OT - DS needs to get tonsils out

[Twingle]

After having strep 10 times in the last 12 months, the ENT has *finally* decided my DS needs to have his tonsils removed. He's very excited about the surgery, he wants to just feel better, and he hates missing so much school because of the strep.

Would anyone be willing to share what their experience was with the surgery, and how the recovery was? I know that it'll be painful, and he'll need lots of TLC, but was just hoping for info from parents that had already gone through this.

Thanks in advance!

 

[TMB1203]

My DS had them out when he was 6. He also had his adnoids (sp?) removed. The first night he was a bit sore...lots of ice cream and jello.
By day 3 he was feeling much better.

 

[Disneyforus]

My DS hd his out last year this time when he was almost 7, it was the best thing we ever did for him! He had strep 7 times from Sept-April and missed lots of school, not to mention the antibiotics just wreaked havoc on his digestive system. He did very well with recovery...we had lots of drinks on hand and our ENT said to offer salty things if he was hungry because it would make them thirsty and he would drink more which promotes healing. We were told no dairy (including ice cream) for the first 24 hours....it produces too much phlegm. We had sherbet and popsicles...but he was more into frenchfries to be honest. The hardest thing for us was keeping him from doing too much activity....he was supposed to restrict his activity for 2 weeks!!! That was hard because he felt so good. He was really only "down" for that day of surgery and the next...and then seemed back to himself. Kids are so resilient.

Also, on a side note....we have had several sugeries with our children and have always been given prescriptions for "pain relief" in case regular tylenol doesn't help...I have always tried to use tylenol and see if that is offering enough pain relief before bringing out the "big guns", it seems the one time I used a prescription pain reliever it made them very nauseous and vomit....I have had this same thing happen to myself. So....anyway just be cautious with that if he is feeling ok...it might be better to just stay on top of the tylenol than to try something that may potentially make him nauseous.

Our son has been sooooo healthy this school year...he hasn't missed one day because of illness. Quite the contrast to last year!

Good luck!!

 

[meeskamouska]

I got mine out at 15!! It took a little longer to recooperate than the younger kiddos but it was well worth it!!!

I have only had one case of strep throat in 13 years....I say it is well worth it!!!!

 

[Desnik]

DS had his tonsils and adnoids removed when he was 3. He's 4 now and the surgery was the best thing we did! It has helped him so much, he's like a different kid! He never had strep but had sleep apnea, speech problems and lots of feeding/swallowing issues, acid reflux too. The surgery was maybe 15 minutes long. The hardest thing was leaving him on that operating table! I cried my eyes out. They let me go in with him until they knocked him out. We didn't have to stay overnight at the hospital and they waited to give him the IV till he was knocked out which was great. He was out of it for the first 2 days. The Dr said no dairy, especially icecream, and nothing red. So, DS lived on icepops for the first 2 days. He did not want to eat anything. The Dr said it was most important to make sure he got fluids and not push the food too much till he was ready. He needed the pain meds for the first 3 days. They say that kids bounce back well after this type of surgery, it's worse for adults. It took DS about a week to eat like normal. He's been great since. The only thing now is he keeps getting nose bleeds. Not sure if that has anything to do with the surgery, I need to get him in for a check up with his ENT. Your DS should be fine. Good luck!

 

[Goofyluver]

My DS had his out shortly before he turned 4. Same situation...strep a million times! The doc had to take out a lot of scar tissue on the tonsils due to the strep. After the first day, my DS was okay. Not great, but okay. The first day, I had prepared him what would be expected. He would have to drink a lot...even if he didn't feel like it. He did have some vomiting after the surgery. He was tired and cranky. Yea, it's painful, but if you keep them hydrated it's not as bad. Our ENT said you must drink pretty constantly...not large amounts, but small amounts frequently.

Give him ice cream, jello, popsicles, ice to suck on, anything to wet and cool his throat. Good luck!

 

[Mom2Rae]

My daughter is scheduled for April 9th...but, I'm pretty sure I'm going to cancel.

She's had strep 8 times in the past year and on a good day her tonsils are a 4on a 1 to 4 scale. But, she sleeps great..no snoring, no apnea. I just know that she's going to be in so much pain and I really don't want to put her through that right now. This isn't her one and only chance at getting them removed so waiting another year won't hurt. ENT even said...she just may be done with strep...you just never know. She could have it 10 more times next year or once or not at all.

So...I'm going to chicken out!

 

[Twingle]

That's interesting that your ENT said you'd be okay waiting a year - ours didn't want to wait a week!

My DS has some issues with snoring, usually just when he has strep though. Does not have sleep apena.

Thanks to all your pp's for sharing your tips - really appreciate it!

 

[Mom2Rae]

That's interesting that your ENT said you'd be okay waiting a year - ours didn't want to wait a week!

My DS has some issues with snoring, usually just when he has strep though. Does not have sleep apena.

Just noticed you are in Virginia..so am I!

Anywho - I asked our ENT when we went for our pre-op the other day..."OK, if it was your child..would you do it right now?" He didn't really answer me point blank, but he said if we're tired of the infections, then yes. If dd seems to be getting the strep longer streches between infections then maybe, just maybe, she may be becoming more immune it then. She was actually subjected to a classmate on the 12th of this month in her class with a fever and it turned out to be strep and she didn't get it!! Shocker. But, my dd has been through a lot and I'm not in a hurry to have her undergo surgery again. She's been put under about 6 times and I just hate the waiting.

So...my fingers and toes are crossed that the strep bug stays away...

Good luck to you!

 

[carone0318]

My ds (6) is having his tonsils and adnoids out on April 24th. He is a heavy snorer and sleep apnea is a concern. He has rarely had strep throat (thank God because his tonsils are so large to begin with any swelling would close his air passage).

The reason for his surgery is now it seems that his restless sleeping could be the cause of his behavioral problems at school. Restless sleeping can equal poor behavior. When we found out about the association between the 2, we pulled his bedtime back a 1/2 hour and it seems to have helped, but we are hoping with the tonsils and adnoids gone that he will get a more restful night's sleep and can only pray that it will help improve his behavior.

He is having surgery on a Tuesday (not my choice, but that's when they do it) and we are keeping him home the rest of the week from school. We have heard that by about day 5 they are pretty much back to normal. The ENT also said that around day 3 his breath with be rank because of the scabs forming and I guess the phlegm - yuck! So we thought if that's the case we don't want him to be in school where other kids might say stuff about his breath and there is nothing he can do about it, even if he is feeling 100%.

Good luck OP, I'm a little nervous, but an also anxious for the surgery.

 

[jenrein]

My son was 6 and had to have hos removed because they were the size of a grown adults. He couldnt breath well when sleeping and he has a swollen lymph node hes had forever so they did it to see if they were related. The first day he was really tired and ate a lot of popsicles. I think by day 4 or 5 he was right back to normal.

 

[dougsmom98]

My son, 6 years old, had strep 5 times and we saw a specialist and he ordered the surgery to be done before the week was out. He got his tonsils and adenoids out. The surgeon said it was a good thing we got it out because there was a huge pocket of puss building up behind the tonsils that he couldn't see until he took it out. The surgery was actually harder on us than my son. I didn't think I was nervous or upset until I went in the operating room with him to hold his hand until he was asleep. It was hard leaving him there. When he woke up, he was crying but that was from the anesthesia. We were in recovery with him for about 2-3 hours and then we went home. I thought he would be in such pain and want to sleep a lot that day but he didn't. He was starving but couldn't eat anything except clear, cold liquids. The next day we could add things that weren't clear but still very soft and not very hot. By day three I gave him whatever he wanted which wasn't a ton but he wasn't in tremendous pain or anything. He used the pain medicine the first two days and didn't ask for it after that. The doctor wouldn't let him go to school for a week, but if I hadn't been told that I would have sent him after three days. He was fine. The doctor also wanted him to sleep in a bed with us for two weeks because there can be bleeding at night and we needed to know that it was happening. I guess around day 7-10 the scab starts peeling off and can cause bleeding so that is why he said two weeks. He never had any bleeding at all. The recovery room nurse said that we were lucky because we had the best surgeon around for this surgery and she said his patients rarely, if ever, have problems. I'm sure your child's surgery will be fine too!
Good luck.