Anybody with a child that's had a tonsillectomy?

[Dreamingaboutdachshund]

Hi ladies

I know it's in the wrong board but I'm posting for traffic!
My 3yr old DS had a tonsillectomy on the 21st however he still isn't eating much at all and it's starting to worry me however I'm not sure how 'normal' this is? Those of you with children who had a tonsillectomy, when did they start eating a decent amount?
I would say my DS is eating less than a quarter of his usual intake!

Thanks!

My DS had tonsils and adenoids removed at the same age. Day 4ish is the worst for them as the scabs come off the throat. Make sure you keep on top of the pain relief (through the night too) and he'll be feeling much better in a couple of days. It's a tough recovery but the benefits are amazing,

@NeverDropYourMooncup (fab name by the way) I guess because he's babbling and playing really well I was expecting abit much! Least I know now and can relax abit more! He's enjoyed Christmas as much as he could but I'm hoping the improvement to his life in general this will just be a blip which hopefully he won't remember too much! His snoring has definitely subsided which I'm not used to at all!

I think the surgeon possibly didn't put enough emphasis on the recovery period and what to expect so I'm glad I've asked the question now.

@Toddlerteaplease ah thankyou for that, I'm trying to alternate between everything so we can cover him completely for 24hrs.

@Landof Yes, 21st Decemeber, now know that I was expecting abit to much of him and what is normal! Doesn't help that the anaesthetist said he should be able to enjoy his Christmas Dinner which he didnt bless him.

[quote Dreamingaboutdachshund]@TheVolturi throat spray was prescribed aswell. Pringles of all things is definitely weird haha.
@Eileen101 I'm hoping this changes his life. Not just infection and sleep apneoa wise but he struggles with speech and language and since his operation he has actually formed more sounds! Not sure if this is a coincidence or not as the SALT therapist wasn't aware of any link between permanent swollen tonsils and speech but I've always been sure it was a contributory factor as the sounds he struggles with are the sounds you make at the back of the mouth, which he managed today!

Sorry I can't reply to you all but I do appreciate the responses![/quote]
This is anecdotal but DS2 had trouble with speech and had a couple of sessions with a SALT after his op. She thought that it could be partly down to pain and discomfort affecting how he made shapes with his mouth and tongue as well. He was using simpler less sophisticated sounds because they were easier to form.

Surprised you've been. Told to stay away from crisps. Crunchy food is the recommended diet as it helps the healing.

@Loocheeyar

Can I please interrupt and ask what the reasons were for the Drs to refer for surgery - my son is always pale and tired and his tonsils are just huge and you can feel the lumps in his jaw underneath also . He’s very hyperactive and autistic , although fully verbal , he can’t stop moving even when he’s feeling ill and can refuse to take meds or tell us when he’s poorly bless him . I dont think any signs of infection though that I can tell

Hope your little one recovers fast x

"For people with severe recurrent tonsillitis (a frequency of more than 7 episodes per year for one year, 5 per year for 2 years, or 3 per year for 3 years, and for whom there is no other explanation for the recurrent symptoms), referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist is advised as this cohort may benefit from tonsillectomy." cks.nice.org.uk/topics/sore-throat-acute/management/management/ (see bottom of page) These are the basic criteria for tonsillectomy. DS2 had a chronic infection so he had foul bad breath most of time and swollen tonsils. He would have a course of AB, improve for a couple of weeks then start to get unwell again. I kept a diary of when he was ill so I could show he was getting recurrent problems. Look for redness, swelling, fever, bad breath and possibly white spots on the tonsils.

@Toddlerteaplease He said sharp foods such as crisps so I'm unsure why as the general consensus on here is fine.

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude according to SALT there isn't any evidence or literature out there to support or dispute it however she agrees with my way of thinking because logically if you have huge tonsils permanently it must effect how the tongue and palette forms sounds created at the back of the mouth. For example today he made the 'g' sound, which he hasn't done before. Its always vowel sounds as like you say, it's easier.

@Loocheeyar it has been a huge uphill battle in all honestly. I know it sounds bad, but the saying whoever shouts the loudest wins is basically true in my experience. He has sleep apneoa and monthly infections and my doctors refused to do a referral. After being bluelighted to the hospital one too many times the nurse at the hospital was horrified that he hadn't been seen after I told her his history and broke down so she sent a referral off that night. The consultant saw him in August straight away said they need to be removed and gave him a course of antibiotics for 3 months to try and give him time to put more weight on before surgery, then saw him October and decided to remove them. Honestly that nurse was amazing.

I had my tonsils out at 35 years old and recovery was hideous but once I was totally recovered I realised it was the best decision I had made. My little one had her tonsils and adenoids out before she was 2 with sleep apnea and constant illness. She was so underweight and small in height. It took 2 weeks for her to eat properly but her transformation was very quick. Grew in height and weight within weeks and is now a very healthy 6 year old. Hope your little one feels better soon.

Reading this thread with interest as my 3.5 year old has his tonsils and adenoids removed today. All the comments on recovery and post op medication are really helpful.

The consultant in his report said my son had 'impressive Grade 4 tonsils' that overlapped so you couldn't see his uvula. Poor thing. Apparently Grade 4 is the highest and very rare.

I always knew they were massive but had a job getting anyone to believe me. He also has SALT issues and I am convinced they are related as pp said despite no research to support this.