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Original poster

Hunker's DS1 has recurrent tonsillitis - anybody else's child?

68 replies

hunkermunker · 20/11/2007 19:15

he's on my lap so typing hard

he's had it three times in four months

bad - horrible pussy tonsils, swollen glands, fever the last two times, although not this time. He also vomits regularly with it - three times yesterday, four today.

Doctor prescribes antibiotics, and says the risk of a tonsilectomy greater than that of tonsillitis - they don't perform the op unless children have it between 6 and 12 times in a year.

what have your experiences of it been? anybody else's child had the op?

OP posts:

ihatethisman · 21/11/2007 00:37

my worst bloody nightmare tbh.
i shout at them both daily to Sit Down When Brushing and other such useful mother type advice.
But he has a scrape on the side of his palate that was bleeding a bit.
he won't be eating anything warm for the next few days- i see an ice cream need on the horizon!
sorry, i have no advce re the tonsils though.
i suppose he best advice is not to let him run with his toothbrush-

VeniVidiVickiQV · 21/11/2007 18:12

How is he today hunker?

LOVEMYMUM · 21/11/2007 18:24

Hi hunkermunker. Your poor son. I had my tonsils out when I was 11 1/2 (March 1984). DS is a bit young, but gargling with salt water was a great painkiller and helped to get rid of the tonsillitis. I eventually had them out after it took antibiotics about four days to work (with tonsillitis, i could barely drink, never mind eat). Hope this hasn't scared you at all. I hope DS feels better soon. NB. If you aren't happy in later years with your GP, try to get a referral to an ENT consultant - a tonsillectomy is a major operation. I was told to be off school for six weeks and there is a risk of bleeding afterwards. That said - I've been much healthier ever since. Poor little munchkin.

Niecie · 21/11/2007 18:31

I haven't read the rest of the thread so forgive me if you have moved away from the OP but my DS1 was exactly the same at 4 (well he was coming up for 5 - he had his second but shortest bout on his 5th birthday).

He had it 3 times in 9 weeks, the first and last being bad and the last one being so bad that he was ill for 12 days and throwing up daily, mainly in the evening. We got the point where the doctor was thinking of testing him for glandular fever, but thankfully he got a bit better.

However, he didn't have another bout again for a long long time so hopefully that is what will happen to your son, Hunker. However, I would say that my DS had his 3 bouts in the summer so that may count against your DS as more things are going round this time of year. He didn't take AB's except for the first time because they made him as sick as the infection (hated the taste and made him gag).

We were told that he needed to have 4 bouts a winter for 3 years before they would even consider taking out his tonsils. We were also told that tonsils are quite large in small children relative to their size and by the time they get to 7 or 8 they become smaller and then they should get less infections. Seem to be true for us. I hope it is true for you too.

Hope your DS is feeling better soon.

Original poster

hunkermunker · 21/11/2007 18:35

Thank you, again, for your experiences.

He's a bit better today - still floppy, still not right, barely eating, barely drinking, which really isn't like him - but he will sometimes drink if I offer it, which I do, often.

We had a lovely cuddle on the sofa watching Deal Or No Deal this afternoon. He's watching Thomas now and nibbling a sandwich - literally three nibbles so far.

OP posts:

Niecie · 21/11/2007 20:36

If he isn't drinking enough have you tried ice lollies or ice cubes. They are soothing and add to fluids too?

Miaou · 21/11/2007 20:46

Aw, I hadn't seen this before now - poor little ds! Have no experience of tonsillitis (thank bloody god, having just read this thread ), but will send some ice creamy get well vibes to the wee fella

Orinoco · 21/11/2007 21:10

Message withdrawn

Orinoco · 21/11/2007 21:11

Message withdrawn

Original poster

hunkermunker · 21/11/2007 22:13

Thank you for more ideas.

He was horribly sick again at about 8pm

He's asleep now, having had a bit more to drink, some more antibiotics and some Disprol (did somebody ask where you get it? Sainsburys, I think, and larger Boots stores).

Poor lad, he's such a patient thing.

OP posts:

Miaou · 21/11/2007 22:15

hello hunker, poor ds, it sounds vile

(the person asking about disprol also asked what colour it was )

bonkerz · 21/11/2007 22:20

my DS had this when he was 3. Would be down doctors every 2 weeks getting more anti biotics. Eventually they took his tonsils and adenoids out when he was 4. I think the trick is to keep taking him when he is poorly and keep asking for referral.

Pannacotta · 21/11/2007 22:21

Thanks Miaou, was keen to know why Disprol was better than Calpol (which I hate giving) and wondering if it was to do with added colour (or lack of).

Cashncarry · 21/11/2007 22:23

Hunker - sorry to hear your DS is sick

DD (3 on saturday) has terrible troubles with her tonsils. She's had tonsilitis three times so far this year and three times last year although, as others have said, it's not enough to be referred for surgery. She has however been put on the waiting list due to having "obstructive apnoea" and a borderline hearing test and is due to have her tonsils and adenoids whipped out and grommits put in early next year.

Anyway, I digress. I have stopped going to the GP for the tonsilitis (unless it goes on for more than a week and i can't control the temperature) because I'm worried about the effect of too much antibiotics. We do the following, which may or may not be the reason she's suffered less of late:

have started using manuka honey - about a half a teaspoon once a day in the morning - seems to cut back on those awful coughs that shake her tiny little body every morning when she wakes up,
cutting back on the dairy seems to have an effect on the extra gunk she produces,
encourage her to spit regularly into a tissue. sounds gross but she seems to produce a lot of frothy spit sometimes flecked with green. If she doesn't spit it out regularly, it seems to go down to her tummy and then come straight back up again (TMI!),
lots of water all the time - we use little bottles (the ones they sell tropicana in) and she carries on with her all the time. we encourage her to take small sips often - because her tonsils are so large, she mouth breathes and often has a dry throat which causes her to cough, which in turn causes her to retch/vomit. Keeping her throat lubricated seems to break that pattern.
Sleep on her front - I just tell her to turn over at bedtime. I think it makes her less likely to cough at night.

gosh - have gone on for a bit I very rarely post on MN nowadays but saw your post and felt so sorry for your poor little boy - he really is mummy's little soldier . Wish him better soon and you some inner peace in the meantime x

DooDoDooDoDoMaNuhMaNuh · 21/11/2007 23:27

Pannacotta, it's a v pale yellowish colour - almost clear. Sorry for calling you "somebody"! Thanks, Miaou.

Bonkerz, yes, I take him each time he's poorly - the last two times he's had temperatures pushing 41 degrees and he'll only tolerate paracetamol on an empty stomach - he vomits ibuprofen. I give him 5ml doses of paracetamol at a time because if he's sick and I've given him 10ml, I can't give it again, but I can just give him another 5ml if he's sick soon after he's had the first lot.

CnC, your poor DD - I hope her op goes really well. Happy birthday for Saturday! I'm not sure how phlegmy DS1 is, really - he also doesn't sound adenoidy. He's mouth-breathing a fair bit atm, I think - his lips are v dry. But that's partly because he's not drinking much either, I think - he usually drinks LOADS and always has done. Good point about manuka honey - I have some in the cupboard. I have no idea if he'll take it though - he's a jam-refuser, always has been, so not sure how he'd feel about honey. Thank you very much - he really is a brilliant little boy and I feel very sorry for him as he's such a bouncy, fun thing to be around when he's well - I hate seeing him so flat

Cashncarry · 21/11/2007 23:37

I'm going to presume DooDoo is Hunker! Luckily, DD just takes it off the spoon - I tell her it's magic Dora food Maybe you could dilute it in lots of water and then kill two birds with one stone.

Gosh it is horrible isn't it? sometimes with these things you just have to ride it out - try not to worry, he'll be back to his usual bright self in no time and you'll have forgotten all about this bit - I always do

ps having said I'm only lurking at the mo, I've had a sleep-deprived posting frenzy - it's all your fault

DooDoDooDoDoMaNuhMaNuh · 21/11/2007 23:40

Hah, you'd be right in that presumption! Bit weird if it wasn't, really!

Sorry for the sleep-deprived posting frenzy!

Will try magic Thomas food, I think. Or Roary. But he's never gone along with things like that - I suspect he'll shake his head and say No, Mummy, it isn't!

You're right - once they're better, you forget how flopped they are when they're ill, which is good, I think! Bit of a shock when they flop again though. Wish he'd stop being sick though

Cashncarry · 21/11/2007 23:45

The vomiting will stop but you might have to starve him a little and i would definitely say that having dairy in the week DD vomits makes it re-occur. One other tip which might be useful - sticky chinese style boiled rice. DD goes mad for it when she's been sick, it always stays down as well - always a bonus for your washing machine!

I will stop with the rambling now and get myself to bed - you do the same!

odd that it feels so comfortable posting again after such a long absence, sort of like, coming home

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