Adenoids

[gbird1]

I've searched this forum for previous posts/threads, but wanted more...Anyone try figuring out what was causing their child's enlarged adenoids/tonsils before getting them surgically removed? If your child was NOT getting infections, but had large adenoids/tonsils, do you know what was causing it? Allergies? Did you alleviate the swelling with figuring out what allergies your child had? Was it food related? ANY INFO would be helpful. My 5 yo DD has large adenoids--mouth breather, snoring, dark circles, tired and cranky, bed wetter, probable sleep apnea, nasal speech, but does NOT have strep infections, repeated sore throats etc. Just has big adenoids. So I thought I would do what I could to figure out if she had some sort of allergy before resorting to surgery. She's been dairy free for 2 weeks, but so far, no difference ( I realize it takes longer for dairy to leave your system, but you'd think there would be SOME difference by now). Any info from you all would be appreciated!!

[tallanvor]

My kids haven't had problems, but I did as a kid. The largest culprit for me was environmental allergies, and they couldn't get them under enough control, so they had the take them. However, that was almost 30 years ago and there are other options now.

[my2sweets]

Dd1 had her adnoids removed at 2. We could hear her snoring through her closed door, down the hall, and over the tv. She also was cranky, had dark circles, ect. She didnt have allergies, had only had the flu and a couple of little viruses up to that point, only 2-3 ear infections...over all really pretty healthy kiddo. I never thought of food allergies/sensitivities though. When the doc removed them he said they were the biggest he had ever seen on a child, no definite reason as to why their large size. Afterwards her deit remained the same but she was like a different child so I dont think food was a factor-although I guess theres no way to know for sure/check if they are no longer there to test huh? Lol

Hope you get some answers

[luvsviola]

DS was on Elecare, so we had removed all food-based allergens, and his were still huge.

I think they just are naturally huge on many kids. He also had his tonsils so large they were touching each other before they were removed at age 2.

We didn't do his for infections. We removed them because he wasn't sleeping through the night consistently, as a last ditch effort get get an almost 3 year old to sleep through the night. He has swallowing difficulties, so while he was under for the tonsils, we did the adenoids too.

[am_ryan21]

Originally Posted by luvsviola I think they just are naturally huge on many kids. He also had his tonsils so large they were touching each other before they were removed at age 2.

This. We had his adenoids removed and tubes put in before 2. Then we had his tonsils removed a little over 2 weeks ago and he is like a different child.

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using DS Forum

[gbird1]

So when you say that your child "was a different kid" after getting his/her tonsils/adenoids out, what do you mean? Like their behavior was different? Like they were getting better sleep and so were happier/not cranky?

[luvsviola]

Behavior was WAY better 'cause kiddo started sleeping better. More pleasant. Less tantrums. He also started eating a ton more because it is easier to swallow.

[my2sweets]

Originally Posted by luvsviola Behavior was WAY better 'cause kiddo started sleeping better. More pleasant. Less tantrums. He also started eating a ton more because it is easier to swallow.

Exactly

[paper_girl_76]

my ds didn't have any allergies that we knew of, and never had any infections, but his adenoids were so large that they caused him to have constant fluid in his ears that left him deaf(thankfully not permanently). Also, all the sleep issues that others have mentioned, and behavior issues.

We took them out at 4.5 yrs and have never regretted it. The ENT dr also said that his was the biggest he'd seen.

I also think some kids are just naturally enlarged.

[momtojande]

I may be totally off, but I thought that once tonsils & adenoids are enlarged, they don't go back down. As in, it's not a temporary swelling. You can hope that the child will eventually grow into them, if they don't continue getting bigger.

DS has environmental allergies for sure, which seem to have contributed to it. He had a few ear infections, but nothing chronic or unusual. I did have him on allergy meds from about 5 months old, but that only helps some with the congestion and did not keep his tonsils & adenoids from becoming huge. The main reason for having them out was that it was disrupting his sleep. Oh, and although he didn't have frequent ear infections or hearing problems, he did turn out to have fluid built up in his ears. The doctor said it was very thick & sticky, like glue, from having been in there so long.

I wouldn't say he was a totally different kid afterwards -- but his sleep improved, and he definitely swung more towards his better, happier moods & behaviors.

Sorry for the grossness, but this is how the tonsils were a couple days before surgery:



According to the doctor, the adenoids were also very big. Just got in the way of breathing comfortably.

DD also had her tonsils & adenoids removed this past spring, and they were similarly large and causing snoring. She has some allergies, but doesn't seem to have the environmental allergies DS does. So who knows.