This blog post is purely informative for parents who have children who will be receiving this procedure or even looking into it. During my son’s recovery it was extremely hard to find parent and child experiences for me to relate to. I needed something to help me understand what to expect and look out for. I hope this post helps out anyone who is searching for information.
My son who is about to turn 3 has alway had a “snore” of some sort ever since I can remember. When he slept it seemed that his snore interrupted his breathing and he would stop breathing at times for a short moment, then gasp for air and continue snoring. Little did I know, that it was sleep apnea. He also was just a heavy breather in every day normal circumstances. When I really noticed it was when he was concentrating on something like say, watching a movie or coloring. His mouth would be open and I could hear some sort of blockage through his nose. During the summer of 2010 during a visit to see family, my aunt who is a nurse noticed it first hand and told me I definitely need to get him seen for his adenoids. Her grandson had the same problem and received an adenoidectomy and the results were great! I felt a little bad that I hadn’t had him seen yet but when I read up on it before, it said that many times the adenoids shrink and it no longer stays a problem.
I took my son to see an ear nose and throat doctor and sure enough his adenoids were very swollen, along with his tonsils. This explained why he went through bouts of chronic ear infections. The doctors recommendation was to have both the adenoids and tonsils extracted. They make it seem like such an easy procedure and as easy of a recovery. Well this obviously varies from child to child and each specific case but what we didn’t know was what a long recovery it would be!
The day we showed up at the surgery center we were not aware of the difficult recovery our son may go through but by the time we left, we knew it may be rough. Every nurse or doctor who came in contact with our chart would make a statement about the tonsilectomy and then make a face as if to say “ooh that’s going to be a rough recovery!” I finally said something to the last nurse we saw. I told her she was probably the 4th nurse to make some sort of comment in regards to the difficult recovery and could she explain this. She let us know that when the scabs start to come off around day 4 or 5 post op, that it becomes very painful. She said some adult patients have compared the pain to having coffee grinds in their throat or even glass. Needless to say, I was terrified. I made sure I had taken our son out of daycare for a whole week so he could stay home so I was comforted at the fact that he would be with me the whole time.
The surgery lasted only 30 minutes and seemed to go smoothly. I went back to see him when they came and got me and he was crying and reaching for me very aggressively. No one warned me that this was very common when a toddler wakes up from anesthesia. He was so disoriented. They put him on my lap and in my arms but then he began trying to rip the tape off his foot in which a pulse detector was being held in place. He was all over the place just crying! They said they needed to give him his dose of pain meds and began forcing some sort of liquid down his throat. I knew it was what needed to be done but it was the hardest thing in the world to watch. About 5 minutes later he calmed down and fell asleep in my arms. He would wake up about every 15 minutes and cry and become aggressive again, then fall back asleep. This went on for an hour until we were released.
I have to say the first day was almost as if he didn’t have surgery once we were home. He laid on the couch snuggled up watching movies, in and out of sleep. We had to be sure that if he was sleeping, to wake him every 30 minutes for the first 3 hours of being home, just to make sure he was conscious. After he rested for a couple of hours at home he got up and sucked on a popsicle and drank a lot of ice cold juice. He willingly took the first dose of medicine which was 3 mil. of Hydrocodone (Lortab) but you could tell it was not pleasant. We were lucky he didn’t spit it out. I had to keep telling him to swallow it and finally he did. I have read that the Lortab stings the throat and most kids refuse to take it. This was the case for our son. That first dose was the only one he took from the dropper. The rest of the week, he was administered the pain meds through his juice. We dropped the medicine in his juice every 4 hours for the first couple of days and it worked like a charm. We just had to make sure he drank it all almost immediately so that it didn’t sit and he didn’t get it all.
He slept well the first night and I began to think that my son must really be one of the lucky ones. The next day, as long as he was on his meds which we stayed on top of, he was normal. We woke him up in the night after every 4 hours just to give him his meds. I had to stop him from running and jumping around so much but he seemed like surgery never happened. We got an all fruit smoothy and just hung out at home all day. I remember the 2nd night being slightly rougher because he would wake up and his throat would be dry, before the medicine was supposed to be given. So as long as he had something to wet his throat, he was comfortable, along with his meds every 4 hours. He ate really well the first 3 days, he had applesauce, smoothies, mashed potatoes, lots of soup, and juice. We kept him off milk for about 3-4 days.
By day 3 I could tell we were about to turn a corner and things were going to get rough. I was hoping we could wean him off the meds a little because he hadn’t had a bowel movement in 3-4 days and I knew this was due to the Lortab medication. So I thought I could wait 6 hours to give him his medicine but he made sure to let me know that he was uncomfortable before that and we didn’t make it to 6 hours. Every time he woke up from a nap or sleep at night, he was extremely uncomfortable. By day 4 he was fine during the day but any time he was asleep, once he woke up, he was in pain. We were still giving his pain meds every 4 hours.
I was concerned about his constipation so we made sure to give him some soft pears, and some applesauce. He finally had a bowel movement on day 5. By day 5 we were definitely hit with an unexpected rough patch. He was in a lot of pain and the meds only seemed to last around 3 hours and couldn’t manage his pain the full 4. In the middle of the night he would ask for ice and he’d suck on some ice to cool his throat. We got very little sleep and he was up a lot. At this point I called the nurse to ask if we could give him his pain meds any sooner than every 4 hours but she didn’t advise it. She told me this would only last a few days and that the scabs were coming off.
I was warned that he would have pretty bad breath at this point when the scabs begin to come off. I noticed some bad breath but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I heard it would be. Day 5 and 6 I would say were the worst days. His pain was high, he cried a lot asking for medicine. His mouth was almost always attached to a cup of iced juice and he was very irritable. I would say to keep your child home at least a week with you. Some might need more time home! Day 5 and 6 my son didn’t want to eat much. Everything hurt so we stuck to warm soup, and anything soft he would take. If your child will only eat one thing for a day or two, just let them, as long as they are eating something.
By day 7 we noticed a big change. He was happier, sleeping longer and didn’t need his pain meds much or at all. He was slowly starting to come back to his old self. The one thing I could tell was that when he swallowed it did seem uncomfortable but he never complained. I told myself I would keep him off the meds unless he complained of pain but he never did after that 7th day. Including the weekend we had him home for 7 days. I wasn’t sure if I was going to let him go back to daycare that 8th day but when we woke up in the morning he was all smiles, and normal seeming and asked me if he could go to daycare. I took him and stayed on call all day and of course called a couple of times only to find out that he was doing great! I warned his daycare not to let him get too rambunctious and I packed him a special lunch so he wouldn’t eat anything that irritated his throat.
Well here we are about a month out of surgery and I can honestly say it was the best decision!! He sleeps better, and breathes better! I can’t even hear him breathing now! Some nights I’ll check on him and walk up really close just to make sure he’s breathing! It’s made such a difference and I know it’s so much easier for him to breathe.
My advice to all parents is before you go into this procedure, know as much as you can about the recovery. Know what to expect and be prepared for the rough road you may have. Don’t be frightened, just be prepared. We had great doctors and nurses and that was a great beginning to our experience, but my biggest concern was keeping my child be as comfortable as possible. They need their mommy or daddy during the rough 5-7 days. Take at least a full week off of work!
My experience is not everyone’s experience so feel free to post yours here and share with others what you think they should look out for! I just wanted this post to be informative and a place where you feel comforted and can relate to someone who is also going through it. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!
~Alison
Appetite for Honesty 
We are on day 4 post T&A for my 3yr old son. It's been challenging. I feel like his pain control isn't adequate, especially since so many here are mentioning Lortab. His doc recommended Tylenol for pain, and nothing else. My son refuses Popsicles, ice cream and juice- all big treats in our house! There's lots and lots of crying and cajoling but I'm hoping it will be over soon.
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Thank you very much on this info. My son is having tonsils, adnoids, and tubes on 10/9/13. He is only 2 1/2 so I am expecting a rough week. I have to keep in mind that he will be so much better off once he's healed. He has very large tonsils and it sick every month. He also has restricted breathing. Once again thanks for your blog 🙂
Heather
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My son had T&A in Aug 2013 and for a few days we suffered as he refused to eat his medicine or drink anything. Dr and nurses were least helpful.
What helped me was vicks chlorosepctic spray. It numbs the throat. I diluted it with water since my son is 5 years and that gave us enough time to feed him his medicine and food.
Also we had tough time giving him medicine the first few days and then I found these chewable orange motrin for kids and it was a lifesaver.I crushed it initially and then my son would simply lick it slowly. I wish I had found these 2 things before. hope this helps others out there.
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You just saved my life with the crushed tablet tip! We are on day 5 and my daughter is still having a very rough time. We crushed the grape tablet, told her it was like a pixy stix, and we got medicine in her! I am beyond grateful!
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My son just turned 3 in September of this year and had both his tonsils and adnoids removed on Nov 7. I thought I was really prepared as I did a lot of research and talking with the ent doctor. Nothing can really prepare you for the road ahead. Everything went as expected on our arrival day. Surgery was over faster than I had anticipated. When he woke from recovery he was only groggy. Not mean or crying. We had to stay over night for observation since he is 3. The reason we had this surgery done was because my son had sleep apnea. After a sleep study it was found he had an oxygen level of 87 and 40 pauses of breathing on average per every hour of sleep plus he snored loudly. So that evening after surgery he slept so soundly that I had to get up and make sure he was even breathing! The next morning came….misery! He fought taking medicine. Me dad and nurses had to hold him down. Next we resorted to suppositories. His pain came every three hours. He was taking Tylenol with codeine and regular Tylenol. He complained his belly hurt so we removed him from Tylenol with codeine. The ent put him on motrin and regular Tylenol since they could be given every three to the and half hours. This was not the biggest hurdle though. It was the lack of liquids intake. An over night stay turned into a three night stay. So total of four days and three nights. We could not leave until he was taking in enough fluids to convince the Dr he would not wind up back in the er for dehydration. What a mess…He wouldn't take drinks of anything or eat. Finally on day day four he ate jello and pudding and started to drink a little. So we were able to come today…on day 4. I rotate Tylenol and Motrin to keep him pain free. Feed him anything he will take that will not harm his throat. I still have to fight him to take his medicine. I was told that as long as my son consumed 60 ml an hour he would dehydration. That breaks down to four tablespoons an hour. Very do-able! So I know day 5 and 6 should be tough as the scabs usually fall off around then. Not looking forward to tomorrow and the day after but ultimately I made the right decision for my son's health and development. He probably and hopefully will not remember any of this anyhow. I hope this helps someone out there. Just be there to love hug and kiss your baby through this scary time. Even if you cry with them…both your child and you will get through. This too shall pass 🙂
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Sorry…should say as long as he consumes 60mi per hour he would avoid dehydration.
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ml not mi….darn smart phone
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I'm so happy this has been a place for all of you to post your own experience with your children. Reading through these comments, I'm seeing how incredibly different and unique each of your experiences have been. I hope all of your children are doing wonderful and hope all of the tough hurdles were worth it. Take care and keep us all updated!
With love,
Alison
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Reading these posts makes me not feel so alone in this. My son is 3 and had his tonsils and adenoids removed on the 8th of this month. I had read a lot about the recovery and felt like I was prepared for this but I had no idea!! We had him there first thing in the morning and surgery went as expected. On the ride home I was able to get him to drink some apple juice which I was pretty excited about. The first few days went pretty well. He was eating and drinking-as long as we kept on top of the pain. I thought maybe this was a good sign and that his recovery wouldn't be so bad after all. After the third day is when things have started to get a little rough. Nights are definitely a challenge as well as mornings. Day 5 is when he stopped eating as much and is needing his pain meds every 4 hours like clock work. He is up every couple of hours at night and is very upset. I have never seen him so aggressive. Its so hard to get him to calm down. I wait as long as I can but if he refuses his medicine I have to hold him down just to get it into him. I feel horrible. I have been sleeping on the floor of his room with him. Or pretty much wherever he throws himself I am right there next to him. He kicks and screams until the medicine kicks in and then he is able to fall back asleep. We are going on day 7 and I'm hoping that we are on the mend. I have to say the days are ok its mainly at nighttime and morning where it's the hardest for him. After reading so many different blogs about this I feel better knowing that the way things are going for us and our little guy is completely normal. As hard as it is right now I'm sure we did the right thing.
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Lisa –
Our 5yo daughter had borh hers out 5 days ago. I’ve been trying to figure out the crazy nighttime behavior, thinking it is some reaction to the Lortab or Keflex.
She wakes up several times a night highly aggitaged, with no explanation, and last night was even trying to hit us when she woke up. I don’t understand where this is coming from, but it’s extremely disturbing.
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Ugh, Lisa I feel for you! I'm sure by now he's doing wonderful. You definitely did the right thing. I'm so sorry it was so painful for him!
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Hello…here with an update: I posted on November 10th that my son had his tonsils and adnoids out on November 7. Well here it is November 24 and he is doing great! Breathing well and well rested. Although I must add that he has had two episodes of waking from sleep screaming and crying. I couldn't find anything wrong with him and he wasn't offering any info either so I came to my own conclusion…maybe bad dreams. He has never had these before so I can think of only one thing to be bothering him- possibly memories of surgery or hospital stay. Has anyone else had this issue?
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So useful thank you so much! I feel less alone. We are day 3 post surgery and my 18 month old is in pretty bad form. He's struggling to sleep at all and I've never known him cry like this. I too think he's having night terrors as he wakes completely panic striken and inconsolable.
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Update from post on Nov 24…the night terrors have gone. Luckily it was only three episodes. I know I made the right decision for my son. The path was hard, but over now. It's as if nothing happened. He breathes great and sleeps even better. Hope my posts help others. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Although I think parents should be told it is really a three week process from start to complete end of healing process. I know it took that long for my son to return to his normal self.
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I stumbled on this website while searching for information for my son's surgery. He had tonsils,adenoids, and tubes put in ears. He had surgery on April 16th. I am so stressed. He was prescribed Tylenol with codeine. I am having trouble getting him to take it. Today is day 6 and I am worried he will not get better because he gives me a hard time to take the medicine. He is 3 1/2. Can anybody give me some encouragement and words of hope here!!!!!
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Thanks for your honest recount of your child's op. My 2yr11m son is getting an adenotonsillectomy next week. I am feeling nervous about the recovery but I feel more prepared and equipped after reading your blog.
Thanks x
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My twin 3 1/2 year old boys are getting their tonsils and adenoids out in a few weeks on the same day!! Thankfully I have a husband that is extremely helpful. I am very nervous however this has helped me know what I need to get for them prior to coming home. Thanks.
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Alison, I am curious, did you ever hear anything more about whether your sons adenoids grew back? I am hoping not and that you didn't have to go thru that again. I am on day 10 with my son and your blog was nice to read. Thank you, best thing we have ever done! The silence at night is wonderful for him and us!
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No, they haven't grown back. What I've realized are, the times that he snores a lot are mainly due to congestion. He was sick a few weeks back and I couldn't believe how loud he was snoring, but he was sick. Since then he's been perfectly fine. I think it's rare but can happen.
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So my 3 year old son just had his tonsils out (Adenoids were already removed). Our facilities do not allow strong pain meds for children under the age of 7 so we are only allowed to use tylenol and motrin. He has put up a huge fight and we are now day 4 after surgery and he refuses to take the medicine saying it burns. He is in so much pain, just hysterical cannot sleep/rest at all. I was at a loss, thinking something was seriously wrong, but maybe its because the scabs are starting to come off. I feel so bad for him. We are going to try the chewables because he absolutely will not take anything else and I cannot continue to see him in all this pain! Thank you for posting your blog.
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Hello all. My daughter is 13 months and weighs 16 lbs. She is scheduled to have the T&A and tubes put in within the next week to two. Her surgery has been rescheduled 3 different times for numerous reasons including the doctors were not optimistic that she would survive. She hasn’t been in the best of health lately, and she has an NG tube or (feeding tube) in which is how I administer all of her medications and her pediasure. She has severe sleep apnea in which she had a sleep study and her results were that she was having over 40 episodes of obstructive sleep apnea in an hour and she also showed central apneas. We recently spent a week in isolation at the hospital bc she has asthma and got pneumonia. She will be going through speech therapy to help with the dysphagia or (problem swallowing). The doctors have it set up that she will be in the ICU immediately following her surgery, and I’m not sure how well I will handle the ventilator that they say she will have to be on. My biggest question is, is there anyone who can give me an estimate of how much weight she might lose with this surgery? My husband and I have been warned that she will lose weight and they are expecting a stay in the ICU bc of it. Yes she is very tiny for her age and no matter what the specialist put her on she isn’t gaining weight. I have to reinsert the NG tube if it comes out bc without the feedings every three hours she is losing weight. I have been a nervous wreck with everything we have been going through lately and I realize that our situation isn’t a normal surgery case. I am willing to listen to ANYONE and EVERYONE willing to give insight and their opinion about our special case. I lost an angel when he was 4 months and 20 days old which I am sure has made this surgery even harder mentally for me. I also wanted to say thank you for this blog as it has coping words in it. Thank you again for allowing me to post our current situation and questions we have.
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Thank you so much for this blog post! The honest recount of each day has been helpful for me to know that what we were going through was normal. And at the really bad times I would read the days ahead and find strength in the knowledge that my little boy would feel better soon. It’s the night of day 8 and he finally was happy and playful. No crying today! You were able to give me more comfort by empowering me with information than and family member or friend could. Thank you!
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We are on recovery day 12 and while my 3 year old is doing significantly better, he is still not his normal self. I agree that it will take about 3 weeks to get back to normal. Overall, the healing process takes A LOT of patience but I am really hoping it will be worth it. It is very helpful to read other recovery stories though to know that we are not alone in the struggle!
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It is april of 2016, my 3 y.o. daughter just went through a tonsilectomy, adnoids, and tubes in her ears. The guilt i felt when she woke up from the anestic was unreal. Much as you have described. We are on post op day 5 and things are going well. No sleep. But it has all been worth it. Your posting has been tremendously helpful. I thank you!
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I am so thankful to all of you , my son is 3 and he just had the T&A done today makes 7 days ago and I feel so bad when he cries in pain , but he is taking the meds without a problem now and he is eating and drinking lots of water , reading all of these blogs helps me get a better understanding of what’s to come , thank you all and I hope everyone gets better real soon
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Our son was 3 in March and we waited to get his tonsils and adnoids out til after he turned 3 so he wouldn’t have to stay overnight. I read some of these comments before surgery but I have to say nothing could prepare me for the last 8 days. I have had so much guilt. He had sleep apnea and snored really bad so it was recommended to have this done. I for sure would have waited at least another year had I known how hard this is. He did not want to take his hydrocodone Hycet from the beginning and also wanted nothing to drink. We had to force almost very dose the first 4 days. On day 2 we took him back to Childrens and they admitted him for dehydration and low blood sugar. Not sure if anyone else experienced this but he has been very mean and aggressive with us. He has been very clingy with my husband and I almost feel like he blames me for how he feels. They switched his pain meds to motrin on day 2 and that does seem to work better once its in his system, but until it kicks in he is a bear. He doesn’t want to agree on anything. I have never smelled anything as bad as his breathe. He is now starting to eat some but only when he is medicated. He has lost at least 6 pounds. Hoping day 9 will bring us a better day. Can’t really say which day has been the worst because almost everyday since surgery has been hell. I really hope to see that this all was worth it in the end.
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Thank you so much for taking time out and writing this post. Your son’s surgery experience is almost identical to my son’s and seeing this post helped me understand exactly what my son is going through. Thank you.
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Thanks for this post. I wish I’d found it a week ago. Like you, the first few days were smooth sailing, but days 5-7 were just horrible. Because she’s had a chronic adenoid infection, she’s always been used to pain but acts out and does irrational things (hitting, kicking etc) when it’s especially bad. We’ve always worked really hard on helping her to find other ways of expressing the frustration, so it was really challenging this week to find that she’s gone backwards several years. She must have been in pretty intense pain – even with the strong pain medication she was wailing, kicking and crying a lot. Thankfully my dad had the good suggestion of elevating her mattress under her head, which actually did help a little. Today is day eight and she’s happily playing with her brother. I really hope the worst is over!
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This was so helpful.. We are on Day 8 and as you said, my daughter is being more herself, happier and going longer between meds or no meds at all.. which is good. but everyday since day 1 was different.. rough patch was between day 4-6. I found this so helpful and prepared myself for what to expect.
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Alison, do you still follow this post. I just came across your post. I think your poss is amazing, we had surgery done this morning and you described the recovery to a T, I never want to go thru the recovery again. I do have a few questions for you if your still following this blog thanks Kristie
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Hi Kristie,
I do still blog here. I’m so glad this helped! What would you like to know?
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My 4 year old grandaughter had her tonsils and adenoids out nov 23 today the 26th…no food at all, won’t even try…has not spoken a single word…drinking only enough to wet her mouth but every once in a while she drinks 1/4 cup. Slept10-15 minutes at a time until yesterday and finally slept most of afternoon and 1/2 the night..giving medicine to say the least is not fun…very zombie like which is rare. She also had her uvula trimmed. Not sure how to comfort her or help except love
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This is the only thing I have found online that tells you as a parent what you will go through. Everything says they will have a bit of pain but nobody tells you just how rough it is for the child in recovery and afterwards. My son is 3 and just had his adenoids and tonsils out. Surgeon said his adenoids were huge. My son has had rough time since surgery hardly eating at all, drinking a little and he vomited everywhere yesterday after having milk. I have to hold him to get his pain medication in him. Today he ate a little cereal and an oat biscuit and a few cheese puffs. Have offered soup, ice cream, yoghurt etc and he’s refused it every time. Am worried as tomorrow is day 5 so expecting a very rough New Year’s Day bless his little heart. I hope he’s passed this soon. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your experience so that I could read it and not feel alone
GIllian
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I just spent the last 7 days with my 2 year old son who had his tonsils and adenoids removed on 12.27.16. In my research prior to his surgery I found a few articles out on the web that were helpful in what I could expect for my son and his recovery, but a lot of the information is old and it seems like every doctor and child are very different. That being said this has been my experience so far.
The procedure was easy it lasted maybe 30 minutes. My son had a rough wake up from anesthesia. He woke suddenly before my husband or I could be brought back to the recovery area. By the time I was able to get back there he was screaming and kicking. My son was laid in my arms and I immediately began speaking softly to him reassuring him I was there and wasn’t leaving. I found the more I spoke to him calmly the more he relaxed. Once he calmed down he was given a medication via IV for pain. We had to sit in the recovery area for 4 hours until he consumed a Popsicle or some fluids and held it down. This was very uncomfortable as other patients are in and out and there is really no privacy or silence. not to mention there is only one very uncomfortable and cramped chair to sit in to hold my uncomfortable and groggy child. After 4 long hours we were released to go home. This is where things got very hard for both my son and I.
I was given a Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen syrup mix that I was to give my son every 4 hours to manage the pain. My son does not like liquid medications and refuses to take them from a syringe. I am usually able to hide them in his milk or juice and he takes them easily. this time was very different. He did not want to eat or drink anything. I could barely get him to eat a half of an otter pop. This lead to an emotionally damaging experience for me and I am sure my son. I knew I had to give him the medicine in order for him not to be in terrible pain and the only way I was able to do this was to hold him down and force it in his mouth while blowing in his face forcing him to swallow. This experience was devastating. My son cried and told me no. I cried and wished there was an alternative. The first day wasn’t so bad, but day 2-5 were horrifying. I would wake my son up and basically torture him with the medicine and get him calmed down and back to bed just in time for my alarm (an alarm is a must) to go off to give him another dose. Each dose of medicine given became more and more traumatic for both of us. Soon, the method of blowing in his face did not work and I had to hold my hand over his mouth. During the first 5 days my son did not eat or drink much other than medicine. He was cranky and hungry. He tried to eat ramen noodles and a few cheeto puffs, but this ened in him crying and telling me he hurt. Juice, Dr. Pepper, ice cream, and otter pops were his main staples. he lost about 7 pounds. On the night of day 5 my son cried for about 40 minutes and was inconsolable. He has been this way for days 6 and 7 as well when he wakes up and in the evenings. I believe his scabs are falling off. He finished his bottle of pain medication and I moved on to motrin liquids and motrin and tylenol tablets. The tablets are a life saver! He will take the tablets willingly if I tell him it is candy. He is eating more foods with less pain now too. I do believe we are coming to an end here as his mood has improved quite a bit and his appetite is slowly coming back.
I write this in hopes to prepare parents for what their little will go through, but mostly for what they will go through. This procedure is a great one. My son is already breathing and sleeping better than ever and I have high hopes his eating and sleeping habits will improve too. All the pain and hardship are definitely worth the benefits your little will see.
To summarize for parents getting ready to have this done on their younger child, my advice would be:
1.Give your child the prescribed medication even if you have to force it down them and give it every 4 hours as directed. I personally set my alarm half hour before the 4 hour mark to ensure my son would stay properly medicated and pain free.
2. Set an alarm. Set multiple alarms. This is critical since you will be staying up late and waking in the middle of the night and early mornings. Most likely your child will not wake up sweetly and take the dose and go back to sleep. this leads to sleep deprivation and the necessity of an alarm is crucial.
3. Take naps when your little does if possible.
4. The medication causes constipation. Mirilax (stool softener) was a miracle for my son. i gave a dose every day for the first 3 days and my son was never constipated.
5. Otter pops (or a similar Popsicle), ice cream, juice (v8 splash), soda, yogourt, and ramen noodles were the foods my son ate. Not the greatest diet, but when your child is barley eating and drinking it works.
6. Taking at least a week off work is best. if I could have stayed home for 10 days I would have.
7. Be prepared for your child to cry and be cranky and be mad at you. Be prepared to get frustrated and sad and feel mean.
8. Have movies, ipads, phones, and other favorite things handy.
9. You will feel like an underappreciated, undervalued servant to your child waiting on them hand and foot trying to keep them comfortable.
10. Your child will have so much thick saliva and will sound like they have a mouth full of gauze for awhile. My sons breath was bad, but not awful.
11. Be prepared to offer liquids and foods all day long to a cranky child who will cry and refuse your offerings.
I am on day 8 currently and my son is feeling better except in the evenings and mornings. He does not trust me anymore and will not cuddle me, won’t let me wrap him in a blanket, and is suspicious of all food and drink i give him. I am hopeful I will regain his trust soon. This has been the hardest 8 days I have had since having my son 2 years ago. Emotionally I am bruised and shaken. I am tired and I still feel like a servant. My son is not back to his old self yet either. My sweet and happy son who loved baths, Mickey mouse clubhouse, milk, and ME refuses to drink milk, does not want to take baths, is very indecisive about if he wants mickey, dinosaurs, or night night circus on the TV, and is suspicious of my motives. I hear this goes away in time and am ready for that day to come my way. I do have to say his daily breathing is great. he is breathing through his nose and does not sound like Darth Vader. When he is sleeping I literally have to watch for movements and make sure he is actually breathing and alive. This is fantastic as he was a loud, snoring, choppy breather before.
As a parent you have to take things day by day and do what you feel is best for your little. As hard as this experience has been I would do it over again in a heartbeat to get my son the results we are already seeing.
Hopefully this helps someone else prepare a little bit more than I was able to for this.
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Oh my I literally thought you were writing about my daughter. Has the T&A helped him? Right now I feel that it was all effort for nothing as things are pretty horrible right now – Day 8 for a 2y9m old
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My son will be 3 in March. He had his adenoids and tonsils taken out and grommets put in his ears 5 days ago. First day after surgery he was a superstar was his old self. Today is day 5 and he doesn’t want to eat anything keeps saying it is sore inside his mouth. I give him his pain meds which says I must only give him 3 times a day. I’ve read day 5 is rough as the scabs start coming off. I get him to drink fluids which I’m happy about but he doesn’t want to eat anything because it is sore he says. Please does anyone have any advice? I do get him to maybe have soft porridge in the morning and maybe a handful of chicken nuggets during the day. But to me that isn’t enough. Our doctor said he can eat as normal and he must eat rough food like toast etc because it will help with the scabs etc. He hasn’t had toast yet. I don’t know what I should do. He is OK during the day but after sleep time is the worst. Also it has been 5 days after the surgery HELP
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Alison, I hope ur blog here is still active, I just wanted to say how empowering it is to read all these experiences; it is no less nerve racking- but I can say that I have great answers for my concerns & specific questions for the doctor when our time comes. As of yet we have only been referred to the E.N.T. doctor- our son will be 3 in July & I didnt think there was anything that could help prepare me for what’s coming!
Thank you truly for sharing something soo real & soo personal so other moms & myself can have something to relate to. I’m still scared but I feel like I’m walking into this with my eyes open. You are an Angel 😇
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My daughter had her A& T removed yesterday, and since she’s 1year,9months the doctor asked she keep her at the hospital for observations.
I had nightmares thinking about the pain she will go through but I think your comments has made me a little ready for the road ahead. will let you know how it went.
Thanks mother!
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So glad I ran across this blog. My son is 3 in a half & is scheduled to have his tonsils & adenoids removed in 2 weeks! I’m a nervous wreck. Does anyone have any tips to preparing myself? Thanks so much in advance!
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Hi there, did anyone have the tonsils and adenoids reduced in size by coblation rather than the traditional method of removal? Our consultant told us this is less painful and quicker recovery time… anyone else had any experience with coblation? Thanks.
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My 20 month old is on day 3 post op for “shaving” T&A. Some tissue remains for lymph support and doesn’t expose the blood vessels, less bleeding, quicker recovery. He also had a bilateral myringotomy for chronic fluid on the ears. Before all of this he was a very picky eater, still is, but recovery food is limited for him. He has the rancid breath earlier than expected most likely due to the dairy. As far as pain, 24 hrs following the surgery we were instructed by our ent to alternate between Tylenol and Motrin. It worked well and now only gets Motrin when fussy. I have to say we noticed an immediate change regarding his hearing and now 2 days post op no snoring and able to breathe through his nose. It’s still the beginning of recovery but we’re reassured it was the right thing for our son.
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Hello parents,
My 10 year old son just had a T & A removal (tonsils and adenoids) on June 27, and oh boy, it’s been a rough road, it’s true what one of the moms said, you are sleep deprived, your child is inconsolable, you are waiting on them hand and foot, Inhave been sleeping with him not make sure he’s breathing.I had to take him to an urgent care (on day 3) because he was dehydrated, and what difference did it make. I had some children’s Dramamine suppositories I had picked up in Mexico while on a cruise and that was my saving grace took his nausea away. I also noticed that children ibuprofen Helped TREMENDOUSLY! It’s been a long journey, it’s sad to see your child in pain, also he did run a fever of 101 the first 4 nights that’s because his fluid intake was low. I wish doctors would administer their pain medication via suppositories. I can tell you the hydrocodone only would last for 3 hours begore he would feel pain, which was worst at night, but once I added Motrin every 8 hours it had been a saving grace! Bone broth, miso soup (strain) with steamed rice was his food, along with tons of otter pops and Gatorade. That was his diet, we are now on day 6, but I think his scabs are coming off, he mainly complains about ear pain especially when he swallows. Hopes this helps, I definitely could relate what parents feel and see wth there children, prayers for a speedy recovery!
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Another thought to add….. 3 year old now on day 8 of recovery….
First few days were full of intense drooling and constant stuffy nose. Stuffy nose made it hard to breath and if he blew his nose, it didn’t really come out.
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We are on day 8 of receovery from T&A on our 2y9m old and she has had a rough day 2, 4, 6 and 8. She has nearly droped to 10% of her diet and takes very little sips of water. The only thing she has well is porridge for breakfast and rest of the time some watermelon juice or apple juice (not even apple sauce or ). If you come near her with a medicine dropper she starts running helter skelter crying. She is such a happy child and generally never hated any (and I mean any) med that I find this completely strange! Hope to see an improvement in the week following because for now we feel she is not ready for daycare. Also her breath is exceptionally foul!
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So glad I came across this post, my one year old had his tonsils adenoids and grommets done 5 days ago and I thought he would be improving by now but he is worse, he was eating for the first 3 days after surgery but it’s now really difficult to get anything other than chocolate custard into him and I was starting to really worry that something was wrong, but after reading this it sounds like this is all normal and in a couple of days we should hopefully be through the worst of it. He is still breastfeeding a lot so I don’t have to worry about dehydration luckily. Sleep has been terrible, he is waking every couple of hours crying and squirming and miserable and the pain relief doesn’t seem to make much difference. Wish my husband wasn’t away for work because it’s pretty hard going on my own with a 2 year old but I still feel like Ive done the right thing and hopefully in a few days he’ll be back to himself and it’ll be the end of the endless infections.
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Tiny 27lb 3yo son had his tonsil – adenoidectomy 4/5/2018
Surgery went well and he slept through the entire post op recovery period… so they decided to let us go home. Originally they planned on us staying the night since he is under the typically weight for the surgery. Kids under 2 or under a certain weight typically are required to stay the night
But he did so well (because he was asleep) they let us go.
Big mistake in my opinion. When we got home he just kept yelling “Ari please!” At his brother to stay away from him. Anytime he came into the same room. I couldn’t leave his side without hysterics and we couldn’t do anything right…literally would cry if I pulled the wrong cup out or cut the popsicle differently that he expected. Then night time came and he had a croup type cough. Kept saying he couldn’t breath. Wheezing. Belly hurt. Every 10min he was up with a barking cough. I spoke to the dr on call 3x. She wanted us to come in. So did I but he was so fragile – with every movement he’d cough so horribly he couldn’t get air so my husband wanted to keep him home and try and keep him calm. Away from ivs and pokes and prods. Luckily it worked and by morning he was much better. I’m scared for tonight though. They wouldn’t give pain killers because of his asthma and apnea. He doesn’t seem in much pain yet though. Eating some soft things. I typically prepare for the worse but this time I missed the ball entirely!
4/9/18
Fairly big setback last night. Woke up to Julian gurgling blood and bleeding profusely from the mouth. Coughed out a a slime ball blood clot that was atleast a quarter cup in size and continued to trickle a large amount of blood from his mouth. Maybe lost 3/4-1cup of blood from his mouth. The rest trickling into his belly. Rushed him to the ER where they performed emergency surgery/re-cauterization. We’re still in the hospital trying to manage pain now but he’s doing pretty good this morning. Never dull over here.
4/11/18 – still here at hospital. Switched us to a new room, doubled us up. Finally agreed to give him a 1x dose of iv acetaminophen so he could sleep without waking every 2.5-3hrs….then they moved us middle of the night. Julian is asleep. Best he’s slept in 7days. Poor kid sharing our room is howling in discomfort though. Keeping humidifier on and close to Julian’s face drowning out the noise. Due for Motrin in 15min. Sad to have to wake him. Might try and push it until 4am to give him another 30min. Scared to go home and have to manage fluids. He still won’t drink. Did great with popsicles and fluids day 1 of initial surgery but pain was remarkable and demeanor sad uncomfortable “ARI PLEASE!!” He’d yell 😕☹️ to get him to calm down and leave him alone or be quieter. Day two he ate ice cream cream of wheat and fluids. Day 3&4 wouldn’t touch water without coercion and decided he didn’t want to take meds either. Real struggle resulting in cries that lead to coughs and increased pain every 3hrs. Shaking in pain at night. Day 5 he had more pain in the day and so we had planned to take him to ER for dehydration and pain management. Then opted not to when he drank some water and had a couple popsicles and finally pooped. Then at 10pm I woke up to him coughing and gurgling in blood. Horrifying. Husband was at the gym in the pool. Couldn’t reach him. My legs were shaking. Finally got him. We rushed to ER and he went right in for emergency re-cauterization. So incredibly calm and brave. Now we’re back to day 1.
April 12, 2018
Left hospital last night. Eating diced peaches and plain udon noodles. Succeeded in eating a whole popsicle today. Drinking 5-6 little 1oz medicine cups of water throughout the day with bribery. Gets excited about other food items but after first bite he says no more and refuses – even ice cream and jello. Medication is a struggle. He gets break through pain every 2hrs…lasts about 20min. Throughout the night it’s every hour that he’s sigh moaning and twirling and arching in pain. Mostly complains of stomach pain and asks me to massage his belly with a warm wash cloth. Helps him get back to sleep. Around 3x a night he holds his ears saying they hurt. Wears a hat or earmuffs to help his “ear” pain which is likely throat pain. Giving meds every 3hrs causes major distress usually lots of tears mucous and coughing…then gurgling musical sigh/moaning and what sounds like a mix of dry heaving and an old mans wide hollow cough. Lips turn blue and we need to calm him down and start over. I wish so badly I could just give him an iv at home and iv meds myself. Feels like something beyond normal is wrong. Any chance they left gauze in his belly? Maybe a slow trickle of blood going in and causing discomfort? He had 3 bowel movements since the first surgery. All hard and black despite no longer taking iron.
I don’t know what to do. Scared day 5 bleed is going to happen again. I’m a nervous wreck from no sleep for so long.
Went to pick up my 5yo from school today and wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be there or not. I totally lost my senses for a minute. Crazy how important sleep is.
So rattling when you can’t fix your babies pain. Like nothing else….
4/12/18
I don’t think he’s okay but I’m running on no sleep for over a week…last night was horrible again.
Today a lot of stomach pain which no one understands.
Waiting on calls back from the drs.
Wish I had stayed at the hospital but you know they’re fine in front of the docs and then disaster strikes again when no one is around…
I don’t feel any bubbles when I massage his tummy. He’s had 4 bowel movements since 4/9
He won’t take simethicone
Went to pediatrician tonight after hours.
They said if he continues to not improve they’ll try to set it up so I can give him
Iv meds at home. 😕 she saw a good picture of how he’s been. He peed on himself there, couldn’t lift his head, moaning…
Fighting my husband to take him to ER for pain management now. Finally asleep in my arms in the rocking chair. Hat or earmuffs seem to help with ice pack on his throat. God this is awful. Praying we don’t get another bleed.
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Thank you sooo much I’m on day 5 with my 3 year old. I honestly am feeling better now because my case is very similar to yours. I’m feel like I see the light at the end of the tunnel now. Today is starting pretty rough!
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My 3 year old grandson had tonsils and adenoids out 7 days ago today. He did good the first 2 days. The 3rd day was the worst. He refused all meds at this point. We tried everything to get him to take it. He cried all day and just wanted to be held. After that day, it got better each day. We were dreading the 5-7 day period after the surgery just from what we were told – the scabs would start to come off and he would be in a great deal of pain. Knowing he was still going to refuse his meds made us even more scared. But it’s now day 7 and he is good. Last night was the first night he slept good. We have been using a humidifier when he sleeps to keep the air moist. I think that helped tremendously. He is eating ( still only soft foods ) and drinking. He is almost back to normal and even got to go back to daycare today. So, I guess all kids are different. I just wanted to share our experience. Good luck to everyone that will go trough this.
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