G'night..good luck TSG friends!

gotta get to bed. I wish I could stay all night and help fend off those nuisance threads. My little guy is sick again with his third round of strep throat. Looks like his tonsils are harboring bacteria and may need to come out, so saith the doctor. (already had his adenoids out...they should have taken the tonsils too so we wouldnt be going through this ). They gave him a shot of strong antibiotics yesterday and his fever is still up to 103 tonight. His throat was almost closed all the way.....not a good combo with his asthma. Didnt get much sleep last night but at least he is home with us and not back in the hospital.

Good luck keeping those cretins outta here. I'll pop in tomorrow to see how it going. Take care you guys.

 

Val: Take care of your son and get some rest! Strange they didn't take the tonsils at the same time! My brother went to a Dr for his snoring and they took out T & A plus the uvula....and he still snores! I think that surgery was far too drastic for snoring! I'll say a prayer for your son. Poor little guy! Good night. Love: Marlene (angel)

 

Awww, Valley, I feel so sorry for him. Strep is no fun whatsoever. And I'm with you, they should have taken his tonsils at the same time. Then there wouldn't be the need to put him and you through it all again. I'll say a prayer for him also. Hope he feels better soon.
JustMe2

 

So sorry the little guy is not well.
I had a hel...errr...heck of a time with them when i was young, but since I turned 16 (a LONG time ago)I am rarely sick at all, seems like once you hit a certain age they really clear up...what are those things for anyway ??

 

I got tonsillitus a bunch when I was younger. It was the "thing" to take the tonsils out. My parents didn't, believing they served a good purpose. I eventually outgrew the illness. But I didn't have asthma. Whatever it takes...I hope he gets better soon!!

 

Valley:
I'll say a prayer tonight for your son. I was much like he was, always sick and in those days duringWWII there wasn't antibiotics for civilians, and I wa pretty allergic to sulfur drugs. They took out my tonsils twice! Like anykey I outgrew it. I think now MDs do believe they were put there for good reason and are not so ready to yank them.
Just found a devise I hopr will be good for snoring but that is another thread

 

Val ... I, with the rest of the well wishers, hope that Jake can get well and stay well. This has been a rough winter so far with illness... I know we've had our fair share here in my home. Keeping you and yours in my thoughts and prayers...
*Hugs*

 

Tonsils and Tonsillectomies


Everybody's heard of tonsils. But not everyone knows what tonsils do in the body or why they may need to be removed. Knowing the facts can help alleviate the fears of both parents and children facing a tonsillectomy.

What Are Tonsils?
Tonsils are glandular tissue located on both sides of the throat. The tonsils trap bacteria and viruses entering through the throat and produce antibodies to help fight infections. You can usually see the tonsils by looking in your child's throat using a flashlight.

Tonsillitis occurs when tonsils become infected and swell. If your child has persistent or recurring tonsillitis, your child's doctor may suggest that they be removed. Children do not suffer from more infections without their tonsils - other tissues in the body function the same as tonsils do, producing sufficient antibodies to fight infection.

What Are the Symptoms of Tonsillitis?
There are several symptoms associated with tonsillitis. Your child may experience:

sore throat
pain or discomfort when swallowing
fever
raspy voice
swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck

If you look down your child's throat, you may see red and swollen tonsils or a white or yellow coating on the tonsils. But don't rely on your own guesses when it comes to your child's health. You may not be able to judge whether your child's tonsils are infected. If you suspect tonsillitis, see your child's doctor.

Treatment of Tonsillitis
Because of success with antibiotics, surgery is no longer the standard treatment for tonsillitis that it was years ago. For many children, enlarged or swollen tonsils are normal. But recurrent sore throats and infections should be evaluated by a doctor. Your child's doctor may order a throat culture to check for strep throat. Strep are bacteria that cause infections. Bacterial infections respond well to antibiotics.

Left alone, your child's enlarged tonsils may eventually shrink on their own. Your child's doctor may suggest a tonsillectomy if one or more of the following conditions are present:

swollen tonsils make it hard for your child to breath
your child has difficulty swallowing
recurrent sore throats
recurrent throat infections
obstructive sleep apnea (a condition in which your child may stop breathing for a few seconds at a time during sleep because enlarged tonsils are partially blocking his airway)
What Happens During a Tonsillectomy?
Surgery, no matter how common or simple the procedure, is often frightening for both child and parent. You can help prepare your child for surgery by talking about what to expect. During the tonsillectomy:

your child will receive general anesthesia. This means the surgery will be performed in an operating room so that an anesthesiologist can monitor your child.
your child will be asleep for about 20 minutes.
the surgeon can get to the tonsils through your child's open mouth. There is no need to cut the skin.
the surgeon removes the tonsils with a series of incisions and then cauterizes (seals) the blood vessels.

Your child will wake up in the recovery area. Children that have trouble breathing or show signs of bleeding will return immediately to the operating room. In most cases, the total time in the hospital is 5 to 10 hours. Children under 3 years of age and children with chronic disease, such as seizure disorders or cerebral palsy, will usually stay overnight for observation.

Updated and reviewed by: Kim Rutherford, MD
Date reviewed: June 2001
Originally reviewed by: Steve Dowshen, MD


My tonsils were removed for me when I was five. I cooperated fully, as I was told I could have ALL the ice cream I wanted after they were out! Yippee!

My ex-wife, on the other hand did not have hers out, and still suffered from strep as an adult. I felt sorry for her. So I guess it has to be decided on a case by case basis.

 

I just noticed you gals pulled your picts...I know why ...won't use them for awhile, don't ya just hate it when that happens ! ...Rhett

 

Yeah Rhett... it's kind of a self preservation thing for now... won't be long, I don't imagine.

 

Hope your boy and you are feeling better when you get up today.

You two are in my prays.

 

goodnight valley

bump

 

thanks for thinking of us here, you guys.

Eggplant.....great article. I was glad to read it.

The last surgery Jake had was horrible. He had a bad reaction to the Anethesia and freaked out. He didnt know who I was and was terrified, trying to rip out his IV. They said that they had seen the same reaction in other children before and compared it to being caught in a nightmare that you cant wake up from. I guess that is why the thought of another surgery makes me so angry. It was one of those times that I wanted to rip someone's head off. I wasnt at all prepared for the reaction he had and didnt even know it was a possibility. That was 2 years ago and hopefully, they will be able to give him something different if it comes to that. The only comfort is the fact that after about 4 hours, he was home jumping on the couch, lol.

 

Ah, the resiliency of kids is so often amazing

 

Yeah it's a shame Rhett! Of course <b>they</b> got ahold of mine before it was too late! Take care. angel