Thread: Can we talk tubes, tonsils and adenoids?

Saige still can't hear. Her hearing is around 60% loss in both ears. We have been dealing with this hoping it will clear up for the past two years.
We just got back from an appointment, and the Dr. wants to do tubes, and take out her tonsils and adenoids. That's the short story.

Opinions? Advice?

PS- At my insistence, we got a referral to an allergist for the end of the month before I give my decision on surgery.

we did it for dd #2 and she did great. She just had her second set of tubes re-done in January.

Carrie constantly had an ear infection, runny eyes, nose for about six months. We saw an ent, and he suggested ear tubes and adenoids. We scheduled her surgery about a month off, then her freaking symptoms stopped! We had the surgery anyway. She was 18 months (about 2 weeks ago). She woke up from the surgery OMFG CRAZY MAD SCREAMING BANSHEE ACK. We freaked out. She is -never- like that, NEVER. She finally fell asleep and was perfectly fine. The doctor said stay quiet that first day, no outdoor activities, no restrictions on diet, and next day as usual. She bounced back right away. However, and the ent did not tell us this, but dh read about it online, her breath smelled like something died. I had awful visions of the ent leaving something behind until dh told me he'd read about it. It's a good thing she is so sweet otherwise, because her breath was

Before coscidering removing tonsils and/or adenoids I would research a bit about their purpose.

Here is a quote I came across while I was doing immune system research

The tonsils happen to be one of the first line of defenses against disease, and are your only defense against the poliomyelitis virus. The medical community is beginning to admit, though not too loudly, that the polio epidemic of the fifties was iatrogenic (caused by physician intervention)

Full article here Your Immune System

If it was me I would not remove the tonsils and adenoids. But I'd consider ear tubes. Do they know why her hearing is dimished? Is it because of fluid in the ear? If so, tubes work instantly on that. I'd consult a chiro first, because often they can adjust kiddos and relieve the pressure and the fluid.

My middle boy was born with a cleft palate. He has had 2 sets of ear tubes. They were a Godsend for us. His eustation tubes aren't formed properly and wouldn't drain correctly. The ear tubes cleared up his hearing issues right away.

Fluid- yes..we have tried for over a year to clear it up every natural way possible.
Tonsils + adenoids, they want to do b/c she is only breathing through her mouth still and it is causing the roof of her mouth to "up" and narrow, which is effecting her teeth overcrowding now..sigh
nak

I opted to have Austin's tonsils and adenoids removed along with tubes. He was having major sleep apnea (stopping breathing numerous times a minute) due to his enlarged adenoids - they were also inhibiting his eustacian tubes from draining properly, which resulted in fluid behind the eardrums. He had one very bad ear infection at 10 years old because of it. So... we opted to get it all done and over with.

His hearing improved immediately. He stopped snoring and no longer has sleep apnea.

Also - when I was 7 I had tubes for the same reason. Fluid but not infected - couldn't get it to drain and it was really effecting my hearing. I vividly remember hearing footsteps behind me for the first time. It was such a HUGE difference.

We're looking at this option for my 6 year old now, too. It's effecting her speech and reading, too.

Both of my boys have had T & A removed, due to severe sleep apnea. It greatly improved the quality of their lives. Erik also has tubes, due to recurring ear infections. They continue to help him avoid antibiotics, it's been 2 1/2 years since the surgery.

I think I would be inclined to start with tubes, but I have the same issue--my palate is incredibly high, and my teeth are crowded, because of a small mouth and only mouth breathing for years, due to allergies. Life goes on, though. I have crooked teeth.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate your stories. Its so hard making decisions like these. I just want her healthy and happy, kwim? :eyes:

My advice would be to definitely do tubes. And then wait and see if that helps enough before considering the more major surgery. :hug: I soooooo remember that feeling.

With DS #2 I did tubes and adenoids first.He had significant hearing loss and speech issues before we did it.It helped tremendously. 4 yrs later we had to have his tonsils out.He was having pretty bad sleep apneia episodes.His tonsils were huge and practically blocking his airway.His sleep has improved along with some of his other issues.

All three of my babes inherited horrible ENT issues, and thankfully the tubes worked wonders on all. Abigail did have some bloody drainage with one really bad cold and the ENT examined her, said the tubes were working well and saving her much misery by letting it all drain out.

The only tonsillectomy here was my own, at 19 yrs of age. It is supposed to get worse with age, but I was up and shopping with mom the next day. Silent, but shopping.

we had Mitchie's adnoids removed 2 months ago - his issue was severe sleep apnea and sinus infections. We tried everything for a year previous to surgery - allergist, complete elimination diet, rx drugs (anti inflammatory, allergy), chinese medicine, chiropractic. I desperately wanted to leave his immune system with all parts intact.

In the end, we were glad with results the very day of the surgery. He slept. He slept sweetly. For the first time in a year he just slept - no twitching, thrashing, jumping, gasping, etc.

I would love to share my experience.

Our oldest DS suffered numerous ear infections doubled with a slight hearing impairment due to it from the age of 18 months and up. At that time, his Pediatrician highly recommended and pushed towards putting tubes in his ears. Went to another Pediatrician and he swayed me from doing it. Put him on a super low dose daily of meds for about a month. Of course we decided against the tubes. So, so happy that we did because he grew out of it.

Our youngest DS recently had his tonsils/adenoids removed. They were huge! Pushing and putting pressure on everything back up in there. Ears, nose, etc. He had hearing issues along with it, always saying "huh?" and "what?" That has stopped since his surgery.

He also suffered from moderate, on the road to severe (with age), sleep apnea. Scary stuff. He was a major snorer (now sleeps silently and with his mouth closed). And when he got sick, well DH and I would pretty much have to takes shifts throughout the night, sleeping with him to watch his breathing - because he'd stop for longer than normal sometimes. Was once hospitalized too.

So, I'm pretty for the tonsillectomy/adenoid removal if you've shopped around for different opinions, and really thought it out for the child's best interest in the long run.

And the surgery is not major at all. The recovery is though. If I were you, I'd do the surgery - then see if the tubes are still needed. That, to me, is far worse than the surgery.

HTH