adenoids and tonsils

Hi
I took Han for her annual ped. check up - he was pleased with her progress. One of his recommendations was to have her go to sleep clinic for apnea - with a veiw to possibly removing tonsils and adenoids - he says this should help her concentration span and energy levels (Particularly important as I am considering schooling options and leaning towards inclusion in mainstream classes for her). So - can anyone help me on this - have you had it done? Did it make a difference?? have you read up about it at all (I haven't - yet!). I have to say the benefits sound good (depending on sleep clinic results of course) but having watched her struggle to cope after heart surgery - it is not an easy ask for us to reliquish her to the surgeons knife again - she is our precious pumpkin after all!! Help - any ideas?

I can only give you my experiences with 2 of my other kids, i hope it will be of some help
My 22yr old had to have her tonsils out as they were actually to large and she would stop breathing in the night, i think she was about 6 when she had them done, it was the first and only op she has ever had and she recovered well and her probs were solved.
My 14yr old has ADHD and ODD and when she was about 3 she just stopped sleeping at night after many doctors visits we were sent to the ENT who wanted her to go to a sleep clinic but seeing as her tonsils were on the large side we opted to have them taken out as well as her adenoids. She took a little bit longer to recover and we were actually in hospital for 5days. Needless to say she still couldnt sleep and we then went to Sydney for sleep test and she was given the ADHD dx. For the next 3yrs she had to take medication to sleep and eventually just grew out of it.
I think i would be concerned too if my girls had not done so well with a previous surgery. But at the end of the day i think you have to weigh up is it beneficial to Han's health and will it help her with her breathing etc.As you are probably aware if kids dont get the right amount of sleep it effects them in so many ways.
I would never put any of my kids through surgery that i didnt think would help and i have to say that by having their tonsils out life was much easier, not to mention the peace and quiet for the few days they couldnt speak I hope i was abit of help and all goes well

Hi Shelley, not that I have any real advice with this but I would definately consider the sleep study. I haven't done it with Isabella yet but there was a short period where she was being really difficult and coincidently was waking a lot at night. I took her the GP and he tonsils were enlarged. She recovered before i got around to doing the sleep study but as soon as her tonsils improved, her sleep also improved and she went back to normal (lovely and no longer naughty). It's made me a firm believer that sleep apnia would have very significant impact on behaviour. So nothing scientific from me but I would definately have it done. And I should infact be organising the same for Isabella just as a routine check. Let us know how you go,

Di

My brother had his adenoids out when he was about 7? and he regrets it. Doesn't think it helped him. When Jirah was born and I said that tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies are common with kids with DS, he just said, "Try and avoid that if you can - your tonsils are your first mechanism for defence against bugs". He's a pharmacist.

Of course, every child is different and every situation is different, I would definitely be doing some reading up about that because it's not something you want to put your kid through unless they REALLY need it. These days, they make kids eat normal food straight away after having their tonsils out. None of this living on icecream and jelly stuff like in the old days.

How do you feel about alternate therapies? It might be worth having a read about about them also. Not sure if it's totally relevant but worth reading about the Buteyko Method. Particularly the symptoms that may be relieved...

Cas

Lachlan had large tonsils and suffered from chronic tonsillitis and ear infections (we are now up to his 4th set of grommets - he is only 3 yrs old!). He would also snore alot and was tired during the day.
Lachlan had his tonsils out when he was 2 and he has not looked back since! The snoring has nearly gone (except when he is really tired), no more tonsillitis and even his eating is better.
All I can say is it worked well for Lachlan )
Kath
Proud mum to
Matthew 18, Caitlin 17, Michael 13, Lachlan 3 ds and Grace 19mths ds

Hannah's first set of Grommets go in at the end of the month. Tomorrow I am taking her in for preadmission and blood tests etc. . If we cope with that I guess I'll find out about a sleep clinic next.

Good luck I hope you dont sweat as much as i did when Amarli had to have her bloods done, I hated it. Hope all goes well

Emily had both hers out 2 years ago.

It helped her sleep a lot. (yes we're still having problems but not as many) She would actually stop breathing and wake up startled. Was scary. If you looked in her throat the hole was smaller than a 5 cent piece! Her tonsils where THAT swollen, so the needed to come out. Her adenoids where swollen too, so tey came out. They tried for a 2nd time to get grommets in her ears at the same time but once again, her ears were too tiny to get them in. The ENT actually said "ears smaller than a new born! The smallest I've ever seen!" That was a paediatric ENT! lol