My daughter has cryptic tonsils. This means she suffers terrible from tonsil stones or tonsilloths. They can range from the size of a bit of sweetcorn, to a big wad of chewed gum. And they stink. Really stink. They're basically calcified bacteria, saliva and mucus. (Sorry if you're having your tea!)
Whenever she has a huge one in her tonsil (which is at least once a month), she goes off food for a few days due to the rotten taste in her mouth. And she also says it's uncomfortable as she can feel it. This carries on until it eventually falls out. I've tried on one occassion to nudge it out with a cotton bud. It worked, but dd didn't like it, so i'll not be doing it again.
The smaller stones are almost a daily occurence.
The doctor has been frank. The only way to get rid of the tonsil stones is to get rid of the tonsils. He's assured me that the crypts in her tonsils will reduce by the time she's an adult, but they'll always be unaturally large thus she'll always have tonsil stones.
He said he'd refer me to an ENT specialist, but dd is unlikely to be a canditate
for the operation just because she has 'bad breath'. She's never had tonsilitis and only gets a throat infection once a year. The GP said i should consider if
i want to subject my child to the risks of an operation just for 'vanity reasons.'
DD is 5 so i think now is a good age, if ever she was going to get her tonsils out. I'm also worried that as she gets older, children will begin to pick on her for having bad breath. And i'm not exaggerating the smell. When she has a giant tonsil stone, even the doctor agreed it makes her have halitosis.
However, when i voiced my fears, he said that all children get bullied for a variety of reasons at school. If it's not bad breath, it's colour of hair, skin, clothes etc.
He seemed really reluctant to give me the referral tbh. And i've come home feeling like a terrible mum. Am i being unreasonable to want her to have this operation?
AIBU?
To want dd to have an operation for 'vanity' reasons.
MsBrown · 21/08/2012 15:54
I opened this thread fully expecting it to be about ear pinning or some such, although in young children I so think that the potential (probable) bullying from that would dint their self esteem so much during formtive years that I would have it done regardless of how 'vain' it appeared. Then I saw that it was about a GPs interuptation of an actual medical condition and though 'hell yeah, do it'. I am very glad to now see that it was a zombie thread and you have found someone who will listen to you and take you more seriously and that the tonsillectomy will be going ahead.
I do love it when a thread is resolved before I even finish reading it 
fwiw I think some people overlook the impact that tonsil problems can have on your life. I had recurrent tonsillitis as a teen and after being fobbed off 3 times when I was 14 with calpol, seriously, at bloody 14!, and eventually begrudgingly being given antibiotics I learnt coping mechanisms when they got bad again to avoid seeing the patronising GP. The result was that at 15 I got tonsillitis again and masked the symptoms so well that I could mostly carry on with life as normal except for eating. I even went to American football training one morning with a bad case and it was only when my coach mentioned to my mother that I hadn't said a word all morning that she really noticed something was up and connected it to my being off my food, so took me to the out of hours doc who had me sent straight to hospital. By then the infection was so bad that it had spread throughout my body and made me seriously unwell. They said at the time that if I had covered for it for another day or two, it might have been too late to reverse the damage, I could have died of tonsillitis. Since I was a rather vain teenager, the thought of my tombstone reading 'here lies Hoping, died from dodgy tonsils' was enough to mortify me into getting them whipped out. Honestly, who dies from tonisilitus these days? People who have had recurrent problems with them and had those problems minimised to the extent that they hide their symptoms to avoid being judged, that's who.
OP I am so glad that you have agreed to the surgery. I know any surgery has risks and of course as a parent you will always fret about your child, but I truly think that it is the best course of action for your DD and will help save her from a lifetime of bullying and self esteem and confidence problems.
That's great news :)
I think you should change Drs too - he's clearly a twat.
I had my tonsils out when I was 7. I have nothing but good memories of it :) Mum & Dad visiting my the day after, lots of colouring books etc and being allowed crisps and ice cream 
(I'm not sure that's what the recommend anymore, but it was in the late 70's!)
ds1 had surgery when he was 6. the op took 6 hours
he woke up at 1am after the op in the morning and said 'I'm starving, can I have some toast?' he came out the next day.
the hospital were great.
I can tell you not to worry, but as a parent you will do anyway, but it will be fine, and your dd and you will be ok. sometimes the anticipation is worse than the actual event.
Good news OP.
I'm glad the ENT appointment was so helpful
And thanks for coming back with an update.
Glad to hear there's been such a positive outcome from the ENT appointment.
Afraid that DC going into hospital/having surgery etc apparently doesn't get easier with frequency/age: my parental unit still worries horribly about me & I am a proper grown-up. It's important that as well as taking stuff for DD to the hospital you take stuff to entertain/distract yourself with whilst she's in surgery/recovery.
Hope it all goes well
Haha, not at all, Pacific
I shall be back to update in another three months' time when (hopefully) dd's tonsils and tonsil stones will be gone for good.
I knew this would happen - old thread gets revived (with v welcome update, thank you ) and everybody responds to the OP .
I'm sorry - every month she has to endure the taste of rotten food in her mouth, plus the bullying over bad breath and he says it would be for vanity's sake when you have to ear bud her mouth every morning??!
Report the bastard! Thank goodness the ENT listening to you. What a relief! I had my tonsils out at your DD's age - bit of a sore throat the next day but ice-cream helped!! And well done you for fighting your DD's corner - it will make a difference to her quality of life
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Oh, I am glad you got the outcome you should have had without a fight or any kind of unpleasantness.
I think you have to change the title of your thread - this is in no way an operation for 'vanity' reasons.
Peeps, stop slagging the NHS, you'll miss it when it's gone 
- there is not doubt that a situation like this ENT assessment is needed and an operation would be offered as a matter of routine.
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