3 year old with huge tonsils

[redstripeyelephant]

I just happened to see inside DD's mouth today and noticed she has got HUGE tonsils! I mean massive, they almost touch.

I've never noticed this before and it's never been mentioned by the GP, though she's had no reason to see a doctor for quite a few months.

She seems fine in herself, no temperature, cough, runny nose or anything, and there are no white spots on them. Should I take her to the doctor? Could it be the start of tonsilitis? Or could it just be normal??

We noticed that my DS had huge tonsils at about this age, and mentioned them to our GP when we were there for something else. I was categorically told that it was nothing to worry about.

It was only when a HV was at our house seeing DS2 that she commented on DS's nasal voice, and asked if he snored, which he did, very loudly. Not only that, but his breathing at night was laboured - turned out this was due to huge adenoids as well as the tonsils. With hindsight, I think his sleep had suffered for a long time.

The HV got us a referral to an ENT consultant who immediately confirmed that tonsils were huge and needed to come out (with adenoids). The operation was a huge success and has transformed my DS. Really, his voice was clearer, his sleep better and generally, much happier.

So, in a nutshell, keep an eye on sleep/snoring and don't be fobbed off if you think there is a problem.

Hope that helps.

thank you - her sleep seems fine, she's not really a snorer. I'll keep an eye on it and mention it next time we see the doctor.

Glad your DS is ok now!

I had the same experience as ww. DS is soooooo much better with them out.

Keep an eye it might just be that your dd has had a bug recently that has caused them to swell. But things like snoring, ear infections, throat and chest infections 3 times a yr or more could indicate a problem with adenoids and tonsills.

My dd had hers out last august and although the op itself was quite traumatic (she was 4 and a half) since the op generally she has been much better. She def sleeps a lot better and that has a knock on effect with behaviour and energy during the day.

Also same experience with DS as WW. His touched, GP fobbed us off, but his respiratory consultant referred us due to his poor sleep. It has transformed his sleep too although its still really early days.

I'm glad to read this link. My first had to have both removed for the sleep and size issues talked about already. My second has also very large tonsils and the GP won't accept that any of her night coughing etc is from the tonsils (my son had exactly the same symptoms).

How do I get a referral to a good ENT and can anyone recommend one in London??

ditto my ds1 had huge tonsils and it was causing him to have sleep apnoea. We took him to an ear nose throat consultant and it turned out that he had quite serious hearing loss too because his tonsils and adenoids were blocking his ears from draining and they were full of gunk

he had both tonsils and adenoids out and the improvement was remarkable - hearing back to normal, sleep back to normal, eating better (large tonsils can make it difficult to swallow and they eat less) and because of the sleep and eating he grew about 2 inches in the next 2 months.

he was 3 at the time IIRC

We're seeing an ENT surgeon on Thursday for this reason - mainly that DS is constantly exhausted and very wakeful. He gets bad breath, coughs, sweats and snores at night and also has huge lymph nodes in his neck. I think if she has no symptoms red it's probably nothing to worry about.

Great to hear the success stories here - I so hope the surgeon we see is sympathetic because we're desperate. Not that I'm keen for DS to have an op but his quality of life is not great just now.

Hope your DD continues to be well red :)

my DS1 had tonsils that almost touched in the middle when he was 6 - they didn't cause him any serious health problems, but it used to take him about an hour to eat every meal

He had had grommets as a toddler so there was a bit of ENT history; we asked if he could have them removed & it made a huge difference to his eating, but had no negative effects on his health.

Hi there, Does anyone have a recommendation of an ENT in London?

thx

We saw a private ENT at the Portland in London. Her name is Michelle Wyatt and she was very good, she had a lovely manner with DS.

Our GP was also very dismissive, but we were referred via my son's respiratory consultant at Great Ormond Street.

thanks purplermadillo. My youngest now has yet another case of tonsillitis, I'm getting that referral!

We saw Mr Sandhu - he's NHS at Chelsea & Westminster, or private in Harley Street (as far as I remember). We mostly saw him at C&W (which is where her op was) but also saw him privately once - he's very gentle, very experienced, and knows his stuff.

Good luck with your referral, wherever you go!

thx