Tonsils & Kids

[earache]

My 7yo has had more than her fair share of colds over the last few years, and they always go right to her chest. Doc indicates that her tonsils are rather large and may be contributing to her condition. My wife and I both had our tonsils removed when we were kids and benefited greatly from their removal. Now we may need to decide what to do with our daughter. Our doc has broached the subject lightly and I think we now need to push ahead and just do it. The sooner the better in my book. Anybody have young kids who have had to make this choice? Seems like there was a while there where tonsillectomies fell out of favor. Don't hear about them much anymore. Thoughts?

[freeradical]

I had mine (and adenoids ) removed when I was a young kid due to severe earaches. It cured the problem.

[AlphaDog]

I suppose there are good reasons to not remove perfectly serviceable body parts without cause, which probably explains why the automatic removal of tonsils and adenoids fell out of favor. There's certainly a big difference between having tonsils removed for just because and removing them in an effort to reduce illness. If my child's doctor suggested that removing tonsils would be a good thing, I'd be on the phone making the hospital reservation.

[Grateful11]

I wish mine were out. They're large and buildup food particles in them, disgusting!

[dmann]

Do it!!!! Take your child to a designated Ear Nose and Throat Dr. for an evaluation- don't rely on your pediatrician. My pediatrician was one of those in the 70's who "bucked the trend" of tonsillectomys and told my parents it was a needless procedure.

I suffered with endless bouts of strep throat, really bad colds (when everyone else had mild cases) and long recovery times until I was 19 and finally saw an ENT. He was shocked I still had my tonsils, and they came out in the summer of '88 (between my freshman and soph year in college.) They were so bad, he KEPT them and used them in a class he was teaching at Northwestern.

Recovery was MISERABLE and took most of the summer. I have to believe it would have been easier and quicker when I was a kid.

I haven't had strep since then and overall recovery time when I am sick is much better.

DM

[testcase]

I though science had recently discovered the actual function that parts like tonsils & the appendix served. I remember as a kid, my family's MD always wanted to yank my tonsils but, never got the chance to do. I don't remember be very sick as a child (other than second grade when most of my class got mumps, measles, chicken pox and scarlet fever in rapid succession. The nun got two months off and, once back, everyone got all the required work done. We were all promoted). If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it is broke, listen to your MD.

[cbelt3]

Obligatory Bill Cosby quote:

"ICE Cream ! We're gonna get ICE Cream !"

[JoeH]

cbelt3 wrote:
Obligatory Bill Cosby quote:

"ICE Cream ! We're gonna get ICE Cream !"

I heard about getting ice cream afterwards too. What they left out was that I would have no desire to eat any for days afterwards :censor: :censor: :censor: :censor: !!! Turned out slightly warmed broth and not too cold Jello went down a lot easier than ice cream.

[dmann]

LOL! Yes, that ice cream thing is funny but I agree with JoeH. I had a hard enough time swallowing my own saliva (sorry- TMI!) post-op. Food didn't even sound good for a few days.

DM

[OWC Jamie]

My pediatrician was of the "He'll outgrow the tonsilitis" school.

At 21 or 22 I got a staph infection in the badly scarred tonsils and they had to come out.
For some reason hospital ice cream doesn't melt.

And that first swallow can result in a massive hemorrhage, which, when a nurse freaks out after she suggests trying to swallow and it feels like someone turned on a faucet in your throat, is a bit nerve wracking.

What they use for a local is fun , though. :-)