Has anyone's LO under age of two had tonsils out?

[oinkyoink]

Hi
My LO has recurrent tonsillitis - every two weeks on the button she gets a nasty bout of it and it is starting to really affect us all. I was wondering if anyone's child has had their tonsils out under the age of two or around two? My dd is 21 months old. She is also suffering with sleep apnea - where she can only breathe through her mouth (this means that not only are her tonsils enlarged but also her adenoids so these will need to be removed too).
The ENT dr is reluctant to take them out but says his arm could be twisted. I have only realised today she has sleep apnea as well - she is always tired in teh day as basically she isn't getting into a deep sleep at night as breathing is obstructed.

So - if there is anyone out there with similar experience, I would LOVE to hear from you. This seems rare at this young age.....

Thanks!

I didn't think they took them out under the age of 7 as they grow back.
(things could of changed by now but I had to wait to have mine out)

Friend's child had what you describe. They've found she's much better after having them removed. Can't remember what age they were, but it was under 2. She was having difficulty swallowing as well so not putting on weight.
Little one at ds preschool is having them out tomorrow too (he told me yesterday, they'll be 3.

My DS had his tonsils and adenoids out when he was 2. His were taken out because they were enormous and were affecting his speech,he had really bad glue ear and he snored terribly at night and had sleep apnea. He was always shattered during the day as well.

We saw a ENT registrar at the hospital who basically said that there was nothing he could do and they would reassess when he was 8 as he would probably grow out of it.

DH has got private medical insurance through work which we have never used before but we decided to get a second opinion so we saw the ENT consultant (same hospital) but privately. He had no notes on DS when we got there as we'd just made the appointment the day before so didn't know why we were there...when we walked in he said "hello" to DS and as soon as DS answered he said that he has got a huge problem with his tonsils/adenoids and they need to be removed now. He could tell how severe it was by just listening to him.

He had the op 3 weeks later and it has made such a huge huge difference to him. He wasn't really talking at all before and within a few weeks there was no stopping him. He slept better,ate better and was just generally a happier little boy.

He is 6 now and literally never shuts up! It is very rare to do it on a child that young...DS was 27 months when he had it done and I think he was the youngest they'd seen. But there was an 8 year old having it done at the same time and within 1 hour of coming back from theatre my DS was hurtling round the ward without a care in the world whereas the older boy was laying in bed on a drip with painkillers.

I have a DS2 now who is 4 months and already sounds very similar to DS1. He breathes through his mouth constantly and snores louder than DH does so I have a feeling we may have to go down the same road again.

Hope thats helped a bit.

Oh wow thanks so much iheart it has been so hard to find info directly from someone who has been in the same boat!! Much appreciated.

I am really on edge now as we will have to decide what to do- whether toget tonsils and adenoids out now or wait til she's a bit bigger. I'm thinking we will go for it as she is also boy speaking and has glue ear. For so long I was thinking why is my dd ao sleepy compared to other toddlers? I thought I would have to be tough on her and just let her have one nap a day, well force her to have one when really she needs two. I feel so sad for her as it means she can't do as much during the day.

I'm also a little angry as yesterday I told the ENT consultant she's attending privately that she was incredibly tired in the day and he didn't say anything!!!! All he said was genus apprehensive to take tonsils out now as she's too young but I really feel now she needs them out soon.

Ok will sign off. Thanks donning for replying!

No problem! I couldn't find any information either when he had it done as it quite rare to have it done this young.

If there is anyway of getting it done before next winter that might be an idea before the next round of colds/viruses come along.

It's a horrible decision to have to make and it's an awful thing for them to have to go through as it is with any operation but honestly the difference in him was amazing...and he has no nasty memories of it either as he was so young.

My ds2 was under 3 but over 2. TBH I can't remember how old he was ( disclaimer - it was a bad year for hospital admissions). Both dss had it done (tonsils, adenoids and grommits), ds1 was a little older but not much past 3.

It made an unbelieveable difference to them both but particularly to ds2 who was having severe behavioural problems due to apnoea indusced lack of sleep and his inability to communicate. Both were done on the NHS but it was some years ago (they are 19 & 22 now).

Update: the ENT surgeon has decided today that she will have the operation on Tuesday to remove tonsils and adenoids! I am so relieved yet so nervous. She was only supposed to have the grommits put in but she is now suffering with the tonsils again and her breathing is dreadful at night so called him today and he said let's go for it.

Please cross everything that it will go well.

saggar any tips you have for the op would be great!!!!

Oh good luck oink, I hope it goes well. Both of mine had two night stays but it was along time ago and I think it's probably only one now.

The worst bit is seeing them off in the anaesthetic room. In can be quite unpsetting; hopefully you have someone to sit with you while you wait. My main tip is keep on with the painkillers for a few days post-op even if she seem ok and try to get her to eat the recommended 'rough' foods - toast and that sort of thing. They don't give them ice cream anymore- apparenmtly rough stuff helps the healing.

Not sure about if you go private but if in an NHS hospital you won't be fed (or have time to go and get something) so take plenty of snacks and drinks for yourself (and a spare pillow).

Oh wow just did a post on something really similar. Good luck on Tuesday. I hope it makes as much difference to DD as it has to those other posters.

Will be watching with interest as Ds4 has had his 5th ear perforation since november. He is also a mouth breather/snorer. His speech although good sounds nasally iykwim.

My dd2 had her tonsils and adenoids out at just over 2 (25.5 months). She was pretty small and skinny for her age at that point, because her tonsils were so large she was choking on them and was barely eating solids anymore

She also had sleep apnoea.

The ENT consultant was very clear about her needing them all out (she did also have a floppy larynx, which added to the constricted airway part) and didn't seem to think it was that unusual. I once asked the Registrar, when dd was 12 months old, what age they could have tonsils out from - expecting him to say 5 or 7 or something, and he said 'any time from 12 months onwards if its necessary'.

dd2 has never looked back: snoring stopped straight away, and once she recovered from the pain of the op she started to eat well and thrive - it was only looking back that I realized her development had been impaired to some extent by the whole apnoea thing, especially in terms of physical confidence! Now 4.5, there is no stopping her

Oh - had only read your OP! Fantastic (really, it is, in the long run) news, so glad your LO is having the op. Saggar helped me through enormously, so glad to see her posting on your thread as well!

Re the op: dd was very confused and upset for a few mintues when she came round - but has never remembered any of that. It upset me, but she forgot it.

Do take a change of clothes or two for her, and also a clean top for yourself as LOs sometimes vomit after anaesthesia. DVDs, books, small toys, whatever you can to distract her. Snacks and drinks for yourself in case you can't leave her, plus toiletries if she's spending a night in - it gets hot in hospital, so dress light!

They recommend 'rough' foods such as toast and crisps, but ice lollies helped dd hugely, and hydrated her at crucial times. Avoid 'sticky' foods such as pasta, porridge etc which will stick to the wounds and hurt. Don't worry if she loses weight for a couple of weeks, she'll catch up! Drinking is important obviously.

Pain levels can vary a lot: some kids have very little after the first few days, but dd had a lot of pain, and wouldn't take painkillers such as Calpol - so we were given suppositories of voltarol and paracetamol to take home. Your GP can help with this if you need it, too. Most important tip I had: DO stay on top of pain relief - even if she seems ok, give it a few minutes before you are meant to so it never wears off, and don't stop after the first few days - keep going, because the pain can get worse before it goes for good: this is the scabs falling off the wounds, very normal.

Its all going to be worth it, honest! Good luck and do shout if anything crops up as you go along in the recovery process you need support with

Thanks a mill everyone- I am sure we will need some support so please check back here regularly!!!!

I am staying the night with her after the op but dh will wait with me while she has it and while she comes around after anaesthetic... Ooh I'm scared but very relieved too.

Thanks for the tips. Chat again soon...........

Thinkign of you, oinky! How is your LO? Hope all well!

Hi all
She had them out last night and she's eunnig around playing in the ward now she ate two bananas four hours after the op and drank water so we are ecstatic!!!!!
She was given morphine at midnight but they that has worn off now so fingers crossed it stays this good. She just had calpol this morning. :)

Ps surgeon told us her tonsils looked very nasty and so they've sent them to a lab for tests to ensure it's nothing else. Crikey the poor think was suffering so much even when she was 'healthy'. I'm soooooooooo happy they are GONE!

Oh good news oinky. ds's were mahoosive and were sent off for testing but all was well. Hope dd continues with her textbook recovery

So glad your daughter came through surgery well! It gives me encouragement as my son's operation is scheduled for next week. I hope she continues to recover well and doesn't suffer much pain!

Cheers saggar

posadas yes, i am already feeling so relieved; we had planned for a really really rough time after the operation but it doesn't seem that bad. she has eaten as normal today which is great. good luck with your son, i think if they are getting them out then obviously they need to be out and it will do them a lot of good. let us know how you get on too!

I'm a bit late in the thread but just wanted to say that I'm glad it went well for your dd, you must feel really relieved. My ds had his tonsils and adenoids out at 6 months old due to chronic sleep apnoea and although it was awful at the time, it was well worth it.

Hurrah for your dd, oinky - great that they are out, and lovely that she isn't in much pain! Well done!