Reasons Not to Have Adenoids Removed?

I had my tonsils/adenoids out when I was 5. My son had them out when he was 4. His tonsils were so huge they almost touched across the back of his throat (he had no fever or infection) and they had become an obstruction. My son had a hard time sleeping (he snored something awful), a hard time breathing, and a hard time swallowing. It was so much better after he had them out.
If it were cancer, no one would question having a tumor cut out. If it were diabetes or some other life threatening condition, it could be criminally negligent to not treat it. Removing tonsils and adenoids when they are a problem just improves their quality of life SO MUCH. They can play, sleep, eat and grow without being sick all the time. Who doesn't want that for their child?

I would go ahead and have them and the tonsils out. After the last month here, I would love to have both of my boys' tonsils and adenoids yanked! For anyone who is such a naysayer, perhaps they haven't experienced week after week of ear infections, strep and tonsilitis. Basically, for some kids, the minute they come off of antibiotics -they have another infection. Without tubes, he could also suffer hearing damage from repeated ear infections. Do your research on the anesthesia, but that would be my only concern. It sounds like he's a prime candidate.

My son was getting infection after infection also. He was on the verge of getting tubes when I took him to my chiropractor. He hasn't had an ear infection since. My chiropractor said they can help about 90% of kids with chronic ear infections. It doesn't hurt to try!

I had my adenoids removed when I was about 8 or so, and the tonsils were left in, of course I didn't have a tonsil problem, my adenoids were simply like 3 times the size they should have been..

You could always get a second opinion, I'm not sure why they would also leave in the tonsils if they get red and swollen, but they are probably trying to as invasive as possible. Tubes could be a great benefit to him, family who are fearful of medicine, while well-meaning, sometimes don't look at the benefits of medical advancements.

My daughter, at almost 3 y/o had her adenoids removed. Supposedly to help her sleep, stop her snoring and change her voice... what a waste of a surgery! I put my little girl under for a surgery that wasn't actually medically necessary - and I found out many of her friends and acquaintances suddenly needed their adenoids out too! Sounds like a trend surgery to me.

Look up what adenoids do - they are part of your immune system... so usually they and the tonsils are the first to fight off infection, and usually are infected first.

My daughter had about 13 ear infections/plus febrile seisures and tonsilitis for a year when she was under 2. We had her tonsils taken out first when she was 2. I wish we would have had her adnoids out at the same time. A year later they did just that. She still snores but not to the extent she did. One ear tube has come out not even a year later. I would get a second opinion and see if both need to come out. She's just turned 5 and is doing good.
Recovery for the tonsils was overninte in the hospital and about 3 days after wards. She was running around after the second day. The adnoids and tubes were a day surgery and recovery was about the same. They give you pain meds to give your child for the first few days. Other than a fowl odor in her mouth for a few days she didn't have any side affects. Children's is wonderful about letting you hold your child after surgery and staying overnite in the room with your child.
Another thing to think about is double the surgeries double the cost. Each surgery for us cost about $800 out of pocket. Although it was well worth it I wish it could have been combined.

Also- if you decide to do the adenoids (which I would recommend as a speech pathologist who works with infants/toddlers) then doing it at the same time as the ear tubes is very beneficial. If you do the tubes, then try to take the adenoids out later on- the surgery is MUCH harder on the child.

I would recommend getting the andenoids removed. My oldest had her tonsils and adenoids out when she just turned 4 and it was the best thing. She had always snored and wasn't a very good sleeper until she had them out. Once the swelling went down (within a couple days) she actually started to dream and slept really well. She gained about 5 lbs in a month (always low percentile for her age) and had better skin color where she actually looked more pink than grey. Her tonsils came out because she had a growth on them, otherwise they wouldn't have been removed.
You could always call the doctor and ask about the tonsils and why he's not having them removed, but I'd schedule the appointment. Just my thoughts! :)

This is your child and your family has no right to make decisions for you about YOUR child. You will make mistakes, just as they made mistakes. The information and demands they are giving you are totally wrong. I'm raising my grandchildren and went thru the ear infections, etc., with their mother and with my grandson. Ear tubes did help a lot when they were younger, but as they entered preshool & school they were exposed to more viruses and strep throat became a constant issue with the boy. Per the pediatrician's recommendation we had his adenoids removed but not his tonsils. It was explained to us that contrary to what everyone used to believe, the adenoids & tonsils are two separate organs. We were told that even with antibiotics, the bacteria/viruses that cause strep throat have a tendency to live in the folds of the adenoids and are not always cleared up by antibiotics because of their location. Once we had the adenoids removed there have been no other ear infections or strep throat. Please do what your doctor recommends!

This is exactly what happened to my son when he was about to turn 3 also. He was diagnosed with sleep apnea, he was not a good sleeper at all. So the ENT suggested a second round of tubes (which we were due for) and adenoids and tonsils removed. We were very hestiant to do this but after much research and hopes of not having sleep apnea we decided to do it. It has been 11 months and he has been terrific, he sleeps now and is happier during the day from being so rested. (Plus now I do not have to worry about his breathing stopping due to the sleep apnea, so I am sleeping now too)
I will warn you that it took us 2 weeks to recover and it was hard to see him not be able to eat the first couple of days and the pain (but the tylenol helped :)) but it is so worth it to see him happier and sleeping well.
Please email me if you would like to know our doctor, he was amazing!
Good luck

I cant answerfor the adnoids yet. but it is your kid your decision and I would ask why they are so against it.my oldest had tubes worked wonders on him. my youngest got tubes I noticed no diffrence. now he has been labeled hard of hearing. now I think one tube has fallen out.reason why I believe this is he has an ear infection and they cant see that tube. now if that is the case I will do the tubes again without thinking about it. when my oldest was young they didnt take out adnoids then. i am considering asking about it with my youngest. the doctor will explain to me exactly why he want or doesnt want to do it. and all the side effects from doing it even if they are a long shot. I dont know why they didnt do that with his tubes since it seems common now. dont let your family pressure you into not doing something that could help your kid. look at it like this which is worse him being hard of hearing or hearing your family nag cause they think they are right. you can always tell your family to shut up but he needs his hearing. if he doesnt hear you cause he didnt have his adnoids removed and runs out in front of a car cause you wanted to make your family happy you have to live with that. its your child your decision not thiers. I was only reading this post to see the answers you got. then I felt the need to respond. your the parent they raised theirs and you didnt tell them how to raise theirs and they should respect your decision on yours.

you are doing the right thing by asking questions. I asked one yesterday about ear infections and food intolerance and a chiropractor. I am looking for possible alternatives for my son if they dont work its not from lackof trying. or informing myself when he is hard of hearing wether permanant or temporary I want all the info I can get that means do what you are doing and question other moms that have been there and making the doctors answer me for why it needs to be done the pros and the cons and me and his daddy will make our decisions from there. your kid your decision they have to accept your decision right or wrong cause your not doing it to hurt your kid but help him instead. dont waiver if you believe this needs to be done. hold your ground and tell them to kiss off

Updated

I cant answerfor the adnoids yet. but it is your kid your decision and I would ask why they are so against it.my oldest had tubes worked wonders on him. my youngest got tubes I noticed no diffrence. now he has been labeled hard of hearing. now I think one tube has fallen out.reason why I believe this is he has an ear infection and they cant see that tube. now if that is the case I will do the tubes again without thinking about it. when my oldest was young they didnt take out adnoids then. i am considering asking about it with my youngest. the doctor will explain to me exactly why he want or doesnt want to do it. and all the side effects from doing it even if they are a long shot. I dont know why they didnt do that with his tubes since it seems common now. dont let your family pressure you into not doing something that could help your kid. look at it like this which is worse him being hard of hearing or hearing your family nag cause they think they are right. you can always tell your family to shut up but he needs his hearing. if he doesnt hear you cause he didnt have his adnoids removed and runs out in front of a car cause you wanted to make your family happy you have to live with that. its your child your decision not thiers. I was only reading this post to see the answers you got. then I felt the need to respond. your the parent they raised theirs and you didnt tell them how to raise theirs and they should respect your decision on yours.

you are doing the right thing by asking questions. I asked one yesterday about ear infections and food intolerance and a chiropractor. I am looking for possible alternatives for my son if they dont work its not from lackof trying. or informing myself when he is hard of hearing wether permanant or temporary I want all the info I can get that means do what you are doing and question other moms that have been there and making the doctors answer me for why it needs to be done the pros and the cons and me and his daddy will make our decisions from there. your kid your decision they have to accept your decision right or wrong cause your not doing it to hurt your kid but help him instead. dont waiver if you believe this needs to be done. hold your ground and tell them to kiss off

Updated

I cant answerfor the adnoids yet. but it is your kid your decision and I would ask why they are so against it.my oldest had tubes worked wonders on him. my youngest got tubes I noticed no diffrence. now he has been labeled hard of hearing. now I think one tube has fallen out.reason why I believe this is he has an ear infection and they cant see that tube. now if that is the case I will do the tubes again without thinking about it. when my oldest was young they didnt take out adnoids then. i am considering asking about it with my youngest. the doctor will explain to me exactly why he want or doesnt want to do it. and all the side effects from doing it even if they are a long shot. I dont know why they didnt do that with his tubes since it seems common now. dont let your family pressure you into not doing something that could help your kid. look at it like this which is worse him being hard of hearing or hearing your family nag cause they think they are right. you can always tell your family to shut up but he needs his hearing. if he doesnt hear you cause he didnt have his adnoids removed and runs out in front of a car cause you wanted to make your family happy you have to live with that. its your child your decision not thiers. I was only reading this post to see the answers you got. then I felt the need to respond. your the parent they raised theirs and you didnt tell them how to raise theirs and they should respect your decision on yours.

you are doing the right thing by asking questions. I asked one yesterday about ear infections and food intolerance and a chiropractor. I am looking for possible alternatives for my son if they dont work its not from lackof trying. or informing myself when he is hard of hearing wether permanant or temporary I want all the info I can get that means do what you are doing and question other moms that have been there and making the doctors answer me for why it needs to be done the pros and the cons and me and his daddy will make our decisions from there. your kid your decision they have to accept your decision right or wrong cause your not doing it to hurt your kid but help him instead. dont waiver if you believe this needs to be done. hold your ground and tell them to kiss off

I had my tonsils & adenoids removed when I was 13, due to an anatomical issue with my jaw, teeth, etc. The doctors warned us that it was possible that my childhood asthma that I had outgrown could return, which it did, about 2 years later. I don't know if the cause/effect was something that could have been prevented, or if was just a correlation, but it would be worth discussing with your doctor. Tonsils & Adenoids filter junk out of the air which otherwise has to get caught further downstream (like in your lungs).
I don't know for sure why they would leave tonsils in, as I've always heard of the operation being done together. However, our Pediatrician always describes the nasal cavity & sinuses & ears as connected, particularly for little kids. If your son is having problems with his ears draining, then maybe just the adenoidectomy will clear up the condition. (?) Ask your dr.! :-)