Would you go through with a tonsillectomy for this kid?

[Anonymous]

My oldest DS (now 9) had his tonsils and adenoids removed at 4 years old due to snoring and sleep apnea. He recovered well and much faster than we anticipated. He was a different kid after the surgery—he slept better, behavior was better, just seemed happier overall. I was hesitant to do it at first because he seemed so young, but he was not getting good quality sleep and it was obvious. Very happy we did it.

My second DS just had the same surgery although he is 6. It’s been a month and I can already tell his sleep is so much better.

[Anonymous]

PP here. I haven’t noticed any weight gain in my 9 year old although he’s pretty active with sports. I was worried about it at the time he had the procedure but it hasn’t been an issue 5 years later.

[Anonymous]

Tonsillectomy is a low risk surgery for most children I was told - unless an MD has flagged it as higher risk. In the normal case, I was told the main risk is the anesthesia ( only because kids have lower weight, so more important to be precise with anesthetic dosages ). To address that, make sure an experienced MD pediatric anesthesiologist (i.e., not a NP or RN anesthetist) is being used for the surgery. Again, this advice is what I am told is common practice, but it might be reassuring to parents hear that from your MD in advance.

** Note well, I am not an MD or an expert, I am just repeating what I was told…**

I would do the surgery if it were my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:4 years old, snores lightly in his sleep and has for at least 2 years. A sleep study revealed “mild obstructive sleep apnea” - it showed him having 1-2 apnea events per hour (for a child, apparently even 1 is not normal). The ENT says his tonsils are a 3 on the size scale (which goes from 1-4). But he’s not getting sick a ton or anything. He’s never had strep in his life. We mostly investigated this because his dad his sleep apnea and I know snoring isn’t normal. He DOES have more tantrums/little outbursts than his sister did at this age (…possibly indicative of poor quality sleep?), but I don’t know that it’s anything way out of the norm - maybe like 3-4 meltdowns a week? I do definitely sometimes feel like he’s overtired.

The ENT at children’s says “I think he is a good candidate for this surgery; if it was my kid, I would have the surgery. But it’s up to you, I’m not pushing you into surgery.” We are really torn! I’m very hesitant to have any kind of surgery done on a 4 year old, for obvious reasons. But if it’s going to continue to be an issue, do we need to just go ahead and do it? Thoughts / advice very welcome - thanks

Mine week taken out when I was four. I never heard about any problems and I never had strep throat growing up or had any earaches.

[Anonymous]

Sleep apnea is no joke. And lack of sleep messes with emotional regulation and can mimic adhd. That parent worries about unclear connections to weight gain is seriously fat-phobic. Your poor kid.

[Anonymous]

Do it! My DD, now 23 had adenoids and tonsils removed her junior year of college after she repeatedly had strep, sore throats and tonsillitis and was always sick. Scheduling and then recovery was rough.

When she was your DCs age, our pediatricians advised against tonsillectomy as this had fallen out of favor and practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DO IT! I have very rotten tonsils and so does dh. I had strep nonstop and then the final nail in the coffin was mono in college. There is no recovery for my tonsils and now I'm too old to get them out.

Good friends of ours are both ENTs. They said that previously ENTs stopped doing tonsillectomies as much (in 90s/2000s/2010s), but they realized that the pendulum had swung too far. There is no benefit to having tonsils. They said that they see lots of cases with adults who have bad tonsils and there isn't much to be done for them.

Why would you be too old? I had mine out at 37 and it was painful but so worth it.

I had mine taken out at 40. It cured me of falling sick all the time and my tonsil stones. Most importantly, my kids stopped falling sick from me. I was passing all kinds of sickness to them due to proximity. I was just a sick puppy for 40 yrs of my life.

[Anonymous]

No, I absolutely would not do surgery for a condition that wasn't causing any problems, and that the surgeon was not actively recommending.

[Anonymous]

The evidence really is not great for tonsillectomy:

https://www.aarc.org/nn19-tonsillectomy-long-term-effects/

[Anonymous]

I would first see a dentist who specializes in airway issues.

[Anonymous]

No -
No!
Don’t do it. I did it for my son and wished I hadn’t. Please no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No -
No!
Don’t do it. I did it for my son and wished I hadn’t. Please no.

OP here - can you elaborate? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Is the child mouth breathing when asleep?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We decided against it for my mild sleep apnea kid who at age 12 still does not sleep well. Honestly, it was the association with weight gain that really gave me pause. We may think it’s a useless organ, but the body is too dang complicated for me to do it unless there was an assured benefit.

How is tonsil removal associated with weight gain? I have never heard that. I had mine out and have a BMI of 18 with limited exercise in my 40's, my 13 year old had his out at 5 and he's 5'6" and 110 lbs. Meanwhile my brother who kept his tonsils is obese....

[Anonymous]

I know this is a zombie thread, but I happened to read it and have a similar situation with my 3 year old. After a series of ear infections doctors say his tonsils are ginormous and almost touching. We do have sleep issues but it’s mostly that he wakes up and wants to sleep with us. He does snore and mouth breathe. Otherwise seems totally fine so we didn’t pursue surgery as necessary.

My mom is an OR nurse who has done the surgeries before and had it done as a child and she has urged us to do anything to avoid it. Says it’s a terrible surgery, painful, and so traumatic she still remembers everything about the day of her surgery 50+ years ago.

Is she just wildly exaggerating? How was recovery if your toddler had the surgery?