Is It Time For A Tonsillectomy?
Why does my child snore so loud? When does a child need tonsils removed? Will removing my child's tonsils and adenoids improve their sleep? Obstructive sleep apnea in children and other symptoms of enlarged adenoids.
Sleep interruption in toddlers and little ones can be warning signs that it’s time for a tonsillectomy or removal of adenoids. Are any of these symptoms familiar? Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Lack of focus, Grogginess, Dry mouth, Chapped Lips, Sleep walking, Always thirsty, Large Tonsils and Stuffiness are all symptoms that your little one is not getting great sleep but they could get better sleep- and so can you.
Wonder why your child isn’t sleeping well? Book at trip to an ENT doctor or a dentist specializing in sleep apnea. (We went to an Ear, Nose, Throat office and they were fabulous.) Your child may need a tonsillectomy or adenoid procedure for better breathing and sleeping at night. Our son was always snoring and even after waking in the morning sounding stuffy with no drainage… We were puzzled. The snoring was definitely affecting his sleep and he never looked well rested in the morning. At age 7, after having his adenoids removed and his tonsils shaved he’s officially a morning person! I hope these tips help you get through this procedure that can feel scary for you and your child.
Warning Signs your child may need their tonsils or adenoids removed: Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Dry mouth, Chapped lips or chin, Sleep walking, Daily grogginess, Always thirsty, Large tonsils
Visit ENT: The doctor will use a funny camera up their nose, which can be silly and fun to see on the screen. Doctor may have your child try a Flonase routine for 6 weeks and gage any improvement or no change to sleep habits. Have a delicate conversation with your little one about what’s going to happen if the Flonase helps or if it doesn’t. By taking Flonase we are trying to prevent the need for surgery. My son was very scared of the word “surgery” so we used the word “procedure”. We let him know if he used the prescribed Flonase that his night time breathing could improve. If we did not use the medicine, we would definitely have to have a procedure. Explaining all this definitely helped get him on board with taking the Flonase each night when brushing his teeth.
Day before surgery I hit up the store to grab Motrin and kids Tylenol. Also stocked up on Sprite, soup and popcicles- no dairy for the first 2 days and then all the chocolate ice cream!! Then I enjoyed all the snuggles with my little guy. We had a great afternoon doing an activity of his choice and served his favorite meal for an early dinner.
Pre Surgery: No breakfast in the AM so activity time it is! Book the earliest appointment you can get. Let your child pack a bag with an ipad with child’s favorite show downloaded and headphones for immediate quiet time after procedure. Also, have child pack their favorite pair of jammies to wear to hospital and their favorite stuffed animal. When you arrive at hospital child should be in the comfy jammies they chose holding bag with stuffed animal and ipad. Keep it simple, mom. The less the better. You’ll be able to be together and walk them to their pre-operation room. A pediatric dental specialist will visit to examine for any loose teeth and to make sure your kiddo is healthy. Laughing gas will put your child to rest for what will be a 25-40 procedure time. You will then be asked to head back to the waiting room. My husband and I brought a game to keep away the nerves and to pass the short amount of time-roughly 25 minutes.
Pre-operation with a favorite stuffed animal and ipad with favorite show downloaded.
Post Surgery: Observe your child’s breathing for 24 hours, alternate medications according to doctor’s instructions to keep pain down and have your child rest even if they want to run and jump like mine. Take them for a walk but keep the activity level low for the first several days. Athletic or strenuous activity should be avoided for at least 10 days following surgery. And of course it is POPSICLE TIME!! These were his favorite popsicles. Mango all the way!
Diet Following Tonsillectomy for a Child: Clear liquids and soups for first 24 hours then introduce soft foods on Low Residue Diet including but not limited to mashed potatoes, small noodles, popsicles, soft bread without crust. My son wanted a hamburger straight away so I asked him to wait a day or two.
The following foods are NOT recommended after tonsil procedure:
-Grains, toast, crispy waffles, crunchy cereals, crackers, pretzels, popcorn
-Raw Vegetables
-Citrus Fruit, apples, melon.
-Meats that are tough or dry. Nuts
-Citrus juices, soda with bubbles
-Crunchy cookies
Generally, stay away from greasy, fried foods, chips, grilled cheese sandwiches or anything with crusty edges.
Normal Symtoms After Surgery: Low fever, bad breath and light blood in mucus as normal. Day 6 a light fever revisited as the scab fell off. Son had low energy level and minor pain on this day but recharged by Day 7. Light bleeding may occur when scab falls out in spit.
I hope this information helps you prepare and better understand what to expect from a tonsillectomy for your child. Of course it is nerve racking thinking about any child needing surgery- especially yours but I will tell you my child’s sleep quality therefore the entire household has benefitted from visiting the ENT. When children sleep better they wake up rested, happy and ready to learn.
Restful activities during recovery: Walks to the ice cream shop of course! Walk through the zoo & read the placards to your kiddo for a unique interaction for you both. Puzzles, chess/checkers, coloring/drawing. Making a basket with a puzzle, a craft kit, coloring book, a library book, stickers and some new markers/a fidget is just one simple idea to cheer up your little after the procedure.
