Adenoids

[Tmatt80]

Anyone have experience with adenoids causing severe apnea? Specifically in children?

[Wulfman...]

Anyone have experience with adenoids causing severe apnea? Specifically in children?

Maybe you need to ask an ENT, sleep doctor or regular doctor.
I remember a poll that was taken years ago asking the forum members whether they had had their tonsils and adenoids removed in their earlier years. A significant number of the voters with OSA reported that they had had their tonsils and adenoids removed when they were young. So, removing them may not alleviate the OSA, but you need to get a professional opinion on that.

I would say there may be "some" relation, but I can't answer how.


Den

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[Sir NoddinOff]

I got 491 hits typing adenoids in the CPAPtalk search engine, ie. just under the CPAPtalk logo above... that ought to occupy your time until somebody comes along to add to the conversation. Good luck sorting out the problem, especially if it's related to a child.

[Tmatt80]

I did search adenoids and start to wade through those. I was just wondering specifically about a child. Our ENT is going to remove my son's adenoids next week during a laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy. She thinks they could be the cause, but our pulmonologist thinks something else is going on for it to be so severe. I wish that the adenoids being removed would be a simple
Fix!

[Wulfman...]

I did search adenoids and start to wade through those. I was just wondering specifically about a child. Our ENT is going to remove my son's adenoids next week during a laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy. She thinks they could be the cause, but our pulmonologist thinks something else is going on for it to be so severe. I wish that the adenoids being removed would be a simple
Fix!

Did they check the turbinates? Deviated septum? There could be any number of reasons.


Den

.

[Bill44133]

Anyone have experience with adenoids causing severe apnea? Specifically in children?

Did you have a in lab sleep study to find this out?

When I read your post I immediately thought of the little girl from California The Jahi McMath case.
http://www.psmag.com/health-and-behavio ... reventable

Operating on children is scary.

[ChicagoGranny]

When I read your post I immediately thought of the little girl from California The Jahi McMath case.
Operating on children is scary.

Oh, for goodness sakes. Adenoidectomy in children is common and relatively safe among childhood surgeries.

Did you have a in lab sleep study to find this out?

A lab sleep study will not determine that adenoids are the cause of sleep apnea. An examination of the adenoids by an ENT can help in estimating the likelihood that the adenoids are the cause of OSA.

Our ENT is going to remove my son's adenoids next week during a laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy. She thinks they could be the cause, but our pulmonologist thinks something else is going on for it to be so severe. I wish that the adenoids being removed would be a simple
Fix!

The ENT should be better trained and more experienced in judging the problems caused by enlarged adenoids. But, I can imagine how you feel when you get conflicting opinions from doctors. Have the two doctors shared their opinions with each other?

Now, I have no medical training, but enlarged adenoids can cause severe OSA (http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/ears/adenoids.html), so I don't understand the pulmonologist's thoughts.

Is the pulmonologist board certified in sleep medicine, and does he practice sleep medicine?

[ChicagoGranny]

I guess you have looked at many articles, but here is a simple one - https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/enc ... 003011.htm

[ChicagoGranny]

When I read your post I immediately thought of the little girl from California The Jahi McMath case.
http://www.psmag.com/health-and-behavio ... reventable

Operating on children is scary.

You should not post to scare, when you don't know what you are talking about.

What happens during tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy?

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) surgery is a common surgery performed on children in the US. The need for a T&A will be determined by your child's ear, nose, and throat surgeon and discussed with you. Most T&A surgeries are done on an outpatient basis. This means that your child will have surgery and then go home the same day. Some children may be required to stay overnight, such as, but not limited to, children who:

Are not drinking well after surgery.

Have other chronic diseases or problems with seizures.

Have complications after surgery, such as bleeding.

Are younger than 3 years of age.

http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/top ... -90-P02026

... and discussion of risks (low) in children ---> http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Adenoids-a ... Risks.aspx

[Julie]

FWIW, I had both T+As out at 8 yrs, but only found out about OSA not long after menopause when my ex said I stopped breathing-then-gasped when asleep. I've always (pre- or post dx) been a short sleeper and was never aware in my life (except more recently) of being sleepy in the daytime or worried re driving, etc. I did have mono at 25 that seemed to take months to get over and if stressed for a few yrs afterward would be more tired than I might have been otherwise, but really don't think I necessarily had (or got) OSA back then in particular. So not sure if the T&A had any bearing at all on it.

[Tmatt80]

Yes the pulmonologist is a sleep med doctor, and yes we did have a sleep
Study in the lab to determine severity. It's classified as extremely severe. Yes they did check for a deviated septum
And did a scope in the office. They'll know more after the procedure next week. Our pulmonologist seems to think that for his age and the severity, adenoids alone couldn't be the cause. Just trying to get some personal
Experience here

[Tmatt80]

I guess my thought too is if the adenoids are so bad, wouldn't there be other issues like repeated ear infections or sinus problems? Seems weird that they could be so large to cause such hell
During sleep and no other time?

[Julie]

Don't forget (I know it's come up before with your son) that the ENT doc is a surgeon who'll be well paid for his work... not to sound cynical or anything, but this does come up a lot here.

[kteague]

My daughter snored and snorted like a horse throughout her childhood. People weren't talking about the sleep apnea aspect yet back then. Finally had her tonsils and adenoids out at age 9 and she's been fine since. It would surprise me if adenoids alone were the culprit, but hey, I know nothing about this stuff - just a whole lot of "I think" worthless stuff. Just saying my daughter's adenoids were horrendously large and her allergic rhinitis improved a lot post surgery. ( I worked in Pathology so I saw her adenoids post surgery. Far bigger that what routinely came across my desk... errr sink. )

[ChicagoGranny]

Our pulmonologist seems to think that for his age and the severity, adenoids alone couldn't be the cause.

"Seems to think" is pretty unsure. Have you asked him what he does think?

If he does think enlarged adenoids could not be the cause of severe sleep apnea, then I have doubts about this pulmonologist. You've seen all the most reputable sources who say enlarged adenoids can cause sleep apnea. And none of these sources say the resulting sleep apnea can only be mild or moderate.

From the little you have told us, I no longer trust this pulmonologist.

Yes they did check for a deviated septum
And did a scope in the office. They'll know more after the procedure next week.

I would demand a good discussion with the ENT about any doubts you have about an adenoidectomy. If you still have doubts that an adenoidectomy is appropriate for your son, you could seek a second opinion from another pediatric ENT who has been recommended to you.

Prayers that the adenoidectomy will be easy, and your son will be cured of sleep apnea. I hope to hear from you in a few weeks that your son has healed from the surgery and is sleeping peacefully.

ChicagoGranny