Daughter is having tonsils out next week

[lea2810]

I can't stop thinking about my daughters operation, keep having bad dreams ect, today we have been to the pre op assessment and the women made me feel 10 times worse...can anyone who's been through this tell me when the operation is over how long is it till u get to see them, I asked about being there while she comes round and the women said she would be in a recovery room for 2 hours after her op without me, and I can only go in if she gets upset!! Can you be there when your child is co Inge round Otis she right? It's really worrying me now :(

Hi

dd2 was just 2 when she had tonsils and adenoids out, and she was a high risk for anaesthesia due to a floppy larynx - so a night in HDU. I was a wreck beforehand, so total sympathy.

I was allowed in as soon as she was awake and breathing normally - which was a few seconds, because she came round and screamed her head off: very good for the lungs! I was so upset that I couldn't be there from before she awoke, as I worried she'd be scared and in pain - which she probably was, but as she was also totally befuddled by the anaesthetics she didn't remember a single thing about it an hour later.

How old is your daughter? I can't imagine they'd keep a little one for 2 hours without a parent! Or why they'd need to keep any child for 2 hours after this kind of op, tbh.

Would your GP be able to find out for you, and reassure you?

It was really quick for us -- so quick i couldn't believe it ... be warned you may feel a bit wobbly on the day ( i did ) and i was upset to see my son cryng and a bit disorientated.
HOWEVER, he was absolutely fine once he'd properly come around and was eating dinner by that night !!
Is it normal to not see them straight after ? all 3 of my boys have had ops, and we were with them as they came round ...

She is 4 see I was expecting to be there as she was brought round n it's really upset me that if I'm not there she's gunna be so upset I'm not there and scared, I know she will...I can't stop crying now I know I won't be there as she wakes up! I am already a bit wobbly n probs will be till she's better lol...what sort of stuff do they have to eat before going home? I was told by the consultant it's anything soft and today at the pre op she said anything rough I.e toast, but iv read they shouldn't have rough stuff as it would scratch the open wounds!x

Rough stuff is great, because it cleans the wounds - and amazingly, it doesn't seem to hurt more than soft stuff (especially straight after op). Some soft stuff is worse, because it sticks to the wounds - ouch.

dd ate crisps and sucked ice lollies. My best advice would be to stay on top of pain meds to the minute, for a week after the op at least. Day and night, set alarm if necessary. Much easier to prevent pain than to get on top of it once it's kicked in.

Do talk to them about being there as soon as she comes round, if not before...I can't imagine they'd leave a 4 year old without her mum for 2 hours post op, surely?!

Recent experience of adenoids out with DD aged 4. We were called back just as she started to come round and were with her in recovery for a few minutes then taken back to ward. Can't imagine they'll want her in recovery for 2hrs. The children's nurses we had on ward were great. They want to encourage eating and drinking asap. DD became much more with it after about 30 mins back on ward. Why don't you give the Children's Ward a ring and ask them the procedure for after the op. They shouldn't minimise any concerns you have.

Recent experience of adenoids out with DD aged 4. We were called back just as she started to come round and were with her in recovery for a few minutes then taken back to ward. Can't imagine they'll want her in recovery for 2hrs. The children's nurses we had on ward were great. They want to encourage eating and drinking asap. DD became much more with it after about 30 mins back on ward. Why don't you give the Children's Ward a ring and ask them the procedure for after the op. They shouldn't minimise any concerns you have.

Thanks for responses, I'm deffo ringing the ward up tomorrow as I'm getting more horrible images of her lay in a trolly surrounded by people of all ages ect coming round...I'm terrified she's gunna be really frightened and I know mums worry more but I can't deal with her being in the 2 hours on her own! The women I saw today at outpatients just seemed so uncaring for my feelings, she was brutal infant with the way she sort of explained things to me, she was to be honest more interested in her computor crashing! I just want to be the first person she sees when she wakes up not someone she doesn't know! :( will let you know what they say when I ring tomorrow :)

could not imagine she will be in recovery for 2 hours. Usually as the child wakes up they send for a parent to come to her...where I work anyway thats the rule! I'm sure that person had her facts wrong. Good luck and keep strong. it's rough food. it cleans the area and prevent infection also. good luck

Our DD was 3.5 when she has T&A out (privately) last year. I was taken into recovery room to comfort her (she'd been around 5-10 mins) and was upset, however they encouraged me to climb on her bed and cuddle her in my arms. They wheeled us both back to the children's ward. She was fine then, slept several hours (I held her the whole time) and ate lunch a few hours later (melon, tuna sandwich, fruit, ice lolly). We were allowed home late aft and did a week of calpol & ibuprofen (alternating). She was fine from day 1 and the meds seemed more precautionary than anything else. Was amazed how much better / easier than ecpected ut was - haven't looked back since. Good luck!

Did you get any joy trying to find out more information lea2810? Hope you feel a bit better about it all now.

Thinking same thing

DD was 5 when she had her tonsils and adenoids out. She was being wheeled back to the ward when she started waking up. I was there to meet her coming up the corridor. She was half asleep and very very disorientated. I talked to her and stroked her hair etc but she didn't seem to register that I was there. She was settled into bed and managed to ask for the toy she had been promised when she woke up. By the time I'd got it out my bag, she'd fallen properly asleep and when she woke up again afterwards was a lot more with it and although she was sore she was well ready to go home and was waiting by the door for the doctor to say she could go, the next morning.

I was very anxious while she was in the OR but was so glad she had it done. It was soon forgotten and her health, sleep, growth, school absences - everything improved no-end.

I had chronic tonsillitis as a child and my Mum felt so anxious she didn't let me have them out. I feel really angry about it. I missed so much education I never caught up and my memories of childhood are of lying in bed, feeling dreadfully ill and wishing I was like my friends :( I'd just get over one awful bout and would then go down with the next. There was no way I wanted to consign DD to a childhood like that. For a bit of anxiety on my part and discomfort on hers, it was completely worth it. The staff were wonderful and did absolutely everything they could to make it as untraumatic as possible. Your DD will have no memories of the day of surgery aftewards. My DD is an adult now and can't remember having hers done.

The ward didn't give much detail when I rang up other than not to worry!?, I'm so scared 3 more days and I can't sleep n can't stop crying anything regarding blood, needles ect really makes me anxious and it's even worse coz its my baby!! I'm sure she willbe absolutely fine, she's a strong little thing nothing makes her sad even when she's poorly so m hoping for a speedy recovery :) me and her dad are not together and he is supposed to be coming on Friday but has a habit of letting me down so my best friend (my rock) is coming with me as she will give me tonnes more support than he will, I'm just glad she will be there to get me through the day :) xx

Ds1 had his tonsils and adenoids removed when he was just 5 (he's 7 now). I stayed with him as he was out under the GA (the worst bit for me) and was waiting for him in the recovery room when he came out of theatre.

I then had to stay with him for the next 24 hours until we could go home. I slept on a camp bed next to his bed.

They kept him in for as long as it took him to eat, drink and wee. He was a bit disorientated after the GA and wouldn't eat so an overnight stay was required. We had expected to go home the same day.

It was the best thing for him though. No more infections or breathing problems or snoring.

Avoid letting her eat bananas after, I always remember my friend doing this when we were kids and she was in agony.