Adenoid/Grommet Operation - Help!

[mummytomatildaandrose]

My DD is due to have this operation on Friday - can't come soon enough to be honest as she is really suffering. But I just wondered if anyone can tell me the answers to a couple of questions? Firstly, can the operation still go ahead if she has a snotty nose and is getting over a cold? Secondly, what should she eat after the operation? I had my adenoids out as a child, but I can't remember if it hurts to swallow like it does when you have your tonsils out?? No one at the hospital seems to know the answers to these questions, so any help MUCH appreciated!

[dilbertina]

My dd had this a few years ago - I think they will still go ahead for minor sniffle, but not if properly ill IYSWIM. Do you have a contact number for the dept. to check?

You will get some painkillers for first few days - we got ibuprofen and paracetamol to alternate at higher dose than you would normally give. We were told to keep up meds for first few days and then gradually reduce and tail off if no complaints of pain.

I don't recall dd complaining of pain in days following, nor needing special diet - in fact "hard, scratchy" food was recommended as it apparently helps, we did give her softish food for 1st day or so after but did not use copious quantities of soup, frozen yoghurt etc I got in just in case!

Good luck, and try not to worry (though no doubt you will!) It made a huge difference to dd - all her hearing problems were sorted, she could breathe more normally (she was a mouth breather due to enlarged adenoids.) 2.5 years on both grommets have now fallen out but she has had no further glue ear problems.

[OptimistS]

DS is due to have this done on monday (tonsils as well) and DD had it done last November. They will operate if she still has a snotty nose (this is part of the reason they want to operate in the first place), but if she is actively unwell they won't - she has to be well enough to undergo the anaesthetic. A slight sniffle, if there is no temperature and she is eating well and behaving normally, will not stop things.

Current advice for post-op recovery is to eat and drink as if nothing has happened. Do not opt for smooth/soft foods. Eating normal foods actually speeds recovery, though there is a slight argument for avoiding dairy products for the first few days as these can coat the oesophagus and encourage bacteria to breed there.

HTH and good luck!

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

DD had just grommets done last December, she is a changed child. No special diet but, she didn't need any other bits taken out. Her grommet in the left ear is still in, which means she needs to wear ear plugs still much to her disgust.

[mummytomatildaandrose]

Thanks everyone for your advice - we had the operation on Friday - nearly didn't due to a bed crisis, typical!! Operation was fine, but we are now having issues with her waking up screaming in the middle of the night - we were told to expect this as a sort of post operative stress reaction or something??? anyway, it had better make a difference!!

[pointydog]

The nurses will give her stuff to eat. I am sure they will be able to answer your questions when you are in there.

dd2 was given tomato soup and jelly.

She was then sick due to the anaesthetic .

So she had more a little while later.

[pointydog]

oh, the op has happened!

I should read more

[dilbertina]

starlight - first off you need prob. need proof of persistant and "severe enough" hearing impairment due to glue ear - in our case we had hearing tests every few months for a year or so before being forwarded to consultant who did more in depth tests before agreeing he thought it should be done....

Then it varies from area to area as different PCTs have different criteria about when they agree funding so only going by what happened to us...this can take another couple of months...I can recommend the route we took - emailing MP who wrote on our behalf to ask what was happening, the PCT then agreed in days. I do suspect it would have dragged o0n longer otherwise.

Finally we got on waiting list for actual op (and into supposed maximum wait territory) Took a couple of months more then it was done, We only got less than 1 week notice of operation date - not ideal with work and dd's birthday party planned but anyway!

So from start of professional hearing tests to op = 20 months ish. From consultants recommendation for PCT approval to Op = 6 months

Has your ds already had various hearing tessts? If so you might want to consider pushing now if you want it done before ds starts school. In our case the Audiology people we were seeing referred us to ENT at hospital.

One other thing, if you think the hearing issues are poss. causing speech problems get on waiting list for that too as it may help in presenting your case (as well as helping with speech obviously!)