To go on holiday 17 days after my son has a tonsillectomy and adenoidectamy?

[Shortfatandangry]

My son, who's 3, goes in to get his tonsils and adenoids out 17 days before we're all due to fly abroad for our holidays. The nurse said not to, the Dr said it'd be fine. AIBU to hope it'll all be fine?

I was fine a few days after I had mine done about age 12. Well enough to attempt to exit the hospital on day 2 for edible food anyway.

I'd have thought he'd be fine two weeks post op as long as there's no complications.

What are the Nurse's reasons for saying no?

Sounds fine for a 3 year old. I tbink I got 2 weeks off school when I was 6 and spent most of it playing in the park!

Adults have it much worse and would still be in pain but kids seem to bounce back!

DD is having hers done in a few weeks and my understanding is no exposure to infection for 2 weeks post-op, so no nursery. My DP live abroad and they said we should go see them but planes are notorious vectors of germs! Afaik it is to do with the risk of getting a bad cold etc and risking the wound in the throat bleeding

I would check with your insurance company as you will have to declare the recent surgery.
This hospital advises not to fly for 3 weeks www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files/11093Ptonsillectomy.pdf

It's a two week time off to stop any potential infection from brewing rather than healing time. He'll be fine.

Cross post with hellsbells.

Think it's the potential for infection if he'll be swimming, and the pain in his ears while flying. Dr said 2 week recovery, he'll be grand.

Post tonsillectomy bleeds are a very real and scary thing. I suggest reading up on them. I've seen many in my career and you will not want to be away from your local hospital should it happen.

I second what stealingyourwifi says. 17 days is probably enough to allow time for site infections, but I wouldn't take my kids away.... a late post tonsillectomy bleed is one of the most frightening things I encounter in my line of work.

My ds had that bleed but it only occurs up to 10 days..l was told. Most horrifying experience but 17 days should be ok.

hmm risky if he gets secondary infection and ends up back in hospital. What if he ends up post bleeding on the plane

I had a holiday booked two weeks after a tonsillectomy (had been booked long before the OP date came up)

Typically I did have a bleed at about 10 days (was awful!) and ended back in hospital. Postponed holiday by a week. I think children do tend to bounce back much quicker than adults after this OP though, my friends DD was right as rain after 5 days

Most crucial thing is check what your travel insurance says.

Depends where you're going. Tourist area? Yeah no problem, they do have hospitals if needed. Staying in the back of beyonds? Probably not. I would love to recover from an operation in the sun rather than cooped up at home!

Make sure you disclose it on his health insurance because if he needs medical help due to a complication or infection caused by the operation your claim will be void and you'll have to pay for his treatment in full.

I had this op as an adult (so more gruelling than at 3) and I was back at work (as an accountant during the self assessment peak!) after 13 days. I was absolutely fine. Great advice from pp re insurance though.

We're only going to mainland Spain, and the in-laws are coming with us. I also thought, 2 weeks in the sun with all the people he loves most about him might be the very ticket to help him heal up quickly but my daughter was ill last year on holiday and it was horribly stressful. I don't know if we're willing to risk it.

If the surgeon/consultant says it will be fine then surely the advice of someone less experience or mumsnetters is irrelevant? My DS is booked in for op in next few months and he actually only told us we would need a week for recovery?!

Not really. The surgeon might not be a father, and probably doesn't have the specific experience of taking a toddler on holiday a couple of weeks after a procedure. He can tell us that, in theory, my ds will be healed and so it shouldn't be a problem but, unlike this forum, he probably isn't able to advise of the semantics of actually doing it.

But the surgeon will have seen thousands of children and know a lot more about the recovery times and risks.