Tonsils (and picture)
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive July-December 2003:
Tonsils (and picture)
I got some close-ups of my DDs tonsils for the "before" picture. I had mine out when I was an infant.
DDs tonsils have ALWAYS looked like this. Currently she is without infection, so this is her "healthy state". I just thought they all looked like this since I had never seen any others. However, I asked her best friend to show me hers, and I couldn't even find them.
Just curious, do your child's tonsils look like this?
Thankfully, only two more nights before they come out 
OMG Dana! Those are the hugest tonsils I've ever seen! Poor baby, no wonder they need to come out!
OMGGGGGGGGGG!!! DANA!! I have never in my life seen anything like that before.
There IS something wrong with that babie's tonsils!!
Wow.......Poor kid, I couldn't imagine the pain they have put her through. I am sure she is ready to get them taken out!
Maybe she can eat more, and better when she gets them taken out.
(((((((((((Hugs to both of you)))))))))))))))
WOW! Definitely the most swollen tonsils I've seen as well. Glad you'll be saying, "Adios!" to them soon.
I look in kids' mouths on a daily basis and I must say those are the largest healthy OR sick tonsils I have EVER seen. She should breathe and sleep a lot better after the surgery. Are her adenoids being removed too?
I don't know if she will be interested in playing doctor with a doctors kit after being in the hospital. My son was crazy for the doctor's kit after being in the hospital. He makes the baby all better. Fixing "Sick Mouth"
I've always thought they looked big, but I thought you were suppose to see them, and thought DD was just a little too big. I guess they are WAY too big.
And yes, adnoids too.
I am hoping that removing them will increase her appitite, allow her to breath, get her speech corrected, increase her fluid intake, let her sleep all night, and last but not least, I am praying that her constipation is somehow related to this problem and how she swallows/digest foods and/or lack of enough fluids.
So what do normal ones look like? I kid you not, DD's have looked like this she birth, so I have no idea what "normal" is.
poor baby ... i know she will be relived in about a week or so ... and be able to eat swallow and have a better life ... my dd is doin better tho we are recovering from an ear infection but dr said sometimes that happens cuz of the irritation of the sergury ... good luck tommorrow and prayers for u all ...
Surgery is tomorrow, right? Good luck! Try not to worry too much and be sure and let us know how she is doing!
"Normal" tonsils peek out just a little bit from behind the palatal arches. You can see a little of the left edge of the right tonsil and vice versa.
Holy Cow! I've never seen anything like that. She will be a whole new girl after she has those taken out. Best wishes to her for a speedy recovery.
If I may ask, what kind of speech problem does you DD have? My DD also has one. Just curious
Mommyathome, she lost her hearing last year from Dec 2001 to May 2002 due to fluid. She was 3 and I noticed her speech started to sound mushy.
After some medications (namely dimetap) her fluids drained? dried up? and she could hear again properly. It remained that way until about Dec 2002. Apparently that last few months of being 3 is a crucial time for getting certain sounds our properly, so she just learned how to make certain sounds in a wrong way. They (the drs and therapist) tell me she was hearing everything like she was under water. Then of course there is the change of sound due to those large tonsils getting her way. So she is shapping her mouth/tongue funny to try to get the proper sounds cause the air doesn't pass thru properly.
She's been doing GREAT in therapy. It has taken her forever to get the S sound, but now she can do it (but still needs reminding) and most recently made the V sound for the first time ever. Since first making that sound, she has aced the skill and can do it on a regular basis now! (again, as long as she concentrates). There are several other sounds that need work, but mostly it is just really difficult to understand due to the muffeled sound that comes out of her.
Most of the time I can understand her, but others still need me to translate for them. Except for her therapist, they've been able to understand almost everything she says from the beginning. Guess they are accustumed to deciphering speech
I suspect that DD will only need therapy just a little longer past her surgery. I am certain her hearing will improve as well as air flow.
Does your child participate in therapy? I tell you what, that has been one of the most possitive learning experience my daughter has done. We love it. She recently started a 1/2 hour program at a "real school" It is nice for her to work w/ the other children at the same time. And they learn so much more than just speech.
TODAY IS THE DAY! We head out the door in about 40 minutes. I will be so happy when this is done and recovered. I can't wait to see the improvement in her life.
Thanks for everyone well wishes and prayers. I suspect I will be getting home around dinner time. However, depending on DD, I may not be online to post the update until Fri. I'm sure it will go great.
Good luck Dana. I hope and pray all goes well with A. ((Hugs))
{{{{{Dana & Angel}}}}}
Hope all goes well and she gets lots of ice cream!!!
btw, the pic of your dd's tonsils looks like my youngest son's. His are also HUGE!!! lol He's on round two of antibiotics for strep right now. Hope it clears up this time!
((((((((((Dana and DD))))))))))) good luck to the both of you!!
Post as soon as you can and let us know how everything went........Im anxious to hear
huggggz Dana to u a ur daughter ... am anxious to know it all went well .... good luck u been in my thoughts all day
How did she do? I hope she has a quick recovery!! (((HUGS)))
Ouch! A friend of mine in HS had the same swollen looking tonsils! She never had them removed, but I remember the school nurse, told her she should have them checked!
Boy, your daughter is going to feel SO much better! I'll send some healthy vibes her way! Also, the ice cream sounds great too! ((hugs))
JOSIE, here you go. How's that for HUGE tonsils.
I'll give you more details if you need them.
OMG!! My son's are large, but not that large. I can still see down his throat. He never complains about them or a sore throat. I am assuming that the few times his doctor has looked in his throat he has noticed them. Can you even see down your DD' throat? Maybe I should just wait until they bother him before making an issue of it with his doctor. What do you think?
These days, they prefer not to remove tonsils since they aid in fighting infections. You really have to have several reasons before they even consider surgery. It used to be recurring illness was enough for removal....not any more.
If the child still continues to suffer illness (typically strep) over and over the drs will consider removal between the ages of 12-16. Personally, I think that is still too old if you are suffering all the time. I can't imagine the benefit out weighing the negative at that point.
Any way, my daughter suffered recurring infections which was not an issue for the drs. She suffered temporary hearing loss, which pointed towards removal but not a deciding factor. Her speech was altered, which again pointed towards removal but not deciding factor on its own. The deciding factor was my complaints of her inability to breath at night or during any illness. The strain on her heart due to sleep apnea was THE deciding factor for removal.
So if your son does not have complaints of breathing issues, recurring illness or some other severe complaints, I doubt the drs would consider the size alone for removal.
Because DD has had HUGE tonsils for all her life, she was not aware that she could not breath. She also never complained of sore throat, but let me tell you, there were times they were SOOOO red and inflamed. And her eating ceased, so I knew it hurt. She just thought that feeling was normal. So pay attention to your sons eating habits. If he does not eat as much as you think he should, take a look at the condition of the throat.
At night, go and listen to him breath. Does he toss and turn as well as loud snoring? Does he appear to choke on his throat at times? Does he get up from his bed night after night to move to another area of the house to sleep? If he sleeps the night thru w/ ease, chances are they are not causing him trouble.
No trouble now, does not mean no trouble later, so just keep an eye on his habits. I wouldn't make too much a big deal of it around him. You want to get unbiased signals of any distress.
Good luck to you. Hopefully, he just has big ones that don't do anything except what they are meant to do.
And to answer your question, no I could never see her throat. I CAN NOW! Surgery was the best thing we ever did. The 2 wk recovery was hellish, but well worth the results. She is a new child!!!!!
Oh, and one more thing. DD ALWAYS had the most horendous (sp?) smelling breath. It was gross! Now w/ the tonsils gone, there is no odor at all. So if your son has really bad breath no matter what you do, chances are he has an infection going on in his sinuses or else where.
Dana, we're going through the same thing. DD turned 6 in Feb. She's had hearing probs for as long as I can remember. Fam Drs have put it to wax build up for this long. Finally a few months ago, I was not satisfied with the wax build up answer so I requested a specialist (ENT) app't & hearing test. Well, guess what - fluid in both ears and enlarged tonsils & adenoids. We're contemplating surgery as well.
How long was she in the hospital? Was it just day surgery? Please tell me about the recovery!
By all means schedule the surgery and try to do this as soon as they let you. And ask to be put on the "bump" list incase an earlier surgery date opening.
DD had both tonsils and adenoids removed.
She has commented on being able to breath well, speak well and hear well immediately after the surgery.
They say recovery is 12-14 days. DD used all 12 on the round the clock codine medicine. Days 13-14 we used regular tylenol. Life was very difficult. The medicine did not knock her out as it does for most. It was a stimulant for her and she never slept. It also aided in making her very mean. But knowing what I know now, and how many hours I would spend praying for her to feel better, I would do it again in a flash. I would not even hesitate.
Your poor baby having to wait so many years before a proper diagnosis was made. Get those things out so his hearing works. You will see the changes over night!
I want to thank you Dana for all of the info. This is such a wonderful place to go and get opinions on ANY subject. I am glad to hear your daughter is better now. I can't believe how much the doctors made her wait before making the decision to remove the tonsils. Makes me wonder what in the world they were thinking.
i have to say, i'm in Toronto and we need to get SARS out of our health care system before we'll schedule any surgery.
But Dana, thanks for your input!
Will the maddnesss ever end?! After 3 days of a low temp., neck pain, and sore throat...a horrible rash showed up all over my son. Well, guess what? Strep throat! His rash is ichy, but calamine lotion is working great. Here is the phrase my mother-in-law says (and I hate hearing it!) "This too shall pass."
HUGS. Once DD broke out in rash due to strep. And yes, this too shall pass.
BUMP FOR OLIVIASMOM. Hope some of this info helps you.
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