4yo recurrent tonsillitis

[scrambledeggbrain]

I'm at my wits end with DS's tonsils. Since Jan he's had five nasty bouts of tonsillitis and they have all knocked him for six. Last week he caught a cold and this week it's morphed into tonsillitis again.

He has ASD and it's very difficult to detect illness and treat him, he spits out all medicine and won't take it in any food/liquid.

I have health anxiety and this is triggering me constantly at the moment, I'm terrified that these infections will continue like this indefinitely. I'm terrified he could have something worse going on in there.

I just wondered if there was anybody else that's been through this, and how they coped!

Would getting them removed be an option?

Oh OP, I really feel for you. About 2 years ago I was in your position, DS's recurrent tonsillitis caused my health anxiety which I've only just started to recover from. The lack of sleep and the constant threat of it happening was awful, it caused me so many sleepless nights. DS suffered so much.

Our GP referred him for a tonsillectomy after he had it 5 times in the space of a year and it was the best thing we've done. He's had more energy, sleep and just been much more even tempered. The operation was obviously unpleasant but if we had the option again then we'd do it.

Speak to the GP about what to do next, DS even had tonsillitis when he went in for the operation and we were told that we'd be lucky to schedule an operation when he didn't have it so they went ahead. No one wants to put a child through an operation, especially if it's not essential but this is often played down. Don't be fobbed off with stories about how all children grow out of it, lots do but so many don't.

I hope things get sorted out for you and your DS.

Thanks @LotsToThinkOf - I am hoping the ENT says they can come out. Could be a while until we're seen though, as we're low on the priority list.

I'm so desperately unhappy with this health anxiety, I'm just constantly on tenterhooks waiting for it to start. He used to be such a robust kid, but this year has really knocked him for six.

I feel your pain op, I have a just turned 4 year old who's also asd and although he takes medicine well he is extremely sensitive to pain/discomfort and restraining him for Doctor examinations is so distressing. My son doesn't get tonsillitis (touch wood) but recurrent ear infections, (7 in the last 12 months), he has mild glue ear and we're constant congestion due to large adenoids which we've been on the waiting list for removal for since June after seeing an ENT. I also have health anxiety and totally sympathise with you, the anticipation of another infection coming is downright fucking awful. If you ever want to talk, I'm here.

DD1 had hers out at 5, best thing we ever did.

Where we live the guidelines state you have to have tonsillitis 13 times in 12 months before they’ll remove them!

An adult friend of mine had her 13th bout of tonsillitis 4 days after the 12 month time limit and they have refused to take them out.! If the last bout of tonsillitis was 4 days sooner she’d have had surgery!