Toddler Tonsillectomy?!

My son had his adnoids out and tubes in at 18 months. I am now wishing he had the tonsils at the same time because he's snorring is getting worse also. Getting that sleep apnea snore. :( With just the adnoids he was up and playing that afternoon. A little more cuddly than normal but that's about it. I know tonsils are a little more serious than adnoids though, and take a little more time to recover. Best of luck! They are so little, they recovery very quickly.

I think that he will do fine, I however think that it is very important that someone that small stay over night. I work at a childrens hospital and all our tonsilectomy patients three years and older stay overnight, up to 23 hours later. I would insist upon this with your doctor.

Hi-
My daughter wasn't as young as your son when she had her tonsils & adnoids out (beginning of 1st grade), but she did wonderfully! She was up & about the same afternoon playing! Her Dr. said she had the biggest tonsils (kissing tonsils because how close they were) & adnoids he had seen come out of someone her age! My recommendation is this: GIVE HIM HIS PAIN MEDS ON SCHEDULE. I would set my alarm for the night time meds. I know it's difficult to wake a sleeping child, but you have to do it. You don't want to skip any dose because you can't ever "get back" to the pain free from surgery.
Good Luck,
B. K.

Hi there-From a nurse aide who works in a Peds unit, definately insist on staying overnight. Too many things can happen, especially at that age. If he was say 4,5 or 6 sure out-patient but at 18 months he needs to stay.
Good luck!

Hi H. I am what I like to call the veteran mom. Anyway my youngest child and only son had a bilingual hernia. When he was only 9 months old he had outpatient surgery with two little insisions on both sides of his groin area. He came out just fine and never seemed to even remember the ordeal. I think the younger children are the better they heal and alot of times don't even remember being hospitalized. So relax everything will be just fine.

Stop the worry! He may be young, but this is the best thing that you can do for him. If children sleep well, they learn! He is learning language at an astonishing pace right now, and he needs good quality sleep so that he can be all that he can be. What he misses learning right now, he will be spending the rest of his life trying to make up... Youngsters have the easiest time, and sometimes we have to do things that we would rather not do. You might actually be surprised at how easily he gets through this, my 6 year old was eating a peanut butter sandwhich by 1:00 the day of her tonsilectomy. You will know if something is wrong and you need to take him back to the hospital, and being home is probably more comforting to him than spending the night in a scary hospital will be. Relax, doing the right thing is not always fun for us, or them, but he will pick up on your discomfort and will worry himself. As long as you trust your doctor, you should be letting this go and spending your time helping your son through his pain, and thank your lucky stars that he won't remember this in a few years. He will be fine, and your attitude will set the pace for the whole day!

Hi H.,
You are not crazy wanting to have your child stay overnight. I have a friend who is a nurse. She said parents should always insist on overnight stay. There have been children who have problems with bleeding after going home and this can be extremely dangerous. So if your insurance will allow an overnight stay, stand your ground and make it happen.

My eldest was 18 month old when he had his tonsils and adenoids out. He did not stay overnight. He is now 25 years old. So they have been doing that for a long time. I was 4 when I got mine out and I still remember too much of it. I think it will be better for him to be with you at home. I f there are any problems during surgery (which is unlikely) they would put him in the hospital anyway. By the way, once you become a mother you never will stop worrying about your kids regardless of their age.

Yes, my son had his tonsils out at age 3, and the recovery was very VERY tough, by the way. Much more then I thought it would be. We ended up going back to Childrens emergency room twice in the 4 days following the outpatient surgery,; once for dehydration, and once for coughing up blood (which I found out since then looks a LOT worse then it is, I guess blood mixed with liquid makes it look like there is more coming out then you could humanly think possible). However, he has not had a reoccurrence of any strep, major colds, anything since he had them out. So, it was worth it in the end, but I hated it while it was happening.
Some thoughts: keep him hydrated. Popsicles are not what they should be having, anything room temperature is MUCH easier going down then extreme cold, and definately not hot liquids. This tip came from the ER doctor we saw, and he seemed much more knowledgable then even our surgeon.
Second, let them rest. Even though they seem like they want to play, keep it to a minimum.

And third, when the scabs come off, that is the worse day of all. Keep your cool, and never hesitate to take them to the ER if you need.

Honestly, you are welcome to call me or email me with any other questions.
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good luck
R.

my 22 month old is fixing to have a tonsillectomy. he has already had two sets of tubes and an adnoidectomy. he had his first set of tubes at 8 months old and 2nd set and adenoidectomy at 12 months. immediately after the surgery he was very very very upset and unconsolable from the anesthesia. he has recently been dropping weight because he cannot swallow foods because his tonsils have actually almost closed and are trying to cross each other. i hope that this next surgery will be his last. The poor little guy has been through enough. Good luck on your little ones surgery... give him lots of hugs and kisses.

I know this is a very old post, but thought I'd put a link for future mommies that come across this post for another place to check out on what to expect with a toddler tonsillectomy!

http://typeamama.blogspot.com/2008/05/recovery-for-toddle...

I was a little older when I had mine done. I was in the 3½ to age 4 range. And back then (I'm 29 now, lol), they DID keep you overnight for observation. So no, you're not being crazy or unreasonable at all. But if it's definitely not an option (hospital won't autherize it, insurance won't pay for an overnight, etc.), then just be very informed so that you know what to expect, how to help baby along with the healing, etc. I do recommend loading up now, on popsicles and jello. I remember eating ALOT of those lol.

Hi H. S.....
don't have any advice for you, just wanted to say i will pray for your son. I have been blessed with 2 birth sons and 2 adopted sons.Good Luck!!
Also I am H. S too.
Hugs, H. S from Pickerington.

Hi H.! My son had his tonsills out at 5. Same hospital procedure. It was the fastest "recoup" I have ever seen. And like you I was concerned too. If I had to do it all over again, I would! Now my oldest is 16, he hasnt been sick more than once a year after that surgery. So I hope you can relax a little bit. My other kids are 12 and 4. Knock on wood they are pretty healthy! L. H

My son had his tonsils & adenoids out when he was about 2 1/2 and it was an outpatient procedure. He did just fine. The first day I just made sure I gave him his pain meds on time and he was fine. The second day he seemed really good so I just gave him some Tylenol if he needed it. By the 3rd day he was acting as if nothing happened. I think it's about 10 days after it's done that you have to watch out for bleeding. But, again, no problems, everything went fine. I got my tonsils out when I was 41 and it took me two weeks to get over it. It's amazing how quickly kids recover!

H., my daughter had her tonsils & adnoids (sp) out in September, right before her 3rd birthday. She had a very similar problem to your little guy. To be honest, I am very surprised that they are not keeping him overnight. They kept my daughter at Children's hospital overnight b/c of her age. I was told this is pretty much standard when they are under the age of 4. We were not allowed to leave the hospital until she drank a certain amount of fluids the day after the hospital, she had an IV in until right before we left the hospital. They said that the problem is with this age, they have a hard time getting them to take in fluids so they like to keep them hydrated with an IV. My daughter was checked on constantly by the nurses. She also has asthma & needed to be monitored with her oxygen intake b/c it was low after the surgery. I think you are right to be concerned. Your little guy is even younger than my daughter & I was very nervous about it. The doctors and nurses at Cincinnati Children's were fantastic and made me feel very comfortable about bringing my daughter home. My daughter didn't feel right for about a week so be prepared for that. Some kids bounce back really quickly and your guy may be one of them. The most important thing is to keep him hydrated. Take the plugs out of sippy cups b/c he will not be able to drink with those in. Pain meds must be given at regular intervals, even when they are sleeping. You don't want the tylenol to wear off. If you are really concerned you could call another ENT's office & ask about outpatient surgery for a toddler, etc. Perhaps this is just something with this ENT. Rest assured, your little guy will be happier & healthier once he's all healed up. My daughter doesn't snore anymore, has been more healthy, breathes easier, sleeps better, eats better...it is worth it for them & the doctors don't recommend this kind of surgery without good reason. It will probably be harder on you than on him. I will tell you that you need to be prepared that there may be some seperation anxiety after this (again I was told that this is pretty typical for the younger kids). My daughter never had any problems leaving my side, after the surgery she was more clingy but we've moved past it. Good luck & please keep me posted. I will be thinking about you & your little guy.

No, your not crazy at all. My son had his tonsils and adnoids removed last August at 2y4m - he also had a cleft in his soft palate that was repaired - and we did end up staying in the hosptital for 3 days. There was another little guy that shared our room (close to same age) that only had his tonsils out though and he did end up staying overnight. Sometimes depending on how they come out of the anesthesia they do end up staying - so be prepared just in case, that mom wasn't and she had to leave him alone to make arrangements for her other kids and go get clothes for herself, so I would say to be safe - know you might end up staying the night and pack for it. I hope that everything goes well.

Dear H. S,
Get it done now!!!! My son just had his tonsils out at age 18 years and it was a HORRIBLE experience! The young kids across the hall from us in recovery area were up eating popsicles, talking and ready to go home hours before my son! He suffered for YEARS with sore throat infections & high fevers! Yes it does seem that you they should stay the night in the hospital but, it is nice to have them home in their own environment as soon as possible! The little ones I saw seemed more than ready to go home! Stock up on popsicles and jello. My son could not tolerate any milk or ice cream products for several days. Also, keeping the throat moist seemed to be a wise thing. Good Luck!
Momma D

Hi H.! I have a son who got his tonsils and adenoids out this past summer, although he was 5 years old at the time. I will tell you that everything I have heard says that it is better to do it when they are younger. It's not fun, but my son is SOOOOO much better off since we got them out. He wasn't sleeping well because of all the snoring and breathing issues and last year in the morning I pretty much had to light a flame under him to get him moving for preschool. Now he sleeps so much better and in addition to feeling better he is also 100x more pleasant to be around. I know you are frightened, but hang in there - your son will be better off!

Dear H.,
Please do not worry your little boy will be just fine...just listen to the instructions from the doctor..they know.

Hi H.!
My little girl had her tonsils removed just 2 weeks before her 2nd b-day. Because of her age they did keep her one night in the hospital which made me feel good. I'm surprised they are not doing the same with your 18 month old. However, the first 2-3 days after surgery were fine, it's the next week we hit a brick wall and had trouble getting her to drink or eat much of anything, and we tried EVERYTHING. The one thing I was kind of surprised worked was hot chocolate. We were trying slushies, ice cream, and milkshakes and what seemed to feel best was the warm?? At one point we were actually worried about dehydration and did take her in, at which time they gave her an IV for an hour and sent her home. After the IV she perked up and pretty quickly made a full recovery. Overall I think the experience effected my husband and I more than our daughter, she was a trooper! She was also a LOUD snorer and had very little airway, now she sleeps soundly through the night! Good Luck!

H.,
I sent your request to my sister, Gayle, who is a nurse in an outpatient surgical center where they handle many such procedures. I've pasted her reply below - hope it is helpful!
K.

I have been a nurse for 49 years and the last 20 of those years spent in out patient surgery! My youngest child was the first out patient T&A in our area, some 28 years ago....the hospital here wasn't sure how to handle it at that time!
It has been my experience that kids do very well in this setting, their parents are at their bedside, so their fear is decreased.
Going home after post-op observation is the very best for all in the family. The child is in his home environment with parents who will watch and care for him, he'll rest more comfortably and therefore heal better and quicker.
And in the end, Mom and Dad will be happier if the child feels happier!
The one problem I can just about bet on is the IV! I haven't had too many little ones under the age of three who won't absolutely hate the IV. That usually is the very worst part of the procedure for those little folks......once its out and they are so relieved!
Remember that the medical staff wants a good outcome just as much as you do! So, stock up on Popsicle's and juice and stay positive!
Its hard to keep little ones down after they are home, they don't seem to feel pain nor expect pain like adults do.
Hope this helps some!
GAB/RN

Hi there,
My son was about 14 months when he had outpatient surgery for repair of a non-descended testicle. Although there were no parts removed, it was still a general anesthesia/surgery process. We were all a little anxious, but all in all, the procedure went very well and we were happy to take him home afterwards. The nurse gave him some good pain medications right after and he was a little ouchy at home. We were happy with the results.

My son's were 5 when they had it done... but what I do know is that the earlier they do it, the easier the recovery is. My kids recovered much quicker than my husband did.... and they whined less too!

I think you'll find that it wont be as bad as you anticipate. Just stock up on all of his favorite cold things to eat/drink.... juice, popsicles, etc.... and be ready to spend your first 24 hours just holding him while he hangs out in front of the TV.

Good luck!

I have been told that tonsilectomy are much "easier" for kids to recover from rather than having it done in adulthood. I had my tonsils out when I was 20 and it was about a 2 week recovery! I've had others say little ones seems to bounce back after a few days. With an airway that small I think you will see a world of difference with how much better he can sleep once those tonsils are out.

Also, my little guy will have to have some skin tags on his ear removed. When we talked to the surgeon about having it done around 7 months vs. 1+ years he said that there is very little difference in the risk of the anesthesia. We chose to wait until a year, just because it is a little safer, but after a year the risk seems to be much less. Nonetheless, it is still scary. I can definitely relate to that! He made us feel very comfortable in the advances of child anesthesia. I found comfort in knowing that no doctor is going to do a risky surgery that is not necessary. They want the best for your baby the same way you do!

Hopefully this helps a little. Good Luck and hang in there!

I promise he will be fine! I had my tonsils out at 16 at the same time, the little girl I nannied for who was 2 had hers out. I was out for a month, she was running around and playing the next day!!! Every once in awhile just look at their throat with a flashlight to check to make sure that blood isn't running down the back of his throat, if it is just head back to the hospital and they will cauterize where ever it is bleeding, that process doesn't hurt it just tastes bad. It probably won't happen to him at all, it happened to me but I was also trying to eat a hamburger. He will probably be happier, heal faster, and feel more comforted at home in his bed, not at the hospital.

H.-I am a nurse and have worked in recovery for 8 years. I have worked in outpatient for the past 2 years. We did lots of kids for tonsillectomies. However, our rule for outpatient tonsillectomies was no one under 3 years of age. There are many ENT (ear, nose and throat doctors) that will do it under age 3 but I do not recommend it. An 18 month old has a very tiny airway and removing tonsils with a tiny airway can certainly lead to complications. If this was my child I would express my concerns to my child's ENT and tell him/her that I would like my child to have there tonsillectomy in a hospital (a children's hospital is the best if there is one close) and you would like him to stay overnight. They call it a 23 hr stay. Good luck and LISTEN TO YOUR INSTINCTS. This is your baby and you have the right to have a say in his care.

It doesn't make you sound crazy, but its really not a huge deal. I had mine out when I was almost 19! It will do wonders for his snoring! Just think of allllll the times he WON'T have strepthroat! wooo hoo.
As far as staying in the hospital, I've had several friends who have had their child's tonsils out, and they went home and are just fine. It just really isn't a "MAJOR" surgery. It is, but it isn't. Recovery should be simple.
Make sure he has plenty of ice cream, popsicles, jello, things like that to eat that are easy on the throat and not acidic. I suppose its different with each child, but it should be a fairly simple recovery.
Don't stress, he'll be fine momma. But I completely understand, I'd be the same way. I just spent an entire weekend in the hospital with my son who had pnuemonia, and I made it a point to stay calm so I didn't upset him. So, try to think of it that way, and it might make it easier to relax. Good luck!

H. the younger one is the less trouble they seem to have. Adults are in misery.
I was in the 3rd grade (now 52) when we had mine removed and I was bed ridden for 2 weeks. I just could not swallow anything. I loved chocolate ice cream which burned the heck out of my throat. I still won't eat chocolate.
Now my sister who was 3 years younger did cartwheels the day we came home. Back then you did stay all night. She was a cranky little thing the day of surgery but the next morning was just fine.
If your child wasn't so bad they would not do this. This is not a common surgery anymore.