Tonsillectomy/Adenoids

I had my tonsils out my senior year of high school. I remember it being very painful when I first woke up. Keep all of her favorite liquids and jellos and puddings and popsicles and icecreams (but not with chunks of cookies or anything crunchy). It was hard to talk at least the first day, maybe longer. Keep her on the meds they perscribe to keep her less active and out of pain for as long as they tell you to. My stitches started bleeding again because my mom made me go back to school too soon. As long as she can keep her liquids down, she will come through wonderfully.

A.,
I had my tonsils removed when I was 16. I remember it being very painful. I found the cool pudding, not cold, and jello worked for me. On the jello, don't form it completely. The half liquid, half solid worked great for me, but everyone has their own preferences. It was about a month before I was completely back to normal, but I have always heard that they younger you are the quicker you'll heal. Remember lots of TLC. Good luck.

Dear A.,
My daughter had her tonsils and adenoids out two months after she turned three last year. The surgery lasted about 45 min and afterward she was pretty out of it for most of that afternoon, however by evening, she was sitting up in the bed eating jello and ice cream, thinking it was all a big party. Just make sure that you have plenty of soft foods at home for her to eat when she feels like it. They will send you home with liquid pain medicine and sometimes my daughter was not hungry when she was medicated, however we only used the pain medicine for the first two days, the rest of the time we used tylenol. It really ended up not being as scary or fraught with tension as we thought. My daughter has been very healthy since and I am so glad that we had it done. Hope this helps.

Hey My 4 year just had his tonsils out 2 month ago.I was expecting him in bed for like 2 weeks.But surprise the day I got him home he was wanting to play.you will be at the hospital for about 2 hours after the surgery but it only yakes about 30 minutes after he went in and they where done.He started having a sore throat about to days later.But the pain meds help alot.Trust me she will want to play alot but just keep her from getting hot and only let her take luke baths.After it is over if you have any concerns feel free to e-mail me and let me know and I will answer any questions I can.Good luck and trust me it is harder for you than it will be on her.Lisa Stanley

Hi A.,
My daughter just had this procedure done about 2 years ago, and it was a breeze. The hardest thing was the fact that she had to be in the house and out of the public for 10 days. Otherwise the pain meds kept her pretty much taken care of and she didn't have to have those that often either. Be mindful of one thing though, be sure to have ALOT of things for her to drink, and the colder the better. I made sure Rae(my daughter) had hawaiin punch and non citrus juices on hand at all times. This makes the healing go SO MUCH FASTER. Don't be suprised if she chokes a little on her first drink after surgery, her throat will be numb and so the muscles are a little sluggish. Mashed potatoes, and plenty of soft soups or baby foods are good too. My prayers will be with you. Let me know how things turn out.- God Bless, C.

Hey A.,
I had my tonsils removed when I was fifteen, so it was probably quite a bit more painful than the surgery will be for your daughter since she is so young. However, I discovered that Slim Fast shakes in a can and peppermints were life saving. The Slim Fast is thin enough to drink despite the swelling and has some nutritional value. The peppermints helped numb the back of my throat, which hurt very badly following the surgery. Good luck to your daughter.

Well my 5 year old had this done 2 years ago and it has helped her from getting as sick as she used to. The operation is painful and she lost over 10 lbs. from it which is alot from a little girl. It hurts the throat to swallow anything and they are afraid to swallow anything solid because it hurts. For one month my daughter ate only soup like (chicken and stars). She started eating the soup only after a weeks time. Mostly for the first week I fixed soup broth, jello, popsicles. Then the second week she started eating the same but added ice cream, yogurt, some small star noodles. It's hard but she'll get through it it is just alot on such a small child.

My 4 year old nephew had that done last year. His mom said it went so much better than she expected it to. First couple of days he was sore but he was fine. He was able to have lots of ice pops...no ice cream because of the mucous build up that dairy causes. But he was up and about rather quickly. Any concerns you have definitely discuss with you doctor. It will be harder on you than your child. All will be fine...good luck!!!

Hi,
My name is N.. Today is my first day with this group. I'm so happy to join. Ok, well I have a 11 year old son who has had 8 ear surgeries in this lifetime. His first ear surgery was at a year old. Then from there is seemed like it never ended. This is usually not a long surgery, even though it seems like forever. After surgery, she will be sleepy and aggitated probably. Thats normal. My son had his tonsils out probably about 5 years old. He was in pain after of course, but the doctor should give you some pain medicine for her. Make sure not to give her anything to eat that is rough or hard to swallow. My husband couldn't stand him crying because he was hungry and gave him a pop tart. Bad choice. HAHA
Anyway, the first day, she will need to drink lots of fluids. Watch for dehydration. Fluids are a important of recovery for her. And she probably won't want to drink cause I know I had to take a syringe and fill it with gatorade and put it in the back of his mouth until he would swallow. She will probably run a little fever, thats normal. Give her something for the fever. As the days go buy, you can give her more solid foods. Icies are great for this type of surgery, even pudding maybe the next day and just see what she can tolerate. Her throat will form a scab where the tonsils were removed. Don't give her anything that will remove that scab cause it will bleed. Other then that, just see what she can tolerate and you will be surprised how fast she will recover. She is young and her body will heal alot faster than you or I. Oh, and adenoids can grow back. All they do is trim them. My son's grew back 2 years later. She may have some blood in her nose after surgery but that will me about all you see. Well, I've done this 8 times with tubes and everything, so I hope this has relieved you soon. Its been 2 years since our last surgery. Thank GOD!! N.

my daughter had it done 12/27/05. When she firsts comes out she will be crying and blaming you for her pain. possibly.
But, what I did was set her up a bed in the living room and gave her plenty of COLD/soft stuff to eat. She played with her bratz laptop, watch TV, and colored.
Kids are pretty fast at recovery. I kept her in bed the first couple days but after that I let her do what ever she felt she was able. To a point. I mean I wouldn't let her jump or play real hard but if she wanted out of bed to do minor stuff it was ok.
She was 5 yrs & 6 months when she got this done. At the same time she had her fretulectomy cut (that skin connecting top lip to upper gums) it was growing between her teeth and separating them.
Be brave with her before she goes in and as they prep her. She will do great.
My prayers are with you and your family.
Jan

Hey A.,
You know I havent been thru this yet, But I am about to on the 30.
I was a little worried about having it done, but they say that it will help her.
All I know is what people have told me, & that is to have ice cream, pudding etc. around. Basically I have heard the same things from asking around as what the other moms have suggested.
My doctor told me that the typical stay at home time is around 5 days. But I have her pre-op appointment on Friday.
I dont know if you have had yours yet or not, but If you need to know something basic or whateverI can ask him when we go Friday.
I know I wasnt much more help b/c I havent gone thru it yet. But you arent the only one wondering, b/c right now I am kinda in the dark as to what to expect.
Take care & Good luck with it all
~Jill

Hi A.
My son had his out when he was five. I was very nervous and the surgery took longer than it was supposed to. If it's anything like my sons she'll be fine:) One thing I wish someone would have told me though is that when they brought him out to me he wasn't complete awake and he was spitting up blood. I'm not trying to scare you but like I said I wish I would have known. Rest assured though after 2 days he was back to eating like a hog and driving me crazy! LOL One thing I did to help him was took him to adopt a bear and let him make a bear. They let him bring that in with him. They even put booties and a hat on the bear. He loved it!! I hope all goes well for you. If you have anymore questions just let me know.
M.

Hi A.

She will let you know how she is feeling by her actions. My ENT recommended that you not give them ice cream for the first few days due to the mucus. The ice cream makes it thicker. I gave my daughter popsicles. Also, be sure she drinks plenty. It doesn't take much for them to dehydrate. Tylenol was our best friend for a few days, but I think she will be fine. They are back to their bouncing selves in a week or so. Good Luck.

Dear A.:
I was older when I had mine done, but I remember a 'sore throat' feeling shortly after and lots of ice cream. :-) It may not be healthy, but it cools the wound and kids like it, so physically and emotionally it's a good thing. Some drops/candy may work, too. You can use any cold drinks to feed her, and letting her sleep a lot and watch TV goes easy on her throat since she won't speak. I actually remember it as a fun time, because for days I got to do all the stuff I was usually not allowed so much of. You may also give her vitamin-rich stuff for her immune system since her first line of defense is gone and the surgery is fresh.

I don't recall spending more than a week in recovery, then it was pretty much back to normal. Getting put under was cool, too. Like the spiral in the opening trailer of the Twilight Zone. If you present this as a necessity but a fun time, she'll be OK. I would highlight the 'goodies' like abstaining from school and eating sweets, and I'd pamper her a bit more in that time. Prepare her that she will feel some throat pain for a while, so she does not freak when it happens.

Regards,
W.

My daughter had her tonsils out when she was aproximately 2 and her adenoids when she was 11. Both went really well... On the tonsils make sure you have lots of pops and jello... She ate a lot of that because they were cold and felt good on her throat... After about the 1st day she started eating mashed potatoes, soups and even soft french fries... The same with when her adenoids came out... I was very lucky and we had no complications... I hope everything goes well for you both...

Well I went through it with my two kids. Had them done at the same time. also with my granddaughter. They did well. Only said they had a real sore throat. They went home the same day and the nurse said they had to eat something before they went home ---popcycles and ice cream. something cold but not sodas. Has to much acid. the next day was better and they ate soft food. don't worry it is real simple. Just don't force them to eat. when they feel like it it all comes back and by the way they have no more ear infections or sore throats. That's the good part. Good luck. Vinnie

Hi! My son, who turned 6 in December, had his tonsils & adenoids out in October. It took about a week and a half for him to get all the way better but he has been so much better now. He isn't as congested all the time, doesn't snore, and just is overall much happier and rested.

My son just had his removed. He is two. I won't lie it was very difficult. He had his done Jan 24th 2007. After the seventh day he started getting better and sleeping all night without waking up needing meds. The meds he was on for pain was Tylenol with codeine and it burns when they swallow it. It was a battle to get the meds down. You may not have as much problems since your daughter is older and can understand it only hurts for a minute and makes her feel better. I found drinking milk after the meds soothes the throat or you can mix the meds with other drinks. Don't be afraid to experiment.

What ever you do DO NOT GIVE MOTRIN OR IBUPROFEN!!!!
They are blood thinners and could cause her throat to bleed.
That came from the nurses at the hospital.

My 13 year old had his tonsils out when he was 8 almost 9 and my youngest boy had his adnoids removed when he was 5 almost 6. The tonsil removal was no picnic, soft foods, ice cream, pudding, jello, mashed potatoes etc. She will be pretty miserable until the area scabs up (gross I know) and then she will start to feel better however, the scabs will come off and she will be pretty sore again. It took my son a couple of weeks before he felt normal again but it is the first couple of days after the surgery and the few days after the scabs fall off that are the worst. They usually give them tylenol 3 with codine for pain and it taste awful my ENT suggested mixing it with Chocolate Syrup just so he could get it down. Be mindful of the after effects of the anethsia also, some children get sick at their stomachs coming out of it and others sail right through it.
I noticed you live in Ward, AR I used to live there many many years ago, is Ward still a one horse town with the little gas station/grocery store and the auction building?

Hi A.,
My boys have both had that procedure one was 8 the other 12.Believe it or not the 8 year old did better with it.
When we arrived they gave them a med to calm them down but with mine it just made them mad they hate meds..lol..then they are taken to surgery they are asleep when they recieve the I.V so no worries there.Then after they are really sleepy and when they first come out of surgery they throw up so be prepared it is from the sleeping gas...but don't worry.They are back to themselves in no time a day or two...Trust me you are probably worse off then them worring your self...Hope this helps...H.

My 2 year old had his out 12/29/06 and we had a very rough first couple of days. When we went back to the recovery room he was pretty much out of it and was fighting the nurses at they tried to unhook him. We stayed in recovery for about an hour, then on the way home he got sick and then at home he got sick again. So you might ask your ENT for something to give her in case she does get sick. That evening was great he was asking for things to eat and drink, so my husband and I thought wow, this wasn't bad at all! Then the next day came and it took he and I to hold him down and force him to drink liquids (that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do). Then on the 3rd day he ran a high fever, but it went away and he just ran a low one the rest of the day. I don't want to scare you but it was rough for us. But after about a week and a half he was better.

I had my tonsils taken out when I was 18. Your daughter being so young should heal a lot faster than I did, but she'll probably be in more pain. I would keep her dosed constantly with Tylenol or Motrin. Lots of cold things like popsicles and Jell-O will feel better on her throat because it will definitely hurt for her to swallow. I would keep lots of kids movies on hand too for when she's awake.
As far as the adenoid removal, I'm not sure about that - they only took my tonsils. I would think the Tylenol/Motrin would help with pain.
Hope this helps some.
A.

Hi! My 4yo son had his adenoids removed and tubes put in hs ears recently. The surgery took about 20 minutes he then sleptoff and on from 9am til about 10 pm. After that he was wide awake. The next day he was pretty much back to normal. I think his surgery was harder on me than it was him. LOL Hope this helps.

I must say, although I was in seventh grade when I had this surgery, I just wanted to sleep, because as much as everyone says you get to eat ice cream you don't want to eat a thing. your neck is so swollen it hurts to swallow and you are completely miserable. but it does go away gradually after about week and it gets easier to swallow and eat. the more mushy the foods you have on hand and plenty of cold drinks and ice cream that is the best advice I can give you. I think my little girl is going to have to have the same thing done to her and I will soon be in the same boat. It is still hard to see your little ones in pain, but it does get better. good luck.

My 4 year old had her tonsills and adnoids taken out last year and she was just exausted afterwards, she slept on and off throughout the day, on and off through the next couple nights. THe medicine they gave her she said burned as she drank it so I mixed it with a little really cold Apple Juice and instead of having her drink it out of the cup she liked to use the little seringes you give babies med. in. She didn't eat or drink much, but liked cold applesauce, cold Apple Juice and cold soups, ramen noodles, etc. We took our protable DVD player and watched a lot of movies while at the hospitol and read a lot of her favorite books. We did a lot of the same for the next few days after she got home. It took about a week for the scab to come completely off and a few more days for her to return to normal eating and drinking. (We also used a lot of video tape in our camera as she had the cutest little mouse voice for about a week.) I H. this helps you, good luck.

My son had his out at the same age. You will be surprised how quickly she'll come back from the surgery! My son was back to normal within 48 hours! Keep plenty of popsicles handy and pudding...mashed potatoes are good too. Best of luck to you and your family!

Both my step daughters had this done last Thanksgiving. It wasn't too bad. They were sore for a couple of days. They were given liquid antibiotics and pain meds.

The first few days they took the pain meds a couple of times a day. After that, the worst part was when they first woke up. They would be crying and a little distressed. I learned to have their medicine ready before I woke them up and to wake them up one at a time. They had liquid pain medicine that really helped. I would dose them the second they woke up and it only took a few minutes to kick in. Be prepared to do the mommy thing and hold them a few minutes. My girls are older (12 & 14) and they still needed a little soothing when they first woke up. By the third day they were only taking pain meds in the morning. They took the pain meds for about a week.

As far as what they could eat, the first couple of days they were strictly liquids or soft foods - soup, ice cream, jello, mashed potatoes, etc. They wanted a hamburger and fries by the third day. I bought them Happy Meals and cut the burger into small bite sized pieces. They didn't eat much but they did manage a few bites. Both of them seemed to have problems with things tasting odd. We really couldn't find anything that they liked. They would take a few bites and be done.

Total down time was about a week. Two weeks before they were completely back to normal with no pain and eating normally. We watched a lot of movies and had some quality down time together. Good luck!!!

Hello A.,

My daughter had her adenoids removed in Oct of 06. At the time she had just turned 2. She bounced right back. However I see that your child is having the tonsils and adenoids taken at the same time. My baby was in recovery for about an hour and a half. I'm sure your child will recovery lying on a bed. My husband and I sat in the recovery area in a recliner holding our daughter. She was pretty groggy and stayed sleep. The nurse would wake her every twenty minutes or so to have sip sprite from a syringe. Once we got home she slept for most of the day and the next day she kind of stayed in my arms but after that she was back on those two feet running through the house. We only gave her the pain med's the first and second day. The LORD was with us!!!

I hope that you have been blessed with a good docter. Ours was Barbara Morris at AR Otolaryngology on Kanis (if u live in Little Rock, AR)

I had this done myself in the 8th grade and they told us it was about a 1-2 week recovery time. I was pretty much back to normal after 2 weeks. Don't be suprised if she doesn't feel like eating, everything hurts including the ice cream that you hear everybody brag about. Also you get this weird coating on your tongue that makes everything tast funny so that will be part of it too. Cold packs on her throat and lots cold drinks and foods felt the best to me. But just go with what she can eat, trust me anything is better than nothing, I lost 25 lbs in those two weeks because I refused to eat. Hope this helps.

hey there A.,

My 11 y/o daughter had her tonsils and adnoids removed when she was 4. Her surery was fairly quick and uneventful(about 1 hr). When we gothome she slept alot and had some pain, that evening she requested chicken mcnuggets and ate everyone. She had done great ever since. I had mine removed when I was 15 and had a real bad time, was sick for about a week, so maybe what they say about the younger kids rebounding faster is true. Good luck with you daughter!

being a mom and surgical scrub nurse, i can tell you, the procedure is very simple. there will be the sore throat, but the kids usually feel pretty good after anesthia wears off. It is very important to follow the diet guidelines post surgery. I see too many parents who disregard that part because the kids are hungry and have to come back because of bleeding and have another surgery. It will be easy! Good luck.

Hi A.,
My oldest daughter was 6 when she had her tonsills and adenoids takened out and she was only feeling down the first day and im sure it was from the anastecia. After that i expected her to be in bed but she just had to much energy and was up and about.She did fine.On the other hand i got mine removed when i was 18 and i felt like i got ran over for a whole week.I think small children do alot better when things like this than us adults.
good luck !
G.

My daughter had her tonsils and adenoids out when she was 6(she is 15 now).She had to stay in the hospital for a few days due to excessive bleeding.She was groggy for a while after the surgery but otherwise she did very well.We kept a lot of soft foods on hand for her(popsicles,soups,Jell-O,pudding).She was back to normal in about a week or so.Hope all goes well for you.