Tonsils out or not?

[OhForkItThen]

I had a first ent appt today for dad, it was about 60 seconds of looking in throat and watching a video of sleeping and we were offered surgery.

I was expecting from others tbh a wait and see/ dismissal as apparently that’s what they do so I’ve done no reading up.

He basically said the amount of tissue was basically blocking her breathing and causing sleep apnea.

What are people’s experiences of haven’t it done or not?

They wouldn't offer surgery unless they think it's needed, you're DD has obviously had some issues if you've gone down the route of getting a referral, so why would you not now want to follow the doctors advice?

How old is your DD?

I had my tonsils out at 12, which I think is fairly late, due to missing lots of school through frequent infections.
The recovery was no different that having a sore throat for a week or so.

My son, now 11, had his tonsils and adenoids out when he was 4.
He'd had recurrent terrible tonsillitis. We eventually got referred And took a recording of his snoring with us. We expected to a fight but within 2 mins he said he should have both out.

I was apprensuvd but it was genuinely life changing! No more bugs, no snoring, slept better and all round healthier boy.

Good luck.

My DD had hers out when she was 8. Recovery was easier than I expected and it improved her sleeping and recurrent infections. Go for it OP.

My ds had his out in February aged 4 aswell as grommets and adenoids. He also suffered from sleep apnea but now he doesn't even snore.Everything went smoothly and you wouldn't believe the change in him. Not sure if be the same for your dd but he was off school for 2 weeks.

I think I find it harder as she’s only 3. I wonder if she’l grow out of it and she’s two young for any real discussion on how she feels about it, so it’s totally on me interpreting her.

the risks of untreated sleep apnoea relate to behavioural & cognitive problems and heart problems all caused by poor sleep and recurrent periods with low oxygen levels (due to the apnoea). If Ts&As are big then removing them will likely fix the problem. The surgeon will be the best person to discuss the specific risks/benefits to your child/what the chances are of things improving without surgery.

Do the surgery no question.

And younger the better. Don't impede her quality of life for some misplaced guilt.

We had my daughter’s tonsils and adenoids taken out when she was 3, nearly 4. The first 48 hours of recovery were tough but after that, she was back to normal very quickly. We had a much happier and healthier child after it!

Do it. My DD had hers out earlier on in the year along with grommets and adenoids. She was 3.

She's a totally different child since having it done. So much happier, no more pain, no more infections, no more snoring so loud she wakes herself and the rest of the house up.

My boy has his tonsil op scheduled for tomorrow. He's been getting infections every 3-4 weeks for the last 18 mths. Drawing a lot of strength from the posts on here so thank you all.

I had it done at 17 it really wasn't too bad and I never hardly get sore throats now. I'd defo get it done.

I think I expected monitoring/ antibiotics in a low does for a while or something. It really seems a surprise to go from first appt to surgery in a fortnight.

I’ve been reading online and it’s a mixed picture. Lots of research pointing to it not benefitting or people saying it lead to lung infections/ allergies instead

@OhForkItThen, I agree the picture is mixed. I had decided to get DD's out (at 6) and then ultimately opted out after reading some research papers. But my DD was a borderline case. Can you ask for another opinion?

@LittleBoyce you’re one of the first to say that, it seems most are so up for it.

I don’t know where to get second opinion really. Private option locally everyone recommends is the same guy as in the hospital (plus don’t really have £). Other localish hospital has a poor rep, other doesn’t see her age.

Have you regretted not going ahead?

Hello again, @OhForkItThen.
Personally, I'm enormously relieved we didn't do it for my DD (backed out of the op only a week beforehand after a friend sente a research paper she'd encountered). DD has basically outgrown the issues she had. I think tonsillectomy was offered to her far too hastily and casually, based on what I've now read about unknowns and downsides. However, I know others have found real benefit from the op, and I'm sure it's been a great thing for some (as evidenced on this thread). Also - who knows - my DD may have had better sleep earlier on if we'd have gone ahead. There's no doubt she was over-tired and had more throat infections than many kids, so it's quite possible that not having the tonsillectomy made these things last longer than they needed to. But on balance, for us, I'm glad we didn't do it.
It's really tricky making these decisions. Remember there is no perfect decision here, so don't beat yourself up either way.

For sleep apnoea do it. Makes an enormous difference. My son was 4 when his was done. He went deaf with glue ear too.he slept properly without constantly choking afterwards.

@OhForkItThen, could you ask about tonsillotomy rather than tonsillectomy? I think this preserves some of the tonsil tissue, so the possible implications for immune system development may be less?

DD2 got her tonsils out at 15. It was tough going (I had mine done at 24, so could appreciate it) but she was so much better for it being done. If your doctor is offering the operation, take it! They are reluctant to do this now unless the condition is serious.

I’d say for sleep apnoea get it done. We did for DS as his sleep was massively impeded, waking many times a night. He also has night terrors. Since having the tonsils and adenoids out his sleep has improved, no more snoring, his attention span and speech improved massively in a very short time. He also had a massive growth spurt - in the 8months prior to surgery his feet had not grown at all, yet he jumped 3 shoe sizes 6 months after. Sleep apnoea can have major effects of growth and development.

DS had them done just before turning 3, and the consultant had said in some kids the tonsils and adenoids continue to grow but in a more accelerated rate than the airways etc, which is why they can be too large for the space they inhabit therefore causing apnoea. This can continue until about age 7, when many kids do outgrow the problem. Thing is, that would be another 4 years of awful sleep, as well as behavioural issues and growth and development problems. On balance, we decided the surgery was the better option, and I have to say he’s been in excellent health ever since -barring the chicken pox he had age 4!- whereas before he was always coming down with various colds and viruses.

DS had just turned 4 - it made a huge difference to his quality of life. He was able to sleep properly, and it was an end to the continual tonsillitis. The surgeon said sleep apnea should be treated, for the reasons that Greybeardy has given.

DS stayed overnight (because of the sleep apnea), and had a sore throat for a couple of days. It was difficult to make the decision, but I am glad he had it done. DS remembers his hospital stay fondly! He doesn’t remember being sore, and the staff were all lovely and made him feel calm and happy. He remembers the playroom and the bed that went up and down

I had recurrent tonsillitis and missed so much school but it used to be that you needed to have 5 episodes a year to be referred for surgery. So I just muddled through.
As an adult I don’t get it often but my tonsils have gaping holes where I get tonsil stones which are disgusting!
I’d definitely get them taken out.

So my boy had his tonsils out on Tuesday, we went home the same day. By Thursday night we were readmitted because he was refusing to eat or drink. We had a very hairy 24 hrs where he had to be given IV fluids after his blood sugar dropped to dangerous levels. Luckily he started drinking milk and we came home yesterday after two nights on the ward. Today he is very very sore because the scabs are coming off, but he is still managing small cups of milk - thank goodness!

I would say to think carefully about if you really need this op. We know DS did, as he was getting infections every 3-4 weeks for nearly 18 mths and had developed penicillin resistance as a result. It had gone far enough.

Recovery is tough, and DS is still very very sore and not himself at all. We are just clinging to the hope of an infection free summer holiday!

It really sounds like your child is a very obvious case for surgery, it’s not so easy to get an agreement for surgery, especially if you’re not pushing. We have a borderline case - he’s almost 5 now and we are on the list for surgery (recurrent infection, including one set of IV abs and sepsis) but we’ve been seeing the ENT since early 2017. Sleep study was inconclusive (and also the only time he ever slept through ), but tonsils are enormous - almost touching. There was very much umming and ahhing with his consultant, surgery was agreed in April but still no date through. I’m still in two minds, so I understand your reluctance, but the consultant must be fairly certain that it’s needed.

I was expecting a sleep study, but I guess if I brought a clear video it’s a fairly good substitute?

In no tonsil expect but hers do seem big, they are huge and obvious (despite loads of tonsillitis I find it hard to see mine). They not only nearly touch but look lumpy and further forward too.

I really appreciate the personal stories, including the rough recovery. The eating: drinking worries me. Her big sister has autism, and though she doesn’t she has loads of the same traits with food and upset over routine. I worry she’d freak out and go nil by mouth. She’s an emotional one!

I’d otherwise though describe her as study, she’s got flesh on her, a tummy and rather likes food. The image of a chubby healthy looking child, no waif! She takes the infections and sleep better than you’d expect, I don’t know how (like her sister she seems to run on little sleep and has too much energy...). She’s just very upset and sad/ lethargic in spells of tonsillitis, she has shaken it 4 out of 7 times this year without antibiotics, but one time needed three types.