at the time). As soon as the procedure was done it fixed all three problems. The hardest part was getting them to take their medicine afterward because their throats were so sore. I would suggests supositories! Good Luck.

Your son sounds like mine did last year. We had his tonsils and adnoids removed last Aug. They were so swollen that he was gagging when he tried to eat. He snored so loud that he could be heard from our room, always sick, poor eater, begining to show signs of ADHD, and taking 3 hr. naps at 4yrs old. We did the allergy testing, eliminated foods from his diet, followed our naturopath's directions to the letter. They just were not going down. Finally we went to the ENT and he removed them.

A year later and we have a different kid. He eats well, behavior is better, sleeps well, most of is SI symptoms have cleared up, all ADHD symptoms are gone. Now he is a much happier kid and healthier too. We do not regret our decision one bit. It was a rough 2 weeks of recovery but well worth it.

I meet with the ENT on Friday for my daughter to get hers removed. She is snoring loudly and has sleep apnea. She rarely sleeps through the night, up 2-3 times a night. Her tonsils are almost touching as well. She has verbal apraxia so she doesn't talk much at 3 yrs old, about 30 words. We are looking forward to the difference in 6 mo. after surgery with getting a good nights sleep. Our brains need the deep sleep to recover from the day, file away any info learned from the day, and to grow. She is not getting that sleep that her body needs. We know what a differnce this surgery can make when we have exhausted all other avenues. It worked for my son.

Hi L. - Your son's immune system sounds compromised and based on your comment that he's not a good eater leads me to believe that some of all of his ailments could be due to a nutritional deficiency. Have you heard of Juice Plus? It has made a difference in my family's overall health. It's proven to enhance the immune function. My kids and I rarely get sick, and when we do, we recover quickly. Try and get 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables in his diet every day and if you can't, use Juice Plus gummies as a nutritional insurance plan. Check out http://www.juiceplus.com/+cc42230 and feel free to contact me if you have any questions. This is not a vitamin, it's whole food in a capsule or chewable form. I've become so convince that Juice Plus protects health, that I became a distributor primarily to help others get healthier. I hope your son feels better - Juice Plus can really help and the independent research proves it does positive work right down to our DNA - see the results of all of the published studies on the website. I'd be happy to give you some guidance as it relates to nutrition which will help you both have a healthier outlook. Good luck!

I waited until my son was 3 to have his adenoids and ear tubes and I should have done it sooner. HE had chronic ear infections and chronic barky cough. My ENT did not take his tonsils out, but afterwards said she should have.
I would go to a Pediatric Ear, nose and throat MD.
These days they do this outpatient. The tonsil thing is a little rough for awile because of the post-op pain, but every four hour Tylenol is what we used to do. About Day 4, as I remember, the scab falls off and then some pain again.
I think in the end it will be worth it.
K., RN
Karen4betterhealth.com

Dear L.,

My son suffered from constant congestion from the time he was 4 months old until 1 1/2. I tried getting help from his pediatrician (some kids are just sick a lot), an allergist who prescribed invasive procedures to rule out extreme diagnosis and who ultimately admitted that my son was sicker than his chronically ill patients, to a homeopathic doctor who suggested food allergies as the culprit. After trying his diet for one week, my son was decongested for the first time in his life. We have eliminated dairy, wheat and most soy products since then (he is 5 now) and he gets colds, but not infections. He sleeps well and is a great eater. We were also told by and ear, nose throat specialist to consider removing his adenoids. Please consider non-invasive alternative before cutting out a part of his body. It may not be necessary. I know how hard it is to have a child who is constantly sick. Dr. Sciabarrasi in Santa Monica is the homeopath who helped us.

Joseph Sciabbarrasi, MD
2001 South Barrington Avenue
Suite 208
Los Angeles, CA 90025
###-###-#### | www.drjosephmd.com

Good luck,

D.

Hello L. K,
My daughter snored horribly and was always sick. At 2, she had her adenoids and tonsils out, and also had ear tubes put in (she had frequent ear infections), it was the best thing that we ever did, she is now 3 and 1/2 and she sleeps better and doesn't get sick as often.
Good Luck,
A.

It was a GOD Send for us and our son was only 22 months old, but he was using every calorie he had to breath (you could count all of his ribs and he was eating alot and the night of his surgery he wouldn't stop laughing and talking (which he didn't do very often before the surgery as he was so focussed on just trying to breath! Dr. Carvelho (not sure if I spelled it correctly :( ) in Temecula is FANTASTIC and we had it done at the San Diego Children's hospital (even though we live in Redlands) Great experience all the way around!

Hi L.,

My daughter had the surgery In january when she was 31/2 yrs old.. It was a very difficult thing to go through. The surgery itself is very short, but the recovery can take up to two weeks. My daughter was in a lot of pain and she refused to take her medications after the surgery. It was very hard to watch her during that time. Her sleep was terrible for a few days and she was pretty traumatized. HOWEVER, this surgery changed our lives!!! She stoped snoring and choaking at night. I can hardly hear her breathing! She sleeps calmly through the night. She started eating! She is not sick all the time! She is gaining weight! It was worth it! I am so happy that we did it, and I am happy it is behind us. It is definately a terrible thing to go through, but it really does make a huge difference. Please call me if you need any support: ###-###-####. I would be happy to share our experience with you.

The earlier you do it the better. I wish my parents had done it with me, I suffered for years with all sorts of tosil/throat realated illnesses like strep and tonsilitis. I got step with my recent pregnancy and that was HORRIBLE! I wonder everytime I get sick if things would be different had I had mine removed. I also have a lot of fissures on the surface of my tonsils, possibly from all the scars and poc marks from having strep so much as a child. Those holes in my tonsils trap tiny food particles, the particles then come out days/weeks later. You can imagine the smell. Im constantly self conscious of my breath and have to clean my tonsils with q-tips to try and help work out any trapped particles. If mine were out, I certainly would not have THAT problem anymore! Good luck, hope my experience helps you.

i was always sick like that as a child..i'm now 43..finally my parents had my tonsils removed when i was 11 and it all stopped.
i still remember how much it hurt though when i swallowed for a few days after but i'm glad they had it done..my tonsils were full of puss..ew! BUT..before you have it done..google "serrapeptase" and see if that helps..could totally fix him up..so try that first before you go through with it.

Okay, I'll add one more to your load of responses. Our son, now 14, was congested constantly around the age of 3 to 4, alternating with ear and nose infections. No snoring, but not a great appetite. Sleeping for long never happened. He only took cat naps. We went round and round with anti-biotics. His pediatrician/allergist recommended having his adnoids removed. He never said anything about the tonsils. We went with the recommendation and to this day, he has never once been sick again. It was like a miracle. Sleeping got better, appetite is good too. Allergies continued, which we treated with allergy shots, which now have been discontinued as well. He treats allergies with an over the counter allergy pill on an as needed basis. I would definitely take the adnoid removal recommendation seriously. Good luck.

Both of my daughters had issues with sickness, snoring, swallowing etc. Our dentist noticed on our girls that their tonsils were adversely affecting jaw development etc. wrong tongue thrust etc.

Both of our girls had their tonsils out last October (2007) and the difference has been astounding. They both came through surgery great and were wanting to be back to doing everything within 3 days, I almost had to sit on them to keep them quiet.

I would highly recommend it because your son will be so much happier when he can breathe, eat and swallow without choking.

A.

My nephew had his adnoids removed and his speech, appetite and health improved dramatically. It is a major surgery though. Has he seen an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist or is it just your pediatrician recommending this? Make sure you see an ENT before you go further. :)

L.,

Having tonsils and adnoids out are nothing now a-days. It is an outpatient process and no reprocussions. I have had them out and 2 of my children have had them out. They are much happier and are hardly ever sick. It is something to check out. Find a good ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) specilist and they will let you know if it is needed.

J.

My son, who is now 12 had his tonsils and adnoids removed and tubes put in his ears at about 5 or 6 due to cronic ear infections and sleep apnea. I am so glad I agreed to it. After a few months he stopped getting ear infections. He imediately stopped snoring and started sleeping better. His appetite improved and he gained a few needed pounds. If you trust your E.N.T. Dr. and feel comfortable with him, I would definately recommend the procedures. They really helped my son!

Has he been tested for allergies ? You might want to get a second opinion. You could get those procedures done and he could still have a problem. My friends son had the same issues and they found out it was a dairy allergy.

My son who just turned 2 had this surgery back in January. His adenoids were so inflammed that it was blocking his airway when he was sleeping causing him to snore and was never getting enough sleep. Since his brain was not getting proper oxygen when he was sleeping he would in turn stop breathing for a couple of seconds and then all of a sudden awake crying and gasping for air. This went on every day at nap time and night time. He lost weight, his speech was slow, and he had dark circles under his eyes. The night after he got the surgery as truly amazing. He did not snore, he did not wake, he got a full night's sleep and was so alert and happy the next morning. No pain whatsoever. It has been awesome. He gained some weight, his speech is very good. I do recommend it if your little one is having trouble sleeping and that the adenoids is the culprit. If you want to know more, please email me and I would be more than happy to answer any questions about the surgery, obviously from a mommy's view.

i had my tonsils out in my 20s and have regretted not having them take my adnoids out too. i never had any allergies (seasonal) before. try to have them take both.

Don't do it!! Go see an alternative medicine doctor. I was sick for years and they wanted to do this for me too but through the help of a natural doctor, we were able to find things in my house that were irritated my sinuses, etc. and desensitize me to other allergens!! I have never been healthier!

Hi there,,my now 9 year old son had his tonsils & adinoids removed at 5 years old.He was ALWAYS sick,snored & had sleep apnea.The surgery went great .He is sooo much better now.The recovery time did take longer they they said though,but i would imagine that goes by the individual child.Good luck!

My first son was 6 when he had tubes put in his ears and had his adenoids removed because he, too, was always congested. He was constantly complaining that his face hurt, his nose itched, and he was a "mouth breather" when he slept at night. I was nervous about the surgery but was reassured by our pediatrician it was a very common surgery with little to no risk. I cried when he was wheeled into surgery but knew he would be better because of it and he was. He outgrew the tubes and his breathing was noticably better. He had less congestion and less ear aches. He was able to get better sleep which meant I got better sleep and that was a relief. I think if you proceed with the decision to have the surgery, you and your son will be glad you did. Good luck!

I did not have mine taken as a child, because back then they thought it was better to keep your tonsils. Only as an adult did I find out that it can cause damage to your heart and brain because of the fevers that are caused by the infections in the tonsils. I had my operation when I was 20, and almost died afterwards (one week after operation because my scab opened up)

So my input- do it while he is young, it will be fast and he won't have to suffer like I did with constant sore throats and infections.

I have friends whose children have had them taken out, and they're much healthier now. It's better to do it sooner rather than later, because 1. he won't remember it, and 2. the operation is more dangerous on older people. Good luck! :)

L.,
I understand how you feel about your boy snoring and being sick often. My little brother who is now 18 years old had the same problem. He used to get colds very often, he coughed a lot! and he snored so loud for his age at that time, he was about 10 years old. My parents had been dealing with his issue for a lot of years and a Dr suggested to get his tonsils and adenoids removed. Problem solved! He showed a great improvement. He stopped coughing and getting sick. He also significantly decreased the snoring. At that time I was in college and still living with my family so I remember I could listen my little brother from my room snoring all night long and it was annoying as it got old. But what was worse was to see him struggle with his constant coughing, he was a poor thing.

Now, he is awesome! way more healthy and so far he has not have any problem whatsoever. My parents don't regret a bit of the decision they took at that time. In fact, about a month ago my mom and I were recalling those times back then and how great it was to have his tonsils removed.

I hope this helps you on having a clearer idea of this matter and whatever you decide, good luck and follow your heart and pray a lot for guidance.

P.

A friend of mine's almost 5 year old son just had this surgery. He had it because since birth he would stop breathing and wake throughout the night. Long story short, they did a sleep study and recommended he have this surgery. He is so much better now for having it done and sleeps great.

Best wishes,
M.

We just had our 4th child go through the surgery and if you are having all those complications (especially the snoring) you will be doing your child a favor by having the surgery. At one time or another you could hear all 4 of our kids snoring all the way to the other side of the house, but no more. They sleep quietly and peacefully.
We moved to an Eastern European country when our youngest was 4 and developed the huge tonsils, loud snoring and ear infections (none of the other kids ever had ear infections). The kids were all asking,"when will you get her tonsils out, we can't sleep". I was tentitive to do it being so far away from our 'usual' doctor, but we did it and I have soooo happy. If they are recommending the surgery you should get it done because it has to be pretty bad these days for them to recommend it. I practically had to beg in the States for our 3rd child to get it done.
hope all that is helpful.
By the way, just because we had all four of them have this surgery didn't make me any less worried and fretful about doing it with the 4th. Surgery is surgery and I am soooo glad it is over. Really it is a pretty quick proceedure and recovery. The real trick will be getting that little one to stay mellow for the following 10 days after the surgery.
Good luck!
S.

I was one of those kids, and we didn't have the insurance or money to have the operation. I spent most of the winter and a good part of the rest of the year with tonsillitis and strep throat. I was also a snorer. I finally got mine removed at age 25, and have no regrets except not being able to have it done as a kid!

When my youngest daughter was 5, she had hers removed. She'd had infection after infection, and was on her 3rd course of antibiotics in two months. We said, enough is enough! She came through the surgery like a champ, and neither she nor we have any regrets. She's been so much healthier since. We explained everything to her, found a doctor we really liked (he piggy backed her to the OR) and a new stuffed toy to take to the hospital with her.

Hi L.,

I didn't get them out until I was 8 and I'm a mouth breather which is not good because if you breather through your nose, it filters out bacteria and dust, so do it ASAP and hope you can train him to go back to nose breathing.

Good Luck F.

L.,
My son had them out at 4 years old as well. The whole process was harder on me than it was for him. He had a quick recovery and the snoring was gone, ear infections and the constant congestion. Although, 2 years later his adnoids grew back and so has his snoring just not as bad.
Good Luck

My son had his tonsils and adenoids removed when he was about 2 1/2 years old. He did not get sick often, but they were extremely large and interfered with this breathing (he snored like an old man) and affected his speech. He was in the hospital for one day and then back to his old self pretty quickly.

I would be sure to get the opinion of a pediatric otolaryngologist before you make your decision and secondly, if you do decide to have the procedure I would recommend having it done at a Children's hospital where the anesthesiologist specializes in working with children.

Hi L.,

I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out when I was 5. I can say that over the years I have had much fewer issues with colds, bronchitis etc. than my sister ever did. She finally had hers taken out as an adult because it got so bad. I hear the recovery in an adult is much harder than as a child. The worst thing I remember is my sore bottom because the anesthesia gave me diarrhea. Here is a website that I found that may help answer some of your questions - http://www.entman.com/tonsils.htm. Good luck!

Dear L.~

Yes, I do believe that your son's appetite might have something to do with him being sick and having trouble with breathing because of his adenoids being swollen. Food might be tasting bland to him. My son had a lot of problems with snoring, frequent runny noses, coughs and colds when he was little. He also had problems with ear infections. When he was about 2 1/2 years old, his ENT advised that we schedule a surgery to have ear tubes put in and also suggested removing his adenoids and tonsils while he was in the OR. This seemed to help quite a bit because his snoring stopped completely, and he didn't get sick as much either. He's 5 1/2 now and hardly ever gets sick. I would suggest the tonsils adenoids procedure for anyone whose child is always sick!

When my sister was 5,she's now 31, she snored like I've never experienced in anyone since then. She had both her tonsils and adenoids taken out and it was like a miracle.
Your situation sounds similar and if your doctor is recommending, I'd do it.

Good luck

My daughter snored since birth. You could hear her across the house. She would only eat 4-5 bites every meal. It was her dentist that discovered her "kissing tonsils". Her tonsils and adenoids were removed two months later. The snoring stopped the next night and she gained 5 pounds in a month since she could finally eat. She recovered easily-no complaints other than mild sore throat. She got tubes in her ears at the same time-something to ask about if he gets frequent ear infections.

Go see a good ENT.

I have a friend who went through this. Her son also has a lot of allergies. He sees the allergist once a week for allergy shots and is doing great. He still get sick, but not nearly so often. She says he was a nicer kid after the procedure because he was sleeping better.

Take Care
~N.

My daughter was not sick a day in her life her entire first year. The doctors were stunned! Then all of a sudden she was sick every other month. We took her T&A out and put tubes in her ears at age 3. She's been sick ONCE since then and she's almost 6! The procedure was quick and easy. The first day or two at home was heartbreaking as she was miserable. But, it passed and she doesn't even remember it. Good luck!

Hi! My ex and I had this procedure done to our son (now 8) when he was 5 and half. He was sick all the time, the doctors had him on two different allergy medications, he slept through the night but snored so loud and at 5 was still taking 3 hour naps. The day after the procedure he stopped napping because he was getting the sleep he needed through the night. He no longer takes any kind of allergy medicine and only gets colds (as all kids in school do).

He was a little scared at the start of the procedure, but came through it like a champ.

L.,

We had our daughters tonsils and adnoids taken out when she was 3 1/2 years old. The main reason was due to sleep apneia which is a medical reason for the procedure. She would wake up in the middle of the night 4 nights a week. Before the surgery my daughter was in the 90th percentile for height and 40th for weight so she was a bit underweight. She also snored really lout (you could hear her down the hall with her door shut)and she wispered a lot. After the surgery she is a totally different child. She eats better, talks more, sleeps through the night, doesn't snore and is just generally a happier child. I think that is because she sleeps better so she is not sleep grumpy.

I am totally glad we went through this.
Good luck,
G.

Best thing that ever happened to my Godson. Surgery went very well and recovery was a breeze. He no longer snores, sleeps well, is no longer cranky, and his appetite is fabulous. Everything you're concerned about was the same for my Godson and it all went away.

I have had many friends have their kids tonsils and atnoids removed. It made a world of differece in so many ways. They slept better and ate better and didn't get as sick as often.
Good luck
B.

The tonsils and adenoids provide the body with the first line of defense against infection. Yes, you can get along without them, but why would you want to? I would try a chiropractic approach first. I used to suffer from sinus problems and severe respiratory problems, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, until I started getting regular adjustments. I've included a link for you to look at.

http://www.actionhealth.com.au/Children&Chiropractic.htm

You can get a nasal spray at Whole Foods or another good health food store called Wellness Colloidal Silver Nasal Spray that might help. I also would highly recommend getting a salt pipe. You can read about it on the website.

http://www.portablesaltcave.com/

Avoid dairy. Pasteurized milk is not a good source of calcium and it fills us with mucus. Avoid sugar. Nothing will drag your immune system down faster and keep in mind that most juices are loaded with sugar. Local bee pollen from the farmer's market is great for fighting allergies. If you can't find it locally or don't have the time, here's second best- order it on-line. Pound it down for a month and then back off to maintain. Building up your immune system with foodstuffs is the best way to go. Here's another link for you.

http://www.kcweb.com/herb/bee.htm

It's a super common surgery- I had a child in my daycare class who was 4 (also a snoring machine) and it did wonders for her- she was only out of school for a week, and the only thing she said when she came back was how much ice cream she got to eat!

Hi L.-

My 3 year old is having the procedure done next month, she also had the same symptoms, she is also getting tubes in her ears becuase she suffers from ear infections all the time. Well, my neighbor referred me to her specialist, because she too has a 3 year old and had been going thru the same issues. Bella did great, she is so petite and they said the biggest issue they had with her was keeping her hydrated. Bella wasnt much of an eater so they struggled with keeping her hydrated. Her mom consistantly stuck ice pops in her mouth.
But she pulled thru great. I noticed her voice had changed but for the better, she was more clear with her words. Her mom says she doesnt snore and she gets better sleep now. I cant wait for my daughters procedure, I truly believe I will have a different child on my hands.
Good Luck.

My best friend's little girl had this done when she was five, I think. It made a WORLD of difference. She doesn't snore at all, sleeps better and is sick less often...for them, it was a great decision.

-M

Hi L.,
My son had his tonsils and adnoids taken out two months after he turned three.He would snore louder than his dad did sometimes....lol his doctor told us he had enlarged tonsils so he too suggested to have them removed.His dad and I gave it alot of thought some people would tell us it wasn't a good idea others would said the opposite but we opted to go with what the doctor suggested.It is an out patient procedure, my sons only took about half an hour and they don't seem to be to much in pain. The hard part is telling them no when they ask you for solid food like my son did all the time especially cookies...lol they're suppose to be on a liquid diet for a about a week or so or until they can swallow solid foods with out any pain.The first thing they do is give them ice cream I think that's their favorite part.Well my son did stop snoring completely and he doesn't get the sniffles as much as before,so as a mom that has been through this a I would say go ahead and do it, it's always what's best for our kids :0)

E. M

my husband had them removed when he was younger becuase he was getting croup all the time which flared his asthma up badly. it helped him a lot. im not really educated on the proceedure but i think its pretty simple but i know its hard to have to send your child in for surgery. i think your son will be ok i would move forward with it. good luck! :)

My niece and nephew just had this surgery and it went very well. The recovery was a bit uncomfortable, but the results were worth it. My sister-in-law told me she finally slept an entire night for the first time in 5 years because neither of the twins woke up. They are sleeping and eating better and are much happier. Good luck!

thats a tough one. My sister had hers out at five and she lost some on her hearing becuase of the illnesses prior to that. My first child has huge tonsils and adnoids. She had bouts with tonsilisit and severe colds but she was allergic to many foods. She never did have the them out. she is 30 now. And fine. If the illnesses are frequent in a six month span and it's not due to allergies then got for it, but i would have him seen by a specialist ear nose and throat as well as an allergist. Surgery is the last straw. Good Luck

I recommend a 2nd opinion and not from a pediatrician but from an eyes, ears & throat specialist that specializes in children. We have a 21 mos. old that was referred for the same reason; the specialist said they don't like to perform these types of surgeries anymore unless they HAVE to...meaning is the child suffering from gasps in his breath and/or is his breathing threatened? Remember that children (especially those going to day care) get sick ALOT and in some cases it does build their immunity. It's tough on us parents because we tend to get it also; but just be sure you are getting your vitamins in, and rest....try to desanitize when you bring your child home as well as when you leave the gym.

L., I had a Tonsillectocemoy/Adnoidectomy at age 6 and it cured my severe sleep apnea. It wasn't bad, I got lots of 7-UP and ice cream. That was 20 plus years ago and i'm sure they have made the surgery even better by now! You will for sure see a reduction in colds and snoring.

Hi L.,

My daughter had her adenoids out when she was five and it was the best thing we did. She is now 24 and hardly ever sick. When she was little she kept getting ear infections, she snored and was congested all the time and once she had the surgery all of this stopped. She went through the surgery amazingly well and we were with her through everything except the actual surgery. Her recovery was almost instant. She refused to take any pain medication and she was fine. I'm not sure it's related to being a picky eater but if you're sick you really don't have much of an appetite. My recommendation is "do it".

V.

It is connected. Has he seen an ENT? My son just needed adnoids done. and he ate just fine before, but the sleeping thing was a problem. and it made a big difference! good luck

It sounds like at least the adnoids should come out. My oldest son was aways getting colds and ear infections from them. A tonsilectomy/adnoidectomy helps.
H.

Hi L.,

I am a registered nurse who is on maternity leave. I work in a out-patient surgery center and took care of tons of children who had T&A procedure. From my experience the procedure is very fast, the kids wake up immediately after anesthesia with minimal discomfort. Many parents that I talk to post procedure say that the most difficult part is having the child eat due to throat discomfort for a couple of days after the surgery. Also, in speaking with perents the biggest problem is when the parents don't medicate their children with pain medicine because "their throat hurts to swallow". Much discomfort is resolved by giving pain medicine around the clock at least for the first two days.

Not sure about the eating issue. Good Luck!
G.

Hi L.!

I personally had my tonsils out when I was 4 also! It helped me tremendously. I can say that I snored back then (from stories) & I do remember little things about getting them out. I was fine within hours afterward - up & about at the hospital asking for more popsicles. My sister was 12 & had them out at the same time - she was miserable! They say the older you are the worse it is. I can also say, that we both were healthier all around afterward. One note on the sleeping poorly etc...that didn't get better until I was much older & I was told that from a young age I learned to breathe with my mouth open while sleeping - which isn't good - & it leads to breathing through your mouth unconsciously, most of the time. It can malform your teeth/bite, as well as cause breathing issues. My teeth/bite are fine however, my son does the same thing & his teeth aren't. We have been working with him to sleep with his mouth closed - and to practice during the day etc...Keeping his sinuses clear is a priority as well. Apparently a lot has to do with allergies/sinus problems. A nasal spray helps a lot! Good Luck & God Bless!

L., I know what you mean about the snoring and not eating. When my son was 3 he wasn't pronouncing the letter "L" correctly come to find out it was because his adnoids where clogging his hearing as well. He had his tonsils & adnoids removed and everything cleared up. You wouldn't believe the discharge that came out of his ears. In a few days he way sleeping and eating like he should have been. So yes I recommend you have it done. Don't worry he will be a trooper.

Hi L.,

Our son, now 12, went through one sinus infection after another (with occassional ear infections) from about the age of 2-4yrs old. Our son never had tonsillitis, but suffered from chronic sinus infections. He had only accompanying ear infections. He was miserable, and not sleeping or eating very much. His pediatrician at the time kept trying one antibiotic after another but within 6-8 weeks, the infection would return. At one point, his pediatrician wanted our son on antibiotic for 10 months. We did not want to take this path, had a "gut feeling" that something else was going on, and finally insisted we get a referral to an ENT specialist. (This was the way our insurance worked.) The pediatrician did not want to do this, but finally relented.

From our son's history of illness during this time, numerous clinical tests (including MRI's, CAT scan), the ENT/surgeon suggested removing his tonsils and adnoids. After much thought and research, at 4yrs old, he had them both removed. Best thing we ever did and looking back now, I wish we had done it sooner. During surgery, the ENT found that his tonsils, not inflamed, were growing down the back of this throat (so they were elongated). Not necessarily the main problem though - when he lifted the adnoids to remove them, the ENT found massive infection underneath the enlarged, infected adnoids, along the wall they rest on. He used a laser to literally "burn-off" (kill) the infection along that wall. He said that with that level of infection, there's no way any antiobiotic was going to get rid of it.

After two weeks of recovery (a little tough with a 4yr old), our son finally got into a great sleeping and eating pattern, began to grow, was in a much better mood, etc. This is why we regret not doing it sooner. In the years to follow, the sinus infections went from 6-8 sinus infections a year to 1-2 for about 2 years and then to one about every 1-2 years. (Our son does have allergies but if he uses nasal spray consistently during his seasonal allergies, he avoids them altogether.)

My advice would be to seek the opinions of one or more ENT surgeons, go in with as accurate history of your son's pattern of illness and past treatment/medications, and have the tests done. If you need a referral, I would be happy to provide one.

Good luck L.!!

How is taking his tonsils out going to relieve his congestion?? He's congested for a reason, and tonsils don't cause that!! Sounds like he has allergies to me. I'd do a food elimination diet on him and see if he has some food allergies going on--if you're not familiar with this and don't want to do the homework, you can see an allegy doctor, but this is a relative quick and painless way to find out about food allegies. We did it w/my son when he was 4 and found out he was allergic to milk, wheat, soy and corn. Everyone in the family did it to make things easier and I found out I was also allergic to milk, wheat and CHOCOLATE!! Anyway, relieving those from my son's diet made a world of difference. He's 10 now and eats most of those foods again, finding that corn is the one he needs to stay away from the most.

You are lucky your dr is willing to do this so early!!!! I personaly had mine taken out after two years of being sick and asking several dr to take them out. I saw immediate results from this proceedure and would definitely reccomend it, but at the earliest age possible; I was 19 when they finally took care of it and that was hard, I am told though that it goes much easier for young children.

Good luck!

I am a woman 54 years old I had both of them out when I was 18 and never had any problems, infact I hardly ever get sick now. It's better to do it when you are young if you are going to do it.

K.

That was a carbon copy of my son about 2 months ago. We decided to have the procedure done, and what a difference it made! I now have to get real close to him when I check him at night because he is now sooooo quiet! Like your son, my son is also 4 years old.

Dr Jeffery Koempel at Children's Hospital Los Angeles did our son's surgery, and I highly recommend him. I know he has offices in Glendale and Pasadena, and I think he may even have one at Children's Hospital.

Just to let you know, the first week is the worst...particularly days 3-7 approxamately. However, I'm glad we did the surgery because now, he is better off.

Good Luck!

When I was a child, I had ear infections all the time. It was so bad that I could actually get an ear infection while being on anti-biotics to treat an ear infection. When I was 3 1/2, I had my tonsils and adnoids removed.

While I do not remember having the procedure done, I can tell you that it helped tremendously. My mother tells me about how I was so cranky and irritable all the time when I was sick.

I also had issues with hearing loss as a result of the constant ear infections; my hearing was saved by having the procedure done.

Furthermore, after the procedure, I no longer snored, I began to sleep better, and I was able to have a stronger appetite.

I say, go for it. What have you go to lose?

Good luck,
A.

I know several families that have had this done and all there children seemed to of gotten better. When your stopped up it's hard to eat and breath at the same time. But you can ask your doctor if he could have a couple of the family's who have had it done call you. Where you will be more sure about it. Marilyn

Dear L., I know this is a little late in getting to you, but I would definitely see if there are other options before doing a surgery that is irreversible. I understand that you are sick of him (and you) being sick, but maybe there is something else that you can try before doing this. I can only point you to a chiropractor who has a good rep since that is the only experience I have with natural healing. Just a suggestion. Poor guy!! Hope it gets better for you both. AM