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Adenoids: 10 year old- what should I do?

3 replies

LittenTree · 14/02/2012 16:07

DS2 certainly appears to have adenoid trouble.

He is a (heavy) mouth breather. DS1 calls him 'Darth'.... DS2 has mentioned that he sometimes gets teased at school. He often has his mouth drooping open, for instance. He always sounds a bit congested when he talks. He is a bit atopic- eczema, very mild asthma (untreated...), and has had just the one, but severe bout of tonsilitis last year.

A while back on MN a mum was 'outraged' that her GP said of her baby in a stroller (she was there with the other DC) 'Oh ho, guess I'll be seeing that one for adenoids soon, hey? Classic 'adenoid face''.. well, I googled 'adenoid face' and lo- DS2's facial characteristics! Short upper lip, over developed jaw, mouth agape.

Now, it's my feeling that won't get any joy from the NHS. His condition isn't 'life threatening', they're unlikely to send him for an Xray which is apparently a good way of diagnosing (soft tissue shadow on a sideways image of the upper airways)- and I bet the wait to see a paediatric ENT person is a good year! IF I can get a referral.

Should I cut to the chase and ask for a referral privately? Though I realise they're more likely to operate than reassure me! However, I feel he definitely won't get an op on the NHS, not because he's on a 'watch and wait' brief, but because they'll not want to go down that route for what is possibly more of a social issue than a medical problem, really! Though it IS 'medical' if enlarged adenoids are restricting his upper airways.

WWYD?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
themildmanneredjanitor · 14/02/2012 16:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ExitPursuedByaBear · 14/02/2012 16:13

I asked my doctor to refer my DD to an ENT specialist because of generally snottiness and blocked tubes - letter came through within a week and I booked on line, the watiing was between 10 days and 56 days depending on which hospital I wanted. I booked at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and had the appt yesterday, so it would be worth speaking to your GP and asking for a referral, you might be surprised at how soon you could see someone.

LittenTree · 14/02/2012 16:19

That's good news! Thanks. janitor, yes, I'd have to go to the GP anyway to get any referral- but after an experience with my own sinuses where eventually a supermarket pharmacist told me the only way I'd get past the GP to see a specialist was to book an appointment every week for maybe 6 weeks to harass them! I should add sinus pain was at that stage keeping me off work 3 or 4 times a year for 2-3 days apiece.

I am very pro-GP but, being a HCP myself, I know how the 'unspoken' rationing works!

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