4 year old getting tonsils removed

Gal44

Hiya, My 4 and a half year old daughter is getting her tonsils and possibly adenoids out next month in UCH Galway. Anyone have any advice? what should i expect? I'm so nervous!! thanks

pwurple

Bring her favourite drinks and foods in for when she is allowed them. We visited a child who got those out, brought some nice soft raspberries and cream and she nearly ate the hand off us!

Books, maybe a game? Boredom is the thing to overcome in hospital for those procedures. They will have plenty of painkillers on hand, and the op itself doesn't take long. Just keeping the child distracted.

skallywag

I had the same procedure done at a similar age, and I remember it being a piece of cake, in fact I enjoyed the novelty and the attention :-) Things can only have improved since of course as well.

I agree the boredom could be the biggest challenge, lots of colouring books and other distractions, etc.

Das Kitty

Be prepared yourself, for when she comes around, she may be awfully confused and upset.

My lad had a tooth removed under general anaesthetic at the start of the year. It was very upsetting when he woke up and was roaring and fighting. However, he doesn't remember any of that. He remembers the jelly and icecream they gave him.

Entertainment is your big thing. If you have a tablet, load it with cartoons and bring headphones. If you don't, you could see about borrowing one for the day. There's a lot of waiting around in UCHG, even when you have an appointment time.

Gal44

Thanks everyone

bp

Gal44 wrote: »

Thanks everyone

How did go? Facing something similar soon for our 3 year old

Gal44

bp wrote: »

How did go? Facing something similar soon for our 3 year old

It's the end of the month... So hopefully all goes well!

amor3

I'd also like to know how it went. My 4 year old is in the 28th of this month for the same. He had a general anesthetic before so i know how confused and upset he will be when he starts to come around. We plan on going shopping to buy us both new pyjamas for our "sleep over " we watched a video of the children's department which they recommended is to do. I've tried to talk him through the procedure in a child friendly way of course and how his throat will be sore at first but when it starts to get better it wont be sore ever again!!(fingers crossed)

Did they remove the adenoids? How is the recovery going?

Gal44

The Op is the 31st of this month, Great idea to watch the video gona look into that

amor3

Gal44 wrote: »

The Op is the 31st of this month, Great idea to watch the video gona look into that

It's nerve wracking isn't it. I think I'm more nervous than he is!

angelll

My 2 yr old (at the time) got them out in jan this year along with adenoids, went fine, pain really came back up on days 5-7 so watch out for that.

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

It's nerve wracking isn't it. I think I'm more nervous than he is!

Absolutely! They've just cancelled her originally date for surgery so back waiting again for another date

amor3

Gal44 wrote: »

Absolutely! They've just cancelled her originally date for surgery so back waiting again for another date

Oh no! Poor little mite ( and poor mammy! ) waiting just makes the anxiety worse for everyone. Fingers crossed they wont leave you waiting to long.

uck51js9zml2yt

My son has had a couple of ops and probably needs another one in a few months.

He got agitated last time with getting the gas. The ENT Manager recommended that next time we get the play therapist to talk to him before his next op and to give him pre-meds to relax him.

Its traumatic getting a big mask over their faces with the "funny smell"

Once he got over the initial confusion on waking up he was bouncing around the place

allybhoy

Hope everything goes well, im sure it will.

Do you mind me asking how you went about getting the operation for your little one?

Our 4 year old is constantly getting throat infections and her poor tonsils are like angry red golf balls all the time even when she doesnt have an infection. When she does get an infection they inflame to the point where she cant swallow and have developed holes in them where a white fungus type stuff builds up and the only way to get rid of it is antibiotics. She has been to the GP at least 5 times in the last 12 months with her throat and when we asked about getting them removed the GP told us she was far too young and to wait until she was at least 10 or 12, but id like to get them removed before that. Wondering should we use another GP, Our current GP will obviously has a record of the amount of times she has been to the clinic with throat complaints over the last 2 years or so.


I had similar tonsil issues and had mine removed when i was 20 but I wish I had them removed at a younger date as i havent had a throat infection since.

amor3

D-day tomorrow!! I'm a bundle of nerves, ds doesn't seem fazed at all. I'm sure it will be a different story in the morning, we've to be in for 7 so hopefully somewhere near the start of the list and get done early enough.

Gal44 did you get another date yet?

Allyboy, i just got fed up and got my gp to type up a referral for me. Your little one definitely meets the criteria so i dont know why they would wait so long.

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

D-day tomorrow!! I'm a bundle of nerves, ds doesn't seem fazed at all. I'm sure it will be a different story in the morning, we've to be in for 7 so hopefully somewhere near the start of the list and get done early enough.

Gal44 did you get another date yet?

Allyboy, i just got fed up and got my gp to type up a referral for me. Your little one definitely meets the criteria so i dont know why they would wait so long.

Got a call for August 7th, so I'm nervous but glad to get a date so soon. She's starting school in September so I'm happy it will be over and done with for her. I was chatting to another parent who's child had her tonsils out and they got the child to blow up a balloon and that's how the child went to sleep, clever idea I think!

Best of luck for tomorrow!

bp

I just rang an ENT myself to get an appointment. No letter from doc.

I hope the operations go well

amor3

All done!

He put up a bit of a fight earlier, he was first up. Got down to theatre and had a bit of a meltdown , got so far as to blow up the balloon but when the "smelly gas" came in he wouldn't breathe it in. He is so strong for a 4 and a half year old. They then tried the needle in his hand approach but as soon as he felt it he wouldn't keep still. So we went back out to the waiting room and they gave him a seditive and it took about 20 minutes to kick in. Then off back into the theatre and we managed to get the mask on with minimal fuss. So he was in and out in a little over an hour. Only took out the tonsils, i was convinced the adenoids would go to but they said they were quite small. He is snoozing on and off now but seems to be doing ok. They are recommending to eat as normal but they are really encouraging crunchy foods, toast, cornflakes and even tayto they said! Gonna try him with some toast first and take it from there.

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

All done!

He put up a bit of a fight earlier, he was first up. Got down to theatre and had a bit of a meltdown , got so far as to blow up the balloon but when the "smelly gas" came in he wouldn't breathe it in. He is so strong for a 4 and a half year old. They then tried the needle in his hand approach but as soon as he felt it he wouldn't keep still. So we went back out to the waiting room and they gave him a seditive and it took about 20 minutes to kick in. Then off back into the theatre and we managed to get the mask on with minimal fuss. So he was in and out in a little over an hour. Only took out the tonsils, i was convinced the adenoids would go to but they said they were quite small. He is snoozing on and off now but seems to be doing ok. They are recommending to eat as normal but they are really encouraging crunchy foods, toast, cornflakes and even tayto they said! Gonna try him with some toast first and take it from there.

Hi how is your little lad getting on since?

cassid

My son had adenoids done 3 years ago and they stupid things have grown back so booked back in for another op and tonsils coming out as well. He loved the fuss last time in the hospital so he does not mind getting it done again

amor3

Gal44 , he is doing well. He had a nose bleed during the night so he was kept in for about 6 hours longer than he should. Got home about 3 o'clock today. He hasn't really been complaining about pain yet but I have been assured it will defo kick in so I'm just keeping on top of his medicine and keeping him in my bed tonight to keep an eye because any slightest bit of bleeding and its back to a&e. But fingers crossed he will be fine!

amor3

cassid wrote: »

My son had adenoids done 3 years ago and they stupid things have grown back so booked back in for another op and tonsils coming out as well. He loved the fuss last time in the hospital so he does not mind getting it done again

Wow,didn't realise they could grow back!!

bp

So glad it went ok

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

Gal44 , he is doing well. He had a nose bleed during the night so he was kept in for about 6 hours longer than he should. Got home about 3 o'clock today. He hasn't really been complaining about pain yet but I have been assured it will defo kick in so I'm just keeping on top of his medicine and keeping him in my bed tonight to keep an eye because any slightest bit of bleeding and its back to a&e. But fingers crossed he will be fine!

That's great he's doing good, how's his eating?

amor3

He really doesn't know what he wants most of the time. When he came around from the anesthetic the first day he had a cruchy cornflake muller yoghurt, half a chicken and stuffing sandwich on granary bread and half a banana and walnut muffin. He picked at his dinner that evening, a few wedges. But we were advised to just get him eating, by whatever means, the saliva from chewing apparently helps a whole lot. We got him a packet of starbursts and this meant he had to chew and swallow alot. Yesterday and today (2nd day post op) it's taking about an hour for the medicine to kick in before he even thinks of eating first thing in the morning. But once it does he seems brighter, and willing to eat. I've really just let him pick what he wants. I even got a box of coco pop cereal bars which I'd never buy but it done the job earlier and got his appetite going ☺ he just seems to be doing to well pain wise as they were really stressing the fact it will be "misery"!! Calm before the storm maybe!

amor3

A week post op today, the last 2 nights were bad. Waking every 2 hours from 1 o'clock on, this would be the longest time without medicine but he is even starting to get an aversion to that now, won't take any drinks during the night either. During the day he is like a different child, not a bother but still not great eating.

Gal44, you set for friday?

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

A week post op today, the last 2 nights were bad. Waking every 2 hours from 1 o'clock on, this would be the longest time without medicine but he is even starting to get an aversion to that now, won't take any drinks during the night either. During the day he is like a different child, not a bother but still not great eating.

Gal44, you set for friday?

Nervous but looking forward to it been over and done with.

How's your little lad since?

Anything you recommend to bring with us to the hospital? Apart from clothes pjs and things to distract her..

amor3

Gal44 wrote: »

Nervous but looking forward to it been over and done with.

How's your little lad since?

Anything you recommend to bring with us to the hospital? Apart from clothes pjs and things to distract her..

He only woke once last night,so I'm hoping he is on the up now. Appetite still not 100%, living on cereal mostly, but I'll let that slide til the two weeks are up and then get a bit more stricter.

I can't really recommend anything, i brought an ipad but i had to bring in a seperate mobile broadband thing because the hospital didn't have wifi, he was groggy for most of the day,slept on and off and when he was awake he looked at a movie or 2. So all going well you will be good to go early the next morning, so you just need entertainment so to speak for the 1 day, maybe a new book or small toy for being so brave when she comes round ☺

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

He only woke once last night,so I'm hoping he is on the up now. Appetite still not 100%, living on cereal mostly, but I'll let that slide til the two weeks are up and then get a bit more stricter.

I can't really recommend anything, i brought an ipad but i had to bring in a seperate mobile broadband thing because the hospital didn't have wifi, he was groggy for most of the day,slept on and off and when he was awake he looked at a movie or 2. So all going well you will be good to go early the next morning, so you just need entertainment so to speak for the 1 day, maybe a new book or small toy for being so brave when she comes round ☺

That's great he only woke once, hopefully onwards and upwards

thanks for all your helpful info

amor3

Best of luck today Gal44 and especially little Gal44. It will be all over before you know it.

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

Best of luck today Gal44 and especially little Gal44. It will be all over before you know it.

Thanks, all over now and home. The surgery itself went well but the lead up to it wasn't great she was so suspicious of all the nurses didn't want to be touched had a meltdown going to theatre but once she was under all went well and recovery last night was good. She's just eatin toast and water and ice cream since but she's not a good eater anyways. Great form today

amor3

Gal44 wrote: »

Thanks, all over now and home. The surgery itself went well but the lead up to it wasn't great she was so suspicious of all the nurses didn't want to be touched had a meltdown going to theatre but once she was under all went well and recovery last night was good. She's just eatin toast and water and ice cream since but she's not a good eater anyways. Great form today

How's it going Gal44? 2 weeks post op today and no complaints so far, everything back to normal, fingers crossed it goes the same for you.

Gal44

So far so good, well the days are going good, when I say good she's in good form most of the time and is eating good, random food but it's going in anyways but She's getting fed up with us always after her with calpol or nurofen.. The nights are hard though even though she's taking pain relief before bed and she takes it in middle of the night she's still very restless and in pain during the night. Once morning comes she's fine again all day running around playing. I'm looking forward to when I'm not chasing her to get medicine into her! Is your little boy still taking pain relief?

amor3

Gal44 wrote: »

So far so good, well the days are going good, when I say good she's in good form most of the time and is eating good, random food but it's going in anyways but She's getting fed up with us always after her with calpol or nurofen.. The nights are hard though even though she's taking pain relief before bed and she takes it in middle of the night she's still very restless and in pain during the night. Once morning comes she's fine again all day running around playing. I'm looking forward to when I'm not chasing her to get medicine into her! Is your little boy still taking pain relief?

My little fella was exactly the same. I think it's because maybe he slept with his mouth open and therefor his throat got dry and somehow irritated him and made it sore, thankfully it only lasted 3 nights, but he was exactly the same with the medicine as well. I reduced it in around day 9 or 10 to just morning and night and completely stopped on the 2 week mark. He is absolutely fine and i even had a look at his throat today and there is not a mark or any redness. Your halfway there now, it will be all worth it in the end!

Gal44

amor3 wrote: »

My little fella was exactly the same. I think it's because maybe he slept with his mouth open and therefor his throat got dry and somehow irritated him and made it sore, thankfully it only lasted 3 nights, but he was exactly the same with the medicine as well. I reduced it in around day 9 or 10 to just morning and night and completely stopped on the 2 week mark. He is absolutely fine and i even had a look at his throat today and there is not a mark or any redness. Your halfway there now, it will be all worth it in the end!

Nearly two weeks over and shes totally back to herself, sleeping through the night again and yesterday was the first day she didn't need pain relief. thank goodness its over

Thanks everyone for all your advice