Children’s ENT waiting times - wtf

[JustFrustratedRr]

DS4 has been struggling with breathing at nighttime,loud snoring, sleeping with his mouth open, also day time breathing is affected, he’s breathing very very loud, numerous people have commented on that. He sounds permanently nasal with blocked nose. His tonsils are big.
Got GP referral for ENT specialist, today I found out from the clinic that the wait time is 12 months. 12 months to see a bloody children’s ENT specialist.
Has anyone really has waited that long? I’m just so frustrated and angry.

I mean adenoids/large tonsils/glue ear are very common childhood issues so yes I would expect a long wait. And that is just a wait to see the Consultant, then it'll be waiting for tests, results, plan, and then treatment if needed. It's not going to be a quick fix unfortunately.

Longer in our area. Sadly one of the causes is that ENT was one of the specialties with highest risk of doctors dying of Covid (on top of the very significant backlog created by the pandemic in all sorts of ways), and capacity has basically not recovered since then.

It's about a year from referral to appointment for my ENT appointment.

Totally normal yes, as blunt as it sounds that’s actually a short wait

Yes, it's about that long here as well (and not much private pediatrics outside London, so no chance of swerving it).

This is shit I'm.sorry. DS has the same issue and we were lucky enough to have insurance through DH's work so could go private. We were basically told this was our best bet by the GP as Ent wait times so long.

Are the sleeping problems affecting him in the day time with tiredness and failure to thrive? I was told this was the main criteria for operating.

Fortunately he’s absolutely fine at the day time. He’s not tired or sleepy and has no problems to concentrate or in nursery, just a normal active lively boy.
That’s why probably GP made this as a non urgent referral.. sigh.

But poor little mice is struggling so much at night time, the snoring is absolutely horrible.

Mine was a year. We got expedited due to her have obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral tonsillitis.

we had the surgery on Tuesday, it was tough.
she has had tonsillitis almost 20 times since she was born she’s just turned 3, and stops breathing and night and has been rushed to A&E to help open her airways to breath etc.

as awful as it is, if it isn’t as urgent it’ll be 12months wait and that’s just for the appointment for the referral to ENT then you have to go on another list for them for surgery.

I’d consider private if you could afford it. We considered it. But thankfully was seen so quickly. Again due the the double issues and severity.

We're two years post referral, all we've had is a letter asking if I want to keep his name on the list.

Can I ask about the surgery recovery as DS having it in a few days. I can't wait as his sleep apnea is v stressful to listen to.

@Allswellthatendswelllwere 2 days post op and she’s manage to catch a virus and is congested, but she’s breathing ok. I just held her the first night and none of that holding the breath happened etc

be warned they get very upset post op, and watching them go under is awful. Just lots of cuddles when it’s done x