AIBU to be considering a tonsillectomy for my 5 year old?

That's great @Bearhead1867 I had recurrent tonsillitis as a child and it was awful. The GP wouldn't refer me for surgery. Finally had them done when I saw a locum GP for yet another round of ABs when I was 17 and they referred me. That was forty years ago. I have very rarely had colds etc since, whereas winters were just miserable with tonsils. I'm sure your son will feel much better without them and it will hopefully help him with some of his other issues if he's not miserable with inflamed and scarred tonsils.

I would have them out. If they are that large they may also cause sleep apnea

Also a surgeon in tertiary care and would be questioning why the GMP can’t refer you.
Yes get it done, the risks others have mentioned about recurrent infection, most pertinently imho about repeated courses of antibiotics, outweigh the small risks every surgical procedure carries…
Agree there are very few complications, but
I second what someone else intimated about ensuring you are seeing the consultant/expert you know and making sure the hospital you go to has proper HDU support (esp. if has to be private) just in case. Preferably a paediatric anaesthetist too👍🏽

My son had his in March at just turned 6, for recurrent tonsillitis and strep. He hasn't been ill since! He was one of the unfortunate ones who had significant bleeding at day 10 (apparently this is more common for recurring infection kids rather than sleep apnoea cases) which was terrifying and required an ambulance. But im glad we did it, cant wait for a winter of not working every night and weekend to make up for his 60% school attendance! He's also gained a huge amount of weight this year and is now actually healthy rather than underweight.

I gurgle salty water and flouride mouthwash when i have itchy tonsils. My little brother had the tonsillectomy procedure. It doesnt cause problems.

My daughter had hers out when she was just finishing primary 1. I had her at the doctors every month throughout both years at council for repeat tonsillitis she was constantly off sick, miserable and in so much pain due to this I was told by a doctor at one point they wouldn’t consider taking them out unless she had them 15 times in 1 year which she wasn’t far off. She then went for pre school checks of some sort and it happened to be a ENT consultant I mentioned the constant tonsillitis and my concern for her starting school and continuing to be off so frequently and mentioned the doctor telling me 15 times in 1 year and he told me no 5 times in the one year once he heard she was closer to the 15 times a year he referred her we had a 18 month wait roughly. I was absolutely terrified the whole experience was terrifying the whole 5 year old being put under GA I questioned my decision and can honestly say 2 years down the line it was the best decision I ever made. She is never sick, eats soooooooo much better than she did, no smelly breath, her immune system and her within herself has never been better. Obviously every child is different in terms of circumstances but for my daughter it was without a doubt the best decision.

Do it! Mine had their tonsils out aged 2 and it was life changing for him.

Honestly shocked that your poor son is not getting this on NHS with the problems he has had. For a child it’s much less of a recovery than an adult and if it’s affecting him so adversely maybe you can push for it to be done a ASAP.

I would suggest get an appointment sorted with the consultant. You can discuss the risks and benefits and then make a decision based on what they tell you.

Nobody here has examined your child or knows their medical history well enough to be able to advise you on something this important.

My son had tonsils and adenoids out age 4, and it was absolutely fine in terms of recovery. He had dreadful sleep apnoea (they were massive). It may be that they are also affecting your dc’s quality of sleep, so it may improve more than the tonsil stones for them if they have them removed.

You can get something called a tonsillotomy, where they dissolve most of the tissue with something like acid, which is a much safer recovery. It leaves a tiny bit of tonsil tissue, which also boosts the immune system.

You could ask if this would suffice to remove the stones? My DS had it done privately at the same time as an adenoidectomy.

My son has a kind of rare thing, similar location to a cleft palate and his first consultant treats what my son has and cleft palate, as do the SALT team. He has some slight sound issues when talking, repeated tonsillitis, tonsils are so big they are affecting his sleep (snoring, not breathing for up to 11 seconds). He is getting his out next month. I've really changed my mind about it alot, but I think his sleep, breath, less time off school, etc will be beneficial for him. I also got my tonsils out a year a go. Tonsils stones and the bad breath had really affected my confidence so since it has been a relief. However recovery for me was awful, and everyone has told me it is way easier for a child. Every doctor I've spoken to has said this, so by getting them out now will hopefully help him moving forward and recovery will be easier. Then he will be having further treatment on his lip.
So hard making the decision but two weeks and an operation outweighs the positive parts of the op. I know how you feel though. With my son, this will be his third op this year, and after this he is likely to have 3 more on his top lip. So long road but better than being ill constantly. Wishing you and your child luck.

My ds2 had tonsils and adenoids out at 3 and he was a changed child after. Grew like a weed, was much stronger and healthier and it made me realise how debilitating they were, mainly because they caused him terrible sleep apnoea but also because their size made it difficult for him to swallow and also the repeated infections just caused him to be run down. He never looked back. I would do it.

Do it! Tonsillitis on its own is miserable, I suffered dreadfully, mine were take out at 12, not soon enough.

I would do it. Like PP I had guttate psoriasis in my twenties from reoccurring strep throat and tonsillitis. I would have tonsillitis virtually every six weeks at one point. I eventually had my tonsils out at 28 and was told by the consultant that it’s much more straightforward for small children to have them out then it is for adults where it’s considered major surgery and more dangerous. It’s painful as an adult too.

ps: sorry I meant "guttate psoriasis" and I sent the wrong paper, this is what I meant: dermnetnz.org/topics/guttate-psoriasis

Absolutely 1 million percent get it done for him it will make a massive difference to him and it’s so much easier to get them removed while they are young vs when they are older and more at risk of haemorrhaging.

Recurrent tonsilitis can lead to other problems later in life. I had pytiriasis - horrible rash all over my body - at the age of 19 for almost two years, until they found that I had a chronic and hidden tonsil infection. Then I had the tonsils removed and bam, all my skin problems and throat problems disappeared. Honestly have them out as sooner than later - it's painful when it's done as an adult.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19882027/

Get it done, but only in a children's hospital, with a HDU bed booked in case it’s needed.

Do it!

I was so poorly as a child with reoccurring tonsillitis and I had them removed at 11. Now 45, I have had strep throat once in my life in my early 30s and never had another sore throat again (except tlwhen I've had a cold so completely normal!).

I would do everything I can to help my kids if I had the money.

Do it and good luck with it all x

As a sufferer of tonsil stones, I would have it done just for them if I could.

I've never known anyone having complications from this surgery - I'd get it done!

Definitely do it.
My daughter suffers terribly with tonsil stones and they won’t pull them out. Her breath is terrible and every couple of weeks, she’s coughing up these horrendous things which absolutely stink.

My daughter desperately wants them out. I’m seriously thinking of starting to save so she can have them out privately.