Awful tonsils on ds aged 3, when to go to gp?

[jimijack]

He has had bronchiolitis in the past a couple of times, never any thing like this.
His voice changed, blocked nose I thought.
Breath smells awful. Snoring last night.
White & Brown blobs on red inflamed tonsils.
Is eating, drinking ok, happy in himself. Back to back brufen & calpol, doesn't appear to be in pain.
Bit of a temperature, hot to touch (I don't check temperature) masked by calpol probably.

Just looked again and his tonsils look bloody horrendous.
I don't want to waste a gp appointment, but THINK/ hope it will be ok to watch and see.
NHS choices says 3/4 days of symptoms.it's only been 24 hours, what do you think.

Ps I don't go to the Dr. Unless the limb is hanging off and spurting blood. I'm a terrible mother in this respect. Never ever go or take my kids, so the fact I'm asking shows I'm sufficiently freaked out!

If it's tonsillitis (and it sounds like it is) then he will need antibiotics. As a child I had it every three weeks until I was 6 and had my tonsils whipped out. It will take much longer to clear up without medicine. And will make him miserable.

That's the thing, he has never had it before, isn't unwell, isn't even grumpy, I'm not willing to throw unnecessary medication at him. I'm leaning on the theory that it will get better by itself, with time.......but have no experience of it personally.

NHS choices seems very logical and guided by N.I.C.E so I'm suitably encouraged.

What's the chances of him getting this again and again like so many poor little kids, that's my big concern.

DS had tonsilitis a lot as a small kid. The NHS use the Centor criteria you can see them here to establish if it's likely to be bacterial. I'm not a doctor but had diagnosing likely bacterial tonsilitis down pat a few years ago using this. Basically raised glands, no cough (for DS it used to come out of the blue, he was fine one minute then red hot and cuddly/sleepy the next), high temp and gak on the tonsils meant a call to the docs and antibiotics.

DS used to bounce back within 24 hours of starting antibiotics and the scary temperatures (he regularly hit 39.5) would drop rapidly once he'd started so our GP very much advised waiting as some kids do grow out of it. For DS he was spot on and the last bout was when he was 7.

My daughter started getting recurrent tonsillitis over last winter, and the doctor only gave us antibiotics the first two times (4 weeks apart) but after that told me they wouldn't give her anymore as they don't speed up recovery. I think if it's a one off thing he would need antibiotics, but recurrent they don't seem keen. My DD had it every 2-4 weeks between September and May but hasn't had it since!!!! Although her tonsils have remained huge.
I would prob take him in just go see.

Thanks every one.
I chose to not take him to GP, I did just watch & wait.
He still remains well, just a funny little voice and snoring at night.
I've given him brufen once in the last 24 hours as he just hasn't needed anything...absolutely no symptoms to warrant giving it.
Definitely no need for antibiotics.
Hoping it's a one off, I am bloody mad about it though because I breast fed that kid till his 3rd birthday and had read that ENT type illness are virtually unheard of in bf kids...what bollocks! Annoyed!

ENT type illnesses are virtually unheard of in breastfed kids ? That's a good one !

I would have taken him to GP just to get it logged as tonsillitis in case this is the start of many and he eventually needs them out. My DS (5) had his out earlier this year after 7 cases in 2 years. Am hopeful of a healthy winter for him this year.