Recurrent tonsillitis - will they take them out?

[Kade's Mummy]

Hi everyone

My DS is 16 months old and when he is well, he is such a happy little thing but he is sick ALL the time. Seriously, if we get 3-4 weeks without having to take him to the Dr, we know something is about to brew...:no:

Anyway, today was his 4th day at child care (he goes once a week) and they called me to say that his temp was 39.8! He had played happily all morning, eaten well, drank heaps, went down for a nap without any protest and then woke up absolutely burning.

I picked him up straight away and took him to the GP - tonsillitis again, the fourth time in the last few months. I asked for a referral to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist which they gave me, though reluctantly.

Everyone tells me they are unlikely to take them out as he is so young. But we have a family history (my dad and little bro were exactly the same, and completely turned the health corner once theirs were removed).

So... any advice on how I make sure the specialist really considers taking them out? Anyone had a similar experience? Poor little mite had penicillan injection today (which are just awful :crying: ) and is now on penicillan orally. He's still managing to try and smile!

[Jax Tellers Old Lady]

Hi there My son is two in a few weeks and we have had the same probs. He does'nt go to day care but has had alot of trouble with his tonsils. He had them this year once a month for four months and the Local gp has referred him to the hospital to have them removed but i recieved a letter from the specalist clinic last week stating that we shouldnt expect to be seen for two years due to the long list of people waiting. Thats the downside of public health i guess.

Ds was constantly getting tonsilitis and viruses and since i have started him on a daily does of Vitamin C tablets and also a Multiviatmin tablet he hasnt been ill since. Maybe give some vitamins a go and see how you get on.

Do you have private health if so i doubt you would have to wait too long to have them removed.

[punkbaby]

Blaze is 4 and a half his had reoccurent bouts of it since he was about 1 i asked about getting them removed and his gp said only in extreme cases :( its like he no sooner gets rid of it and his got it again

[Kade's Mummy]

Thanks bertandernie - yes, we do have private cover but from what I hear the problem will actually be getting them to agree to taking them out. I hadn't thought of giving him vitamins - I'm a but naive, are there special kids ones? Are they safe for him to take at 16months?

[Kade's Mummy]

punkbaby - don't you just find it so frustrating? Kade is only just starting to walk because he spends so much time sick and having to laze around and recover!

[punkbaby]

its annoying seems they dont like to take them out anymore blaze is healthy overall but then one day his temps sky high and i know its back again just feel sorry for him really as it knocks him for 6 for a good week or so

[FourAngelKisses]

Brooke ALWAYS had tonsilitis as a baby/toddler. She finally got them taken out when she was 4. They don't like to remove them in kids under the age of 3 as they can grow back before then apparently.

We took her to Sydney to get hers removed (4hr trip each way), but it was the best thing we ever did. We don't have health insurance, but she had them out 2wks after her first ENT appointment.

If you are in Sydney, I can give you the name of her ENT, he was great!

[punkbaby]

Brooke ALWAYS had tonsilitis as a baby/toddler. She finally got them taken out when she was 4. They don't like to remove them in kids under the age of 3 as they can grow back before then apparently.

GRrr dont tell me they grow back i had mine out when i was about 2, i still remember being force fed food LOL

[Jax Tellers Old Lady]

Thanks bertandernie - yes, we do have private cover but from what I hear the problem will actually be getting them to agree to taking them out. I hadn't thought of giving him vitamins - I'm a but naive, are there special kids ones? Are they safe for him to take at 16months?

Hi there I give my son Herron vita minis in both the Vitamin C and Multi, They say there from two onwards but i checked with my gp first and he has been taking them from about 18 months on and off and solidly for the past two months.

I buy these from the supremarket. I am pretty sure there are liquid doses and also you could try the Inner health powder that can be mixed with milk or any liquid.

My gp told me that if a child gets Tonsilitis 7 times in one year they will remove them but as my son had them so frequently in such a short time frame they think its best that they are taken out. Doesnt look like that is going to happen any time soon though.:rolleyes:

Goodluck with everything and feel free to pm me if you want to ask anything.

[Kade's Mummy]

Grow back? Wow! I'd never heard that - I was wondering why they are so reluctant.

Punkbaby - we are exactly the same now, as soon as that temp goes up I know what it is. Thankfully I think this time we may have got it quickly enough - apart from the temp, he's only been a little grizzly. Normally when it's full blown he is all limp, doesn't eat or drink, cries alot. we've had febrile convulsions too as a result which are just so, so awful to watch :no:

[FourAngelKisses]

arghhhhhhh!!!!!!! When Brooke had hers out years ago I could find heaps of stuff on them regrowing, but do you think I can find anything on it now? :banghead:

[FourAngelKisses]

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/emmi/emmidemo_tonsillectomy.html

That's the only one I can find ATM.

[Kade's Mummy]

FourAngelKisses - we believe you!! I just hadn't heard it before. Wouldn't that just be horrific, to go through the whole thing and then they grow back?!!

[FourAngelKisses]

I found it. :smiliedance: I hate knowing that I have seen something and then can't find anything about it when I next need it, lol.


If even a small bud of tonsil or adenoid tissue is left behind by the surgeon, the tonsil or adenoid may regrow. With regard to tonsillectomy, the risk of regrowth depends greatly on technique. At one time, some surgeons performed subcapsular tonsillectomies, in which the outermost shell of the tonsil was left behind. I am told this operation was less painful than a regular tonsillectomy, in which the entire tonsil is removed. Unfortunately, incompletely removed tonsils have a nasty tendency to regenerate.


With current surgical methods, adenoid regrowth is more common than tonsil regrowth. Adenoids are located above and behind the soft palate, in the nasopharynx. Without the use of special scopes, this area can be inspected only with a hand-held mirror. When the adenoids are removed, there is often a great deal of bleeding. Thus, the surgeon's ability to inspect the operative field (after the first big lump of adenoid tissue is removed) is hampered. Even the best ENTs (ear, nose and throat doctors) will, at times, leave behind a bit of adenoid tissue.


http://health.ivillage.com/ent/0,,6gz9,00.html

[punkbaby]

now your freaking me i hate surgery fingers crossed they got all of mine LOL thanks for the info :)

[FourAngelKisses]

I think that you should be right as you had yours out a long time ago. ;)

[Dea]

good luck with it ....my ds had his tonsils out & anoids & grommets put in last october .. AMAZING difference .. he is nearly 6 .... but i put on a song and a dance cause this was effectiong his learning at school .. speech the works .. if i hadnt of i could be still waiting ..... hope ya find someone to do it

[FourAngelKisses]

but i put on a song and a dance cause this was effectiong his learning at school

I found something on that too while doing my search before.

[3boys1girl]

My son who is 9 got his first bout christmas eve last yeah (poor thing had a rotten christams:gloomy: )
He has since had them 7 times in total since then. We just finish his antibiotics then he gets them again. Hes on the waiting list to get them out and is getting moved up the list to a catagory 2 as he has had them so often, so he will be done within the next couple of months.
U girls are talking about them growing back, but did u know that if a child has tonsilitis long enough that the bug will actually eat the tonsilis and they dont need to be taken out:eek: A surgeon told me that he went to tak some out and they where already eaten away