I was just curious how many times you dk had to get sick before they make this kind of a call? My ds was sick this a.m. throwing up but no fever. I still suspected strep, which he also had in Mar. Because I couldn't even look in his throat without him gagging. Well it was not strep but his tonsils were so huge. My dh said that is how it was the last time when he took him. The doctor was answering me if he snore, and stops breating. He said it would be very loud. I know that he does snore but I wouldn't say all the time or loud. But tonight he wants me to listen to see if he stops breathing. So I am like great then what I am supposed to do??? But dh and I wondering if he should have his tonsils removed. I am going to ask when we go back in two weeks. My friend told me they want something crazy like tonsilitis 6 times in 6 months before they will do it. TIA

By Dancermom on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 03:12 pm:

When my daughter had hers out a couple of years ago she had to be sick quite a few times. But really the only reason they took them out then was the snoring and stop breathing issues. I guess doctors are rethinking the whole removal of the tonsils. They now say they are important to stop infections.

I will say I haven't really noticed any improvement with the breathing or snoring (she had the tonsils and adnoids (sp?) removed.

Good luck.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 06:16 pm:

I had strep 4 times in 8 months and they wanted to take mine out, but we didn't want to schedule the surgery, until a small ways into the future for insurance reasons. Then I stopped getting strep so often, and I never did schedule the surgery. This was years ago and I still have them. I've had strep once or twice, since then, but not with the same frequency.

My kids still have them. My niece had hers out, when she was about 4, I think. She snored horribly, though. My sister could hear her snoring ALL over the house. It was much better, after she had her tonsils and adenoids out.

By Beth on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 06:29 pm:

Thanks ladies. It is so frustrating because he had no fever this a.m. and now it is 103! I am calling tommorrow a.m. his doctor is in and making them do a strep test. Which I should have made him do today.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 10:52 pm:

Oh yikes! Strep has usually given me a fever.

By Debbie on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 12:43 am:

A few years ago, my youngest(who was in preschool at the time) got strep a lot. He had it a few times in the fall, and 4 times in the spring!! I was starting to get frustrated and concerned. His pediatrician said that strep is VERY contagious. And, it is easy to get again if you are not fully over it. It is very easy to keep spreading it when you are in a classroom or daycare environment. She wanted us to see how he did after school was out, and through the summer. If he continued to get it, we would talk about having his tonsils removed. Once he was out of school for summer, he never got it again. He has only had it once(this year) since then, and that was 2 yrs ago.

My understanding is that doctors really don't like to take out tonsils for strep. They mainly only do it if they stay enlarged, not just enlarged during a episode of strep, if they are causing snoring, or the child to stop breathing. At least this is what my ds's doctor told us.

By Karen~admin on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 12:42 pm:

The criteria and decision to remove them seems to change every 10 years or so.

When Jeff was very young, he either had strep, tonsilitis or ear infections literally every 3 weeks. At that stage, I was told if he had a *throat infection* 8 times in 18 months they would remove them. Well, in 14 months, he had strep 10 times. Needless to say, they were removed.

For some reason they didn't take Jen's out. Fast forward to her late teen/early adult years - she got strep/tonsilitis several times a year, and for the last 3 years, ended up in the ER several times because it was so bad. She had her tonsils out last summer at age 21. It was very hard on her.

The snoring could have more to do with his adenoids than his tonsils. If his tonsils are that large/inflamed so often, I'd take him to an ENT. If your DS is getting sick with tonsilitis/strep several times in a year, snoring, having sleep apnea, has tonsils that are constantly enlarged, I'd definitely look into having them removed while he is young.

By Beth on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 01:45 pm:

We went back to the doctor today. MY dh slept in with him and said he stopped breathing several times. I have to admit I was a little peeved didn't say it to anyone or complain. Just irritated the dr. didn't due the test yesterday. But they were so nice. They didn't make me pay another copay today and they listened to me when I requested they give a shot and be done with it. I felt the meds at this point were not going to work fast enough. His tonsils were so large I wanted them better as soon as possible. I appreciated that my dr. listened to my reasoning. He stated that today his throat look totally different today. He thought yesterday that it would just be viral. So I heard his reasoning for not doing the test earlier. I don't think my ds was as happy with me. But he was a real trooper. I prepared him way ahead of time and let him know I was requesting a shot if it was an option. So now hopefully he will start feeling better by tommorrow. We see him again in two weeks so we will definately talk about what are options are. Thanks

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 03:37 pm:

Awww, poor kid. At least he is on antibiotics now.

By Christylee on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 11:18 pm:

Brendan had tonsilitis or strep every month for 8 months and we had them taken out on Feb. 28th. He's been 110% better and not so much as a sniffle or cough, I'm happy with my decision on it.