Should I have ds tonsils removed

[Kaityx44]

Hi im looking for honest feedback as im quite anxious

Ds is 4 yeer old and is going into hospital tomorrow to have adenoids removed and grommets placed in. Surgeon had voiced my sons tonsils are big but not the biggest he has seen said to us he can take them out and that it's my choice .
I was a bit shocked as I thought he would just make the decision . I have read thats it's very painful for them and don't want to put him through pain if it can be avoided

He does not get throat infections often has had strep throat twice . He does mouth breath and snores and sometimes chokes of sylva when sleeping , he does sometimes pause breathing while sleeping for a few seconds which I thought was sleep apnea he had a sleep study at hospital and it came back OK I think it was the best he had slept and not his typical nights sleep. He is not a great sleeper not sure if this is down to tonsils or just behaviour . I honestly don't know if I should get them out or just leave them .

Yes, I would have them
removed at the same time. If the surgeon is saying he’s happy to do it, then there is obviously a need.

I can’t see any down points.

i had mine taken out when I was 17 or 18. There were two young boys having theirs done on the same morning. They were up and about within hours while I was still languishing in bed!

when did you see the surgeon in clinic? If it was a while back why not wait and see what the surgeon suggests on the day - sometimes things change in the interval between booking and operating that makes it clearer what the right procedure is. Sometimes they also suggest having a look once a child's asleep (when it's easy to have a good look around and see what's going on) and make a decision then.

Ds (now 20) had his removed at the age of 4 before he started school.
His tonsil were so big he would have trouble breathing during the night.
He had and has had no issues since then.

@Greybeardy he was last seen in January, I have asked him to have a look tomorrow before surgery to see what he thinks , im just worried he says there still big but not the biggest and it's my decision to make , I have health anxiety and anxiety so really struggle to make decisions especially when it's regarding my sons health . I'm hoping the surgeon makes the decision for me .especially if ds is going to be in alot if pain and a rush of bleeding worries me .

@Picklingwalnuts
How was your sons recovery?

You may as well have them taken out at the same time otherwise you will end up back again waiting to have them out at a later date and he will have to go through it all again

@Pinkychilla he doesn't really get any throat infections or anything though , he gets glue ear and snores at night and wakes for a drink surgeon thinks it's because of adenoids , will wait what surgeon says tomorrow and I'm just going to have to make a decision. Just hope it's the right one and recovery isn't too bad for him .

DS's recovered really quickly and was his usual self within a couple of days.

Hi, I hope you don’t mind jumping on.

For what reason are they removing his adenoids? DS is having the same symptoms but have said he isn’t a candidate for surgery.

He has had glue ear and ear infections on and off since he was 2 failed one of his hearing test and hearing slightly affected. Last heariAdenoids being removed to see if this helps and to help mouth breathing and sometimes snoring at night .last hearing test came back fine but surgeon says he would like to still cut his ear to see if fluid behind it and if there is he will also place grommets in . That's why I'm unsure and surprised about optional tonsils removal

I was the child in this situation. I had large tonsils that caused me to snore, but because I didn't get throat infections they wouldn't take them out, instead I just had grommets and an adenoidectomy.

I eventually had them out in my mid twenties. The recovery was awful and my surgeon said they should have been removed in childhood as the op and recovery is much easier then.

So if they are giving you the option to remove I'd take it.

Do it! I was a borderline case as a child and my mum didn't push hard enough to be honest. I had them put about 5 years ago aged 26 and it was the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Yes it’s painful but it doesn’t last. You just need to make sure you give regular pain relief for at least a week afterwards. It was a game changer for my DS. He came out of the operation and ate fish fingers and chips. Temporary discomfort isn’t a reason not to have it done.

If he’s had two proper strep infections by the age of 4 that’s significant enough, and certainly more than the average. With the snoring issues too and the fact that recovery is much easier when they’re young, I’d be inclined to go ahead with it.

Have them out. Once he starts mingling at school he may well get lots of nasty throat infections. Which are hideous and painful often come with a temperature and need lots of antibiotics . I had mine out at 11 . Before I was a tiny quiet mousy thing , I had missed so much school I didn’t have proper friends. Afterwards I grew very quickly took part in all sports and hardly had a day off sick . I became vibrant and very interactive.

it’s when he’s at school it will be relevant. Do it now!

DS now 20 had grommets fitted and adenoids removed at 5. He had glue ear from early on but no problems with ear infections. The primary reason for the op was hearing loss.
He dribbled continuously from 6 mnths, probably because swallowing was difficult.
The surgeon warned us pre op that his hearing would improve significantly immediately post surgery and the first thing DS asked us to do was to stop shouting. He also found the TV too loud on his return home.

The surgeon asked re tonsils but on the day he felt that it wouldn’t make a lot of difference and since he hadn’t had tonsillitis, ever, his tonsils were not scarred or too enlarged.
The grommets fell out within weeks so it was apparent that the enlarged adenoids combined with his anatomy were the cause.

Even when moderately enlarged they were blocking drainage from his nose and ears.
He had permanently snotty nose pre op ( snail trails), post op he was a different child, he could sniff, no longer dribbled and could hear a pin drop.

We hadn’t realised about the lack of sniffing pre op and it was probably the only negative because he thought it was a new superpower. Fortunately he’s grown out of that unpleasant habit now.

Yes,have them whipped out now while they are tiny,it's a big op as an adult. He'll recover in no time at this age.

Back in the early 90s I was the child in this exact situation. My parents opted to leave the tonsils alone. I suffered tonsillitis all through my teens. I ended up have my tonsillitis out at 21. It was horrible.
I would definitely get them removed if you are given the option.

Hi just an update, son had grommets in and adenoids out ,
Tonsils were left in as he said on grading they were a 2 which doesn't require surgery so I didn't put son through it as he's never had throat infections and sons tonsils were graded a 2 which is classed as normal .

He's had two strep infections by 4? How does that mean he's never had throat infections? I really hope he doesn't need them out in the future and spend years on a waiting list. Hope he has a speedy recovery.

@ohmondew it was meant to say once not twice, he's had strep throat once when he first started nursery at 3 only throat infection he's had , I also meant he hasn't had tonsillitis .

I went with the ent professional opinion who looked very thoroughly at my sons throat tiwce today before surgery and also when he was asleep gwtting his pricedure the tonsils were graded a 2 which is classed as normal so I wasn't going to put my son through unnecessary pain if not required and they are also part of the immune system .
He has a follow up appointment in 3 months to make sure everything is okay and will have an open referral for 1 year he was referrred in december ,seen in January and in for surgery today so not years on waiting list .
His recovery is going very good so far .

My son had his tonsils out last year at the age of nine. Best thing he’s ever done. He sleeps much better doesn’t snore as much anymore and hasn’t had any illnesses since. (He was always sick with viruses and not just in the throat. It was definitely the tonsils causing it)
recovery was grand. He had a bit of pain that evening after the surgery. They have to eat harder foods like toast, crackers etc to help aid recovery. Next morning he had a full Irish breakfast and was it was like nothing happened. Doctors told use to keep using the calpol/nurofen every 4-6 hours and to rinse with a peroxide mouth rinse twice daily for two weeks. Honestly my son said he was never really sore with it at all.

Just get them out. If he has co ablation, where they are just shaved. They recover much quicker.

I have massive tonsils and really upset my mum never got them removed when I was small. Have always suffered with ear problems and as I have gotten old lots of throat infections.

I dont get enough infections to get them done on NHS so will have to go private but know its going to be very painful as us adults seem to notice it more and take longer to heal

That seems the best outcome for your child. I am glad all went well.

I’d have them removed! If you wait and he needs it done at a later date which is most likely it means another op.