Re: help need info on tonsils and adenoid surgery

March 27, 2006

Hello Jeanne,

My name is Dana and I am from Lake Hopatcong, NJ. Both my son's had their

adenoids removed. My 4 year old severe apraxic son had tubes and adenoid

surgery and my oldest son who is a typical 6 year old just had his adenoids

removed on March 17th 2006. He was doing wonderful right after surgery and the

night of his surgery, but the next morning he woke up with severe congestion

and green yellow mucus oozing out of his nose. Then he had a fever of 101.8

which brought us back to the hospital, they couldn't find anything wrong

except he had a very bad sinus infection and double ear infection, that was due

to the surgery.( bacteria in his sinus and adenoids) Prior to the surgery he

also snored and had constant sinus infections and adenoid infections. That

is why we chose to remove them. The surgeon also said that my son had the

largest adenoids he has ever removed. As of today March 27th he is still

running low grade fevers , however his sinus infection has improved and that

was

after 2 antibiotic changes. On the other hand my four year old severe apraxic

son had adenoid and tube surgery last March 25th 2005, and he did

extremely well. He had to have the surgery because of constant ear infections

that were causing more problems with speech. He came home and ate everything

in sight and was back to his bouncy self by the next morning. We had no

problems with my 4 year old ,so when my 6 year old had it done last week we

were

shocked, but ph also has a long history of infections and sinus

problems, so that is why he had more post-operative problems. My husband and I

both

agreed to both our sons having the surgery and it has helped my 4 year old so

much, because he did not have one ear infection at all this year, and so

far, we are hoping for the same outcome for ph, that this will help with

his

snoring and mouth breathing and sinus problems, but i won't know for another

few weeks. i hope this helps. Sorry so long, Dana from NJ

March 27, 2006

Jeanne,

My children have not had their tonsils out, but I did last year! It

was an absolutely horrible recovery - I couldn't eat normal food for

about 3 weeks. But I have to say that I do have an easier time

breathing now, especially at night. I have asthma too, and although

it hasn't actually improved my asthma symptoms being able to get

more air in helps a lot. I should say that the reason I had them

out was because I had recurrent strep infections (like for 6 months

straight), not because of breathing difficulties.

Your concern about him being put out is justified. If you decide to

go ahead, be sure to schedule it when a really good anesthesiologist

(know I didn't spell that one right!) can attend - someone with lots

of experience with kids with asthma - and make sure everyone's on

the same page before surgery begins.

Kerri

>

> Hello everyone,

>

> I have not posted in a long time. I hope someone on the list can

help me out. my son who is 7 yo went to see an ENT today. I

took him to see one due he snores so loudly he keeps himself awake.

Plus he is diagnosed as having severe and persistent asthma in his

throat. Please do not ask as i am mystified on this one also. Anyway

that just does not add up to me. has oral motor and verbal

dyspraxia of speech.

>

> The ENT is recommending have both his tonsils and adenoids

out due to them being on the medium enlarged side. He has had no ear

infections or sore throats at all so far. He also thinks that

might benefit from having them out due to he has many allergies and

is most of the time suffering from a chronic cough and stuffiness.He

also believes speech may benefit from it also. Family history

of speech problems that improved upon removal of tonsils and

adenoids. ( I mom benefited my speech improved dramatically) I think

I may have had apraxia as a child myself many of the same things as

my son. The snoring is really becoming a problem for him also.

>

> Has anyone else had their childs out recently? I have not made a

decision yet. I want to ask for many opinions on the benefits of

this. I am told by my childs pedeatrician who does not agree with

getting them out at all. That while under general anesthesia my son

could stop breathing entirely due to his asthma. This makes me

nervous and I want to say no immediately. But if can benefit

and no longer possibly have asthma at all. It would be worth it. He

is currently on many oral steriods and they are terrible I think for

asthma and they do not seem to be doing much in terms of relief from

his wheezing. Anyway if you decided to have your childs out. Then

would you let me know your experience. I want to hear both sides of

the story good and bad. A local child where I live a few years ago

had his out and he died from complications he had diabetes also.

>

> Thank you,

> Jeanne

> Berlin, NH

>

> _____________________________________________________________

> Netscape. Just the Net You Need.

>

March 27, 2006

Im not sure what the original post was about, my son had his tonsils,

adenoids and a frenulectomy when he was 3 - the recovery for a child is

different

than from an adult. It is extremely painful for an adult (although it is

painful for a child as well, but they bounce back fairly quickly) It is

excruciating to watch, but they will give your child tylenol III and it is wise

to

make sure you give as the doctor orders-every 4 hours or whatever. It really

helps the pain and helps them to sleep and stay calm, because they really cant

get out of bed or run around at all for about a week, although I think my son

was in bed for 2 weeks. He's 6 now and looking back I remember it being the

cruelest thing that Ive ever done to him, but it has helped him to sleep

better as far as his breathing (he also has seizures at night), we havent had a

sore throat ever since, and we did get a few new sounds out of him afterward

as far as speech, whether it was tonsils or frenulectmy Im not really sure.

Anyway, it seems scary and cruel at the minute but its for the better.

Michele

March 28, 2006

Getting the tonsils out will NOT cure your child's asthma. There is no such

thing as " asthma in the throat " . Its asthma in the lungs.

But it is very possible that the asthma is being aggrevated by chronic

infections caused by the large tonsils (like repeat strep infections - a big

asthma trigger), or post nasal drip triggering asthma symptoms. So by

removing the tonsils/adenoilds you will remove a significant asthma trigger,

and the asthma may improve. Also, children with big tonsils who snore VERY

LOUDLY at night - can actually obstruct their airways and stop breathing

while they are sleeping at night at home...a bigger issue than the

anesthesia. Its called obstructive sleep apnea. The child snores loudly

then, suddenly stops...silence...then starts snorting rapidly catching their

breath. These children suffer from chonic exhaustion because they never get

a good nights sleep. They are awakened from deep sleep due to the low oxygen

to their brain...a protective mechanism...because once they wake up they

start breathing again. Kids with obstructive sleep apnea look completely

normal in the daytime when awake - but have severe and sometimes dangerous

breathing patterns at night. Also, chronic obstructive sleep apnea puts a

great strain on the heart which needs to work extra hard to function over

the increased pressures caused by the obstructed airway. This is a

significiant cause of pulmonary hypertension in adulthood (a very dangerous

condition) - due to the untreated child over years of excess work the heart

needs to perform through the nights on interrupted sleep.

The risks of anesthesia are there, but they are minimal. It is important to

have a skilled PEDIATRIC anesthesiologist taking care of your child. And

they would not take your child for an elective surgery if you son was having

an acute asthma flare. So if asthma is under good control, the risk of your

child " stopping breathing " during anesthesia is really misleading. Actually

the medicines the anesthesiologist gives will do just that - stop the

breathing while they do the manual work of breathing for your child. So as

long as your doc knows what he or she is doing - then managing the airway

and breathing for your child during the surgery is their job.

So if it sounds like your child has chronic obstructive sleep apnea - or

recurrent infections triggering asthma symptoms - surgery is the way to go,

and you will be so please you went that route after its over. Recovery is no

fun, and certainly no one should have surgery without good reason. But it

sounds like there may be adequate reason here.

For children with severe persistent asthma it is the right thing to do - to

investigate what is contributing to the problem. Has your son been

evaluated for reflux? Have you seen an allergist? Sometimes skin testing

can help identify allergic triggers. All carpets should be removed in the

house if possible, or at the very least, carpets in your son's bedroom.

Allergic bed and pillow covers might be worth investing in. No stuffed

animals in the bed. Consider HEPA filters. Pets in the house? Keep them out

of the bedroom if you can't part with them completely. Make sure no one

smokes around your child or in the house. Just a few things to

consider. -

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