GP has made mutterings about ds1 having his tonsils removed. .......experiences please, good or bad.

[Aero]

He woke up this morning with golf balls for tonsils again and if he has another obut of tonsilitis this year, they will refer him for surgery. Now, I've heard that on the whole, this is a good thing. Not that he'll never have another sore throat again, but it should put an end to the frequency of infections. Is that right? Tell me your experiences please. He is nine years old and has a history of chest/respitory infections and has had pneumonia three times, most recently about a year ago.

another 'bout' of tonilitis, that is.

My eldest had his removed when he was just over three. He started off getting infections at least every month, and the duration between was shrinking, so it became every 2/3 weeks before he had them removed.

Since then (he's now 12) he probably gets one or two chest infections a year, but there was a distinct improvement as soon as he was operated on.

I'm kind of worried that taking out the tonsils will open up the pathway for chest infections, but have no medical knowledge, so don't know if I'm making sense or not.

I have no idea medically, but IME with DS1, the occurrence of infections improved dramatically, from at least once a month to one/two a year.

(He would pick up a cough/cold and it always went on to his chest).

Thanks URB - that's what happens with ds1 - he can never just get a plain old cold and shake it off like the rest of us! He's had more ABs in his nine years than I've had in 36!!!

Does anyone else have experience of this, or is there anything I should be aware of?

I had mine out when I was 15/16. Quite late but it made a huge difference to me.

I always had sore throats and chest infections. Tons of ABs. Specialists for a persistent cough.

I'd been like it for years and my mum had to really fight to get them to do it.

My cousin's ds had great success with having his tonsils removed. Eliminated constant stream of infections that he was getting.

I had my tonsils out as a child and it put a total stop to repeated throat infections. I remember it being very sore and feeling quite sick for a few days after but hardly ever got sick after that.

I had my tonsils out at 6 years old and it made a huge difference to me.

The operation to remove tonsils is easier than it was 30 years ago. Children are allowed to go home the same day. I think they use laser cautorisation so there is much less risk of bleeding.

I would definitely go for it. My DS2 had his taken out when he was about 7 and it made a huge difference. Unfortunately DS1 has had problems that appeared more minor at the time than DS2 but he has been having repeated infections now. He is 20 yrs old but has been suffereing for past 4 years. He has been referred to ENT now as his glands are constantly enlarged. I wish I had pushed for him to get them out as a child (constant post nasal drip). It is much more painful getting them removed as an adult.

it's worth it. I had mine out at 30 having had a lifetime of tonsilitis. Repeated infections meant they were useless anyway - swollen to the size of golfballs permanently and not doing anything to inhibit infection.

Wish I had had it done years ago. Now I just get sore throats, in the normal manner, not raging infection/fever/misery.

When my dd was 6 she had tonsilitis every month for 8 months, she was missing lots of time from school and even between the bouts of tonsilitis she generally run down. The gp referred her and as we had medical insurance she was seen very quickly, they removed her tonsils at the beginning of half term, she then had another week off school. The operation was in the morning and by the evening she was eating sausages and chips, she felt sore for a few days but her throat wasn't as sore as when ahe had the tonsilitis. Since the operation she has hardly missed any time from school and I'm really glad she had them removed.

Thanks everyone - I feel less worried by the prospect of of possible tonsil removel for ds1 now (although keeping my fingers crossed he doesn't have another infection this year). He think it's cool, but I'm not sure he really understands that it will hurt!