SEMI-OT: My Jonah DOES NOT have apnea (or adenoids)

Over the past year, we have noticed that my son, Jonah (2.5 years old) breathes through his mouth nearly exclusively, has some apneas (and is restless) during sleep and a stuffy nose 24/7. His voice is a bit nasally and high pitched as well. Thankfully, his daytime sleepiness is nearly non-existent from what we can tell. He also wakes up almost every 2 hours like clockwork. I'm thinking he's hitting a REM cycle, and the apneas are getting worse.

I examined his tonsils and didn't see any unusual enlargement or swelling. This led me to believe that his adenoids are probably enlarged. We took him to an ENT who was recommended by a couple of friends, one friend's son just had his adenoids taken out by this doctor. Nice guy, good humor, seems knowledgeable.

So, Marie (my wife) took him in for one x-ray. I was right: very enlarged adenoids. When the doctor called me, I asked him: on a scale of 1-10 (1 being normal; 10 being 100% blocked), where was Jonah on that scale? He said about 7/8, and that the adenoids should really come out. The tonsils will stay in.

Questions:

• Anybody else share their experience with an adenoidectomy, either for yourself or your kids? How was recovery?
• We like the original ENT but may want a second opinion; a couple of doctors at Children's Hospital Los Angeles were recommended to us personally. Is that necessary? Is it insulting to the original guy?

Thanks!

I had both out at 4. All I remember of it is holding the bowl to catch the blood or at least that was what it seemed like I was doing. I am sure things are done differently, 60 years later.

when i was five my brother was 13 and he had to have his tonsils taken out so they decided to take out his adenoids along with them since: WHy not? it avoids a second surgery later was the thinking I guess - so they took out my tonsils and adenoids at the same time so my mother could care for the two of us at the same time - my tonsils were totally healthy. I guess it was better than using leeches - but not much

Hi Kenny and my little buddy Jonah! Adenoid surgery is pretty commonplace and complications are very rare, but in your case a second opinion will be of great benefit and peace of mind to you and Marie. Any good Dr expects parents to seek out another opinion especially when it involves surgery on a toddler, so don't hesitate. Hugs to all of you!. Hope you'll keep us posted.

Sorry to hear your little (well not so little now) guy is having trouble. When my now adult daughter was age 9, she had both the tonsils & adenoids out and had her turbinates cauterized (no actual cutting on them). From what I hear, just the adenoids is not very traumatic. My daughter's surgery made a remarkable difference in her breathing all the time and especially in her sleep. My only regret was in waiting so long to have it done. This might be a good time to ask the doctors about if Jonah has allergies. Not sure if he does, but for my daughter, the slight intentional scarring on her turbinates helped them not swell so big with her allergies. Don't know if that procedure is still recommended or not. Been a long time ago. Let us know how he does.

Thanks, everyone for the feedback!

DoriC wrote:Hi Kenny and my little buddy Jonah! Adenoid surgery is pretty commonplace and complications are very rare, but in your case a second opinion will be of great benefit and peace of mind to you and Marie. Any good Dr expects parents to seek out another opinion especially when it involves surgery on a toddler, so don't hesitate. Hugs to all of you!. Hope you'll keep us posted.

I figured as much. Marie is worried about pissing him off. Some doctors do have fragile egos and they need an egoectomy! If he gets like that (doubtful), he's not the right guy for us.

kteague wrote:Sorry to hear your little (well not so little now) guy is having trouble. When my now adult daughter was age 9, she had both the tonsils & adenoids out and had her turbinates cauterized (no actual cutting on them). From what I hear, just the adenoids is not very traumatic. My daughter's surgery made a remarkable difference in her breathing all the time and especially in her sleep. My only regret was in waiting so long to have it done. This might be a good time to ask the doctors about if Jonah has allergies. Not sure if he does, but for my daughter, the slight intentional scarring on her turbinates helped them not swell so big with her allergies. Don't know if that procedure is still recommended or not. Been a long time ago. Let us know how he does.

I'll ask him about allergies, but I don't think that's it. Glad to hear that it helped her so much.

How great it is that they found this out early, and can take the adenoids out before he suffers too much damage from the apneas.

In the "old days" it was "routine" to yank out everyone's tonsils, and often the adenoids with them.

I have vague memories of getting mine out when I was 3. This was a LOOOONG time ago when anesthesia was delivered by dropping ether onto a cloth held in a mask over the nose (GAWD I'm OLD!). I remember that and the smell of ether is still traumatic to me, but I don't remember any pain or discomfort. I do remember being allowed to eat a lot of popsicles and ice cream and to lay on the couch in the living room when I came home from the hospital.

My Adenoids and Tonsils were removed when I was 5 years old. which was 53 years ago.... no issues so far.

removing them apparently didn't prevent me from developing sleep apnea...

Janknitz wrote:How great it is that they found this out early, and can take the adenoids out before he suffers too much damage from the apneas.

In the "old days" it was "routine" to yank out everyone's tonsils, and often the adenoids with them.

I have vague memories of getting mine out when I was 3. This was a LOOOONG time ago when anesthesia was delivered by dropping ether onto a cloth held in a mask over the nose (GAWD I'm OLD!). I remember that and the smell of ether is still traumatic to me, but I don't remember any pain or discomfort. I do remember being allowed to eat a lot of popsicles and ice cream and to lay on the couch in the living room when I came home from the hospital.

Yes, I can still remember that smell of ether too and flashing lights as I went under and that was only a FEW years ago!
I was 8yrs old. Yeah, the ice cream was good! I do remember having a sore throat though. Thanks for the memories!

Does the 1st Doctor even have to know that you got a 2nd opinion?

Definitely get a second opinion. Make sure the tonsils really shouldn't come out, as you'd hate to have to put him under anesthesia again later to do it. My son had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy at age 5. It wasn't too bad. Kids rebound quickly.

I had my tonsils out when I was 5 years old. I am 73 now. In those days, the doctor would come to the house for just about anything!!

My mother was terrfied of hospitals and so my tonsils were removed on the kitchen table!! The whole family had to go next door and all the food in our refrigerator (read- icebox in those days) had to go the neighbour's icebox.

I remember the doctor carried me upstairs to my bed and said I could have all the ice cream I wanted. I had ether but I really don't remember any lasting problems with the odour of ether.

Those were the good old days but a very dangerous situation. Any complications could not be dealt with properly. My mother was so terrified of hospitals that, after delivering a 12 lb baby boy in hospital (she was 5' 3" tall), she chose to have me and my sister at home. I weighed in at 9 3/4 lbs and my sister at 9 1/2 lbs. Sorry - that was an aside- really off topic!

I was six, they took out "the works" I think they were aggressive because I had been suffering from earaches and throat infections,
was quite small for my age, and my parents were desperate to "fix whatever was wrong with me".
The ether was so strong, it was horrible.
Catholic hospital, all the nurses were nuns--with those terrifying long habits.
I was sure I was never going to wake up. Nuns still creep me out.

Sorry to hear about Jonah. And at 2.5 years no less. Because you know about apnea Jonah is lucky. Some parents would miss that.
My tonsils and adenoids came out at 7. Mom noticed that I was hard of hearing... turning up the TV all the time. Probably made a family Dr appointment about that. Dr poked a lighted mirror into the back of my throat to look at the adenoids.
In surgery they used Ether to knock me out: remember the choking, cloying smell before going out. But hey... this was what? 1958? Bet that part is different now.
After surgery Mom was told one adenoid was the size of both my swollen tonsils. Dr was family friend and brought one to my room to show her.
I remember vomiting up blood and it scared the heck out of me. But Jonah would react different because he's younger. Throat was raw and hurt like heck to talk or swallow. If they used sutures they were the dissolving kind. Or they cauterized the incision. You could ask.
Loved the ice cream: even that was painful to eat for some days. Was on soft foods for some time while things healed. I talked funny for a month until the pain was gone because it hurt to move my tongue to articulate.
Comedian Bill Cosby had a routine on one of his albums in the late 60's being a kid having his tonsils out. Very funny.
Best wishes to Jonah and his family!
Cindy

Oh Jonah, sorry you have to go through this. I wish you all the best in your recovery. Hopefully the new ways of this surgery is quicker and less pain in recovery than years gone by.

In some ways it is harder on the parents than it is on the child, at least from the worry aspect.
Please let us know when Jonah is back to his bubbly self. I will keep you in prayers.

Karen